DID THE TRICK.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 91, 17 April 1936, Page 9

DID THE TRICK.

THE FRIENDLY ROAD. JAMMING OF THE STATION. REFERENCES IN PARLIAMENT. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Thursday. The "jamming" of the Friendly Road broadcasting station in Auckland just prior to the last general election was the subject of some heated argument in the House of Representatives to-day during the debate on the annual report of the New Zealand Broadcasting Board presented to Parliament before the Easter adjournment.

The first reference to the incident was made by Mr. J. A. Lee (Government, Grey Lynn), who said that if ever a Government had failed the people of New Zealand in respect to a social service, it was the late Government in its attitude to broadcasting. First of all it decided that broadcasting should be non-controversial, and then on the instructions of the late Minister (the Hon. A. Hamilton), it hawked a spare set around New Zealand to ensure that broadcasting should be made controversial. (Laughter.)

"The fact that no satisfactory explanation has been forthcoming from the Minister responsible is probably the cause of the Opposition's silence to-day," he added.

"We had proof of the Minister's responsibility, or the Minister's irresponsibility, when that spare set was hawked up to Auckland for the purpose of jamming the Friendly Road station," • said Mr. Lee at a later stage in his speech.

When Mr. S. G. Smith (National, New Plymouth), who was Minister of Employment in "the Coalition Government, was advocating assistance for" B stations, he declared that he was not in favour of political interference in broadcasting. Labour Retort.

Mr. J. A. Lee (Government, Grey Lynn): That is why you jammed them. Mr. Smith said that all that had been said about jamming the station was good political propaganda. "It did the trick In Auckland," he said. It had increased the honourable member's majority. Mr. Smith went on to say that all the records were in the office of the Postmaster-General and could be referred to by the Government at any time. Mr. Lee: Not the verbal conversation. Mr. Smith said the honourable gentleman evidently required a dictaphone so that everything said in conversation could be produced later on. Nobody would make him believe that the Post-master-General of the late Government, Mr. Hamilton, would be guilty of any unfair or mean tactics towards any one. When called to order by Mr. Speaker, Mr. Smith said he had been in the House since 1018 and was always being pulled up. Mr. Speaker said that there had been no suggestion that any member of the House had been guilty of a dishonest act. If there had been he would have intervened. Showing some heat Mr. Smith referred to the remarks of the member for Grey Lynn, who had said the records did not show the verbal message. That was an insinuation, he declared. Mr. Lee: There were lying statements made. Mr. Smith said he did not desire to pursue the question further. He was against political control of broadcasting. Fair and Above Board? The Minister of Public Works, Mr. Semple: Will the honourable gentleman say it was all fair and above board? Mr. H. Atmore (Independent, Nelson) said that nothing that had been referred to bv the last speaker would prevent people from believing that improper means were not used to prevent something being put over the Friendly Road station. Mr. E. J. Howard (Government, Christchurch South), referring to the jamming of the Friendly Road station, remarked that it was so miserably childish for grown men to go out of their way to block the station. People were wanting to know what exactly happened on that occasion. Why was the former Government silent?

Mr. Atmore: Wouldn't vou be silent? Mr. Howard: Yes. If I had done something wrong I would keep silent. Mr. Coates (National, Kaipara) said that the YA stations were open immediately for the Friendly Road station to put its message over the air. Mr. Howard: At that time? Mr. Coates: Yes. Mr. Howard: The people will be glad to hear you say that. Continuing, Mr. Howard said he still wanted someone on the Opposition side to get up and say what happened on that occasion. Someone must know.

No Knowledge. Mr. K. S. S. Kyle (National, Kiccarton) declared that the member for Wal lace had no of toe xncjdent. "There is no member of the tben Gov

eminent, including the member for Wallace, who was Postmaster-General at that time, who had any knowledge of such a thing," he said. Mr. F. W. Schramm (Government, Auckland East): The member for Wallace said he took full responsibility. Mr. Kyle: He wanted to take the responsibility for the action of an official. Mr. Schramm: Did he tell the truth ? Mr. Kyle: He made the public announcement. He took the responsibility to get one of the officers of his Department out of serious trouble. Reluctance. "There seems to be a reluctance on the part of former Ministers of the Crown to take part in this debate," said the Postmaster-General, Mr. Jones. "One is not altogether surprised at that. Whether they were conversant with what was done I do not know, but the ex-Postmaster-General has taken full responsibility for the jamming. The report I received on the matter indicates that the matter was discussed with the officers of my Department, and as a result it was decided that if IZB put across information •as to how to vote or anything of a political nature, then IZB should be stopped. As a result IZB was certainly blocked out during one of its sessions.

Mr. T. H. McCombs (Government, Lyttelton) said that it seemed that the member for Kaipara, Mr. Coates, knew something dirty was being done, and he knew that it was not in the best interests of his party.

Mr. Speaker called on Mr. McCombs to withdraw his remarks on the ground that they reflected on the character of a member of the House. .

Mr. McCombs withdrew his remarks, and in place of them suggested that the jamming was done without Mr. Coates' knowledge, and that immediately that it was done Mr. Coates realised that something had been done that was not in the best interests of his party. Mr. McCombs said that he would congratulate Mr. Coates for giving permission for the statement to be made again, but he could not congratulate his party.

Talked Out. Mr. Coates interposed in the discussion just before the report was "talked out." He said lie rose to refute entirely the suggestion made by Mr. McCombs that he knew of some supposed action concerning the Friendly Road station.

"I knew nothing of it; nothing at all," he continued. "The matter was reported to me the morning after, and I immediately telephoned to Wellington and arranged tor Mr. Scrimgeour to put his message over from the national station." Mr. Coates said he did not know what had actually happened for six or seven weeks after. "Any suggestion that I knew of this or that is iucorrect and wrong," he added. In conclusion Mr. Coates. said the good old game of politics had been well played that afternoon, inasmuch as the report of the Broadcasting Board had allowed the Government to get through the afternoon quite successfully. (Laughter.)