RADIO CONTROL

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 263, 5 November 1937, Page 12

RADIO CONTROL

ALL-NIGHT DEBATE. TEDIOUS SITTING. AMENDMENTS OUT-VOTED. THIRD READING POSTPONED. (By Tcleffriiph. rnrllainentnry Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. Tt, was broad daylight when the House of Representi!tives rose this morning to snatch a. little sleep before reassembling at 10..'10 for the usual Friday morning sitting, the Broadcasting Amendment Hill having occupied the attention of members for l)i sitting lion's. Urgency was accorded the bill at 4.11) p.m. yesterday and the second reading debate was concluded at -.10 a.m. to-day, th» committee stages lasting another 2} hours. Tho third reading of the bill was postponed until Tuesday, when the Minister, Mr. Jones, will reply to criticism, as he did not take tho opportunity of doing so to-day. The second reading debate ended when a division was taken on an amendment, moved by Mr. .1. G. Coates (National, Kaipara). proposing \he setting up of a Royal Commission to investigate the whole question of broadcast'ng. This went the way of all Opposition amendments, several being moved in the committee stages. Every phase of broadcasting policy was discussed during a tedious sitting, the principal topics of discussion toeing Iho appointment of the controller of commercial broadcasting and the jamming of the Friendly Road station in November, 10.1.". Tho Prime Minister, to whom the portfolio of broadcasting really belongs, defended the 'Government's policy in general and Mr. Serimgeour's appointment, in particular, and. inter alia, mentioned tho possibility of a reduction in licenso fees. By a curious circumstance an unexpected fault developed in the broadcasting equipment when Mr. Savage was speaking, and subsequent reference to it on the floor of the House drew from the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Hamilton, an indignant denial of any suggestion that the Opposition knew anything about the occurrence.