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Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21806, 11 June 1936, Page 12

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HON. A. HAMutf VERSION BEBM ’ |j • DIRECTOR-GENRR^iI REPORT J| DISCUSSION IN TBmill P '.' i'lipH ' "yi (.From Our Parliamentary Rflajj WELLINGTON. Slm A departmental report 1 '49 that the former PostmartMM (the Hon. A. Hamilton) had || to the “jamming” of radio . 9 IZB, Auckland, during election campaign. Was qnelS the Postmaster-General (the H| Jones) during his reply to aj|| ond-reading debate on the H casting Bill in the House of 9 sentatives to-day. The .-jjl reading was carried on a dig by 49 votes to 19. “The member for Wallace, cussing the ‘jamming* of USSg last night that he had sponsibility because one offh|j partmental officers had takeiup on his own judgment,” said. “He said that his structions had been that if, fl tion infringed the regulationsfl to be put off the air by caneol of its license. In the circums| I may perhaps be the report which was madCl on the subject." ’ . --8 S Discussion of Pouting The report, Mr Jones saidjl that Mr Hamilton had formed that Station IZB w«||| to discuss politics, and thaf)| phlets had been issued gmhf indication of possible action 1 these lines. The Minister had cussed with his departmental m the possibility of putting* tlipj tion off the air. It had ,been pd out to him that a warning thgj license would be cancelled. serve no useful purpose idfi had agreed that the station j| be “jammed” if the necessitf-l An oscillator had accordingly! sent specially to Auckland ftp; purpose. . ■ - The Rt. Hon. J. G. Coateflf Kainara): Who made the report Mr Jones: A staff officer of department. Mr Coates: Was It the Dire General? - - < . Mr Jones: Yes. Mr’ C. L. Carr (Govt., Timl What have you got to say i that? Report Contradicted The report continued that • the “jamming” of the station ' taken place the matter had 1 referred to Mr Hamilton, said Jobes. Mr Hamilton had stated 1 the action was justified. Mr Hamilton: I did nothingp! sort. “I understood that the 'fSi Postmaster-General took fedf J sponsibility for the station,” Mr Jones said. “tgl quently I took no further Now he takes up another atfl and he says to-day that the <Mj mental report is not' correct Mr Hamilton: Would you *1 responsibility for your deparfcffl officers? -J l*v Mr Jones: Yes, if,l had ism* structions. - Mr Hamilton repeated that had never given instructions fM station to be “jammed.” He taken responsibility " because! “jamming” had definitely beett ried out by an officer of the <*| ment, which, at the time, was der his control. “Friendly Road’s” License “There seems to be an imprQ that I instructed the departiWS do the ‘jamming,* but I did ufl anything of the sort,” said Mr 1 ilton at a later stage of ttte d| “The license qf the Friendly 1 Station was not granted in • with the recommendations ta department, but by the GoverM in response to a largely-signed tion. There is no doubt thaULu instructions that if the stalttp fended too greatly against thel lations it was to be stopped.-’1 officer carrying out his dlHlp an official way adopted some $ method, then'l, as Minister and'i of the department at the time, - ! to take the blame. I gave-Of structions to use the • adopted.” • ’