SETS IN HOMES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 142, 17 June 1936, Page 9

SETS IN HOMES.

STANDARDISED RECEIVERS. WOJTLD RETARD PROGRESS. The iptimation that the Government intended to consider a scheme whereby every lu*«ne in the Dominion would have a wireless set was commented upon by a prominent manufacturer of radios this mornino. The opinion was expressed that anything in the nature of a cheap standardised set would retard progress, because the Government would th»n be tied to a system.

"The Postmaster-General has mentioned that there are thousands of homes in New Zealand without a radio set," said the manufacturer. "This is no doubt true, but I think it fairly safe to say that a good proportion of these homes are those where there is no electric current. I should think that if the Government wished to assist in establishing radios in all homes some concession should be made to those people living outside a power area, and where the only sets that can be used are battery sets.

"The owner of a radio set in a power area gets his current at 4/ or 5/ a year, but to run a battery set costs perhaps £8 or £10, and if the Government wished to extend the use of radio it might subsidise the country user in his batteries and battery charges, and so bring his expense more into line with his more fortunate cousin who is connected with power lines. Such an adjustment might not be unfair, because if all the hydro-electric stations failed I presume the cost of putting them right again would be provided for out of the Consolidated Fund, and people who can never get the benefits of electricity would be called upon to share the cost with those living in power areas.

"The Pou'er Board pays no sales tax. income tax, or duty, and consequently the owner of a radio gets his current supplied at small cost, but the poor chap over the border who happens to be outside the power area and who uses dry batteries lias to pay all taxes, and otiier unavoidable expenses. Another point that might be worth mentioning should a cheap standardised sot be introduced is that it would be possible for the Government, by broadening the tuning, to block the stations received on nearby positions to the YA stations on the dial. This would not affect the cheap sets, but would affect the scope of the better sets."