CUT OFF THE AIR.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 290, 8 December 1933, Page 7

CUT OFF THE AIR.

CHRISTIAN SCIENTIST.

ACTION BY DEPARTMENT.

CONTROVERSIAL MATTER 7

A few minutes before 9 o'clock last evening, Mr. William Duncan Kilpatrick, whose lecture on "Christian Science: God's Answer to Humanity's Ckj for Freedom," was being broadcast from station IZS, was "cut off the air" by ord<y of a Government radio inspector. The reason for the stopping of the broadcast was officially stated to be that the subject matter was of a controversial nature, but a number of listeners this morning expressed astonishment at the ruling.

"Personally I did not even know that my lecture was being put over the air," said Mr. Kilpatrick when interviewed. "I understood that the microphone was being used only to relay my lecture to the overflow meeting in the Christian Science Church."

The subject matter of his lecture, said Mr. Kilpatrick, was the same as he had made use of when speaking in all parts of the British Empire, on the Continent, in the United t States and Canada and in other countries. The lecture, in fact, was practically the same as he had given elsewhere. Never before, he said, had he been "cut off the air," although many of his lectures had been broadcast. During his recent tour in Australia no objection had been raised to the broadcasting of his lectures.

Controversy Not Intended. Asked if he thought the subject of his lecture could be classed as controversial, he said that naturally anything that would deny popular beliefs in God was bound to be controversial, although Christian Science was not intended to be controversial. Anything which took the Bible for what it said was certain to contradict credal theology. It could be believed or not, as the listener wished. If Christian' Science did not contradict popular beliefs about religion it would never have grown faster than any other religion in the world had grown. If it had not come at a time when orthodoxy was breaking down it would not have fulfilled the mission it undoubtedly was fulfilling.

"If they took exception to my lecture last night they might squirm at some of my other lectures," said Mr. Kilpatrick. As far as he knew Auckland was the only city among the many in which he had lectured in all parts of the world in which he had been "cut off the air."

"I was astounded at the action that was taken," said the convener of the committee which made the arrangements for the lectures in Auckland. He was, he said, well acquainted with the lectures that had been broadcast locally during the past six years. Mr. Kilpatfick's lecture last evening was no more controversial than others that had been broadcast in Auckland before.

Instruction to Station. Mr. E. R. Boucher, managing director of Radio, Limited, owners of station IZS, said that at 8.53 the station received a ring from the deputy-radio inspector ordering that the lecture, which had started at 8 p.m., be cut off "as the matter was controversial and therefore against the regulations." The station had immediately cut off the broadcast, and the announcer had explained that the action was at the instructions of the Government inspector. "Station IZS and all B class stations are only too willing to comply with the wishes and instructions of Departmental officials, and do not enter into the controversy at all," he said.

Official Statement. When the matter was referred to. Mr. H. R. Hounsell, the acting-district radio inspector, he said that he had taken the action because parts of the subject matter of the lecture were undoubtedly of a controversial nature, and therefor-: against the regulations. Regulation 138 stated, "A broadcasting station shall not be used for the dissemination of propaganda of a controversial nature, but shall be restricted to matter of an educative, informative or entertaining character, such as news, lectures, useful information, religious services, musical or elocutionary entertainment and other items of general public interest as may be approved by the Minister from time to time."

Mr. Hounsell was not prepared to say whether he gave the order for the broadcast to be cut off on his own account or at the request of someone else. Neither was he prepared to state to what parts of the lecture objection had been taken. The regulations on the matter were very clear. "Certain parte of the lecture undoubtedly constituted a breach of the regulations," lie reiterated.

A citizen who heard last night's lecture —he is in no way connected with the Christian Science movement—said he was very surprised to learn this morning that the broadcast had been interrupted. It was still more difficult to understand why the authorities should have acted at the time that they did. The method followed by the lecturer —illustration, quotation and general presentation of argument —had been the same throughout. The attitude of the audience had in no way changed to suggest sudden disapproval, such as must have prompted the action of the Government authorities. One explanation, he suggested, was that those who made the decision had not followed the earlier part of the lecture, but had listened in only part time. Such a method of forming an estimate of an address which had been carefully prepared and delivered and broadcast many times Was open to criticism. A statement suddenly overheard might appear in a very different light if considered in relation to what went before and what came after.