RADIO RECEPTION

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 21020, 23 November 1933, Page 12

RADIO RECEPTION

CONTROL OF INTERFERING MACHINES THE POST AND TELEGRAPH BILL | [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, November 22. Authority for the Governor-General to make regulations governing the use of electrical apparatus which is likely to interfere with raido reception is contained in the Post and Telegraph Amendment Bill, which was read a first time in the House of Representatives to-night. Under the terms of the bill the regulations may cover the prohibition or regulation of electrical installation, and the use, sale, or manufacture of apparatus or equipment of any kind, whether wireless telegraphic equipment or not, which may generate electric waves likely to« interfere with the conduct of wireless communications. The power given to the GovernorGeneral in the principal act to make regulations governing the use of wireless telegraphic apparatus on ships within the territorial waters of New Zealand is extended to cover foreign ships of war. A penalty of-up to £IOOO may be imposed for a breach of these regulations.

Changes in Organisation. Provision is also made in the bill for changes in the organisation of the department. The bill declares that the following officers shall be appointed by the Governor-General: — (a) The Director-General, who shall under the direction of the PostmasterGeneral have the control and general administration of the department. (b) All other officers appointed to positions graded higher than first division of the department. The person holding office as secretary of the department at the time of the passing of the act is to be deemed to have been appointed Director-General under this section. Officers of the department are to' be classified into two divisions, first division and second division. Officers appointed by the Governor-General are to be paid such salaries and allowances as are provided in the annual estimates. Officers of the first division are to be paid under regulations issued under the act. Officers of the second division are to be paid salaries in accordance with the fixed amount or scale determined by the Director-General, and allowances as prescribed by the regulation. Restrictions on the transfer of officers to and from other departments are modified under the bill. Such transfers may now be made to another department with the consent of the Director-General alon The clause governing the functions of the promotion board is also modified in this direction. There is a large number of.' minor amendments affecting the department and the Post Office Savings Bank. Officers of the department are empowered to recover from any postal packet directed to be opened any money or article belonging to the Goyernment. Sections of the act which relate to the exclusion of mails of non-contributing countries from subsidised mail vessels are repealed, since they are contrary to the postal union convention. An Advisory Committee. Explaining the bill, the PostmaslerGeneral, the Hon. Adam Hamilton, said it gave power to the Post and Telegraph Department, in conjunction with the Public Works Department, electrical department, and supply authorities to form an advisory committee to say what these persons should do in an advisory capacity to control radio interference in any locality. Mr C. Carr (Lab., Tiirurii) s;iid- he desired to congratulate the Minister on the last-mentioned clause. It would mollify many who had radio receiving sets and had suffered from "roarers.''

Mr A. Harris (C„ Waitemata) asked whether the alteration relating to the departmental head would place that officer beyond Ministerial or Parliamentary control. Mr Hamilton: It does not alter his status at all. THE COMPANIES BILL A MEN DM ENTS L»RO I 'OS ED BY MINISTER AGREEMENT AMONG AUDITORS' SOCIETIES U'RESS ASSOCIATION TFXKGIUM.' WELLINGTON, November 22. Amendments to the Companies Bill proposed by the Minister for Finance 'the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates) were circulated in the House of Representatives to-night. The first deals with the recognition of the accountant societies. Under the original clause, the only persons who could act as auditors were members either of the New Zealand Society of Accountants, the Institute of Accountants of New Zealand, or the New Zealand Accountants' and Auditors' Association. According to the amendment, no person shall be qualified to act as an auditor unless he is a member of the New Zealand Society of Accountants, but a further qualifying sub-clause has been added, that for the purpose of avoiding undue hardship, the council of the New Zealand Society of Accouhtants shall admit to membership without fee every member of the Incorporated Institute of Accountants of New Zealand, or of the New Zealand Accountants' and Auditors' Association, or of the Certified Accountants' Association of New Zealand, who applies for admission before March 31 next. Share Hawking. The Minister's second amendment deals with the question of share hawking. Where the original clause forbade house-to-house offering of shares, two exceptions are now provided for. A man may offer shares from house-to-house where he is acting as the agent of any company, firm, or person and produces a written authority to offer shares, and second in the case of shares offered for subscription, if he delivers a prospectus complying with the requirements of the act.

Replying to points raised during the discussion on the short title of the bill, Mr Coates said he thought it would be dangerous to attempt to amend the bill without a most careful scrutiny of what they were doing. He had received a large amount of correspondence on the bill, and representations also had been made to him by members. He had sent all these proposals 011 to the law draftsman, who in turn was submitting them to the committee. He would give the various suggestions careful consideration. and if it was thought that amendments were desired, the bill could be recommitted. It was obvious that the legislation would require further amendments during the next year or so, in order to make it as workable as possible. On the question of the qualification of auditors, the various societies concerned, including the Certified Accountants' Association, had come to an agreement and the amendments he was introducing followed the lines of that agreement. Progress was reported after 55 out of a total of 384 clauses had been passed.