BROADCASTING DEBATE

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22243, 6 November 1937, Page 18

BROADCASTING DEBATE

HOUSE HAS LATE SITTING

BILL PASSES SECOND

READING

COMPREHENSIVE AMENDMENT DEFEATED fFrom Our Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, November 5. The most important stages of the Broadcasting Amendment Bill, which separates control of the national and commercial broadcasting stations were passed shortly before 5 o’clock this morning, after the longest sitting of the House of Representatives during the present session. The Opposition contested the bill keenly all the way through, but when the House adjourned at daybreak for a few hours’ rest, only the third reading remained to be completed. This will probably take place on Tuesday. Early this morning, after a good deal of discussion on the appointment of the Controller of Commercial Broadcasting (Mr C. G. Scrimgeour) and the jamming of IZB, among other subjects, the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates (National, Kaipara) moved as an amendment that in view of the fact that the veracity and integrity of public men had been questioned, the bill should not be proceeded with until a Royal Commission had reported to the House on the following questions: (1) All matters of broadcasting policy affecting the national and commercial services and B stations, with full details of the purchase by the Government of private stations. (2) All matters with regard to the jamming of IZB in November, 1935. (3) All the circumstances leading up to the appointment of the Controller of Commercial Broadcasting. (4) The business associations, agencies, and financial transactions connected with the Commercial Broadcasting Service.

“An Impossible Position” Mr H, S. S. Kyle (National, Riccnrton) said the House was being asked to validate the appointment of a gentleman whose character had been torn to shreds in public, and who had not seen fit to clear himself in the Courts. It was an impossible position. Mr Coates’s amendment was put to the vole, and was lost by 40 votes to 15. Another division followed on the second reading, and was carried by the Government with a similar margin. Discussion on the short title had been in progress for about an hour when the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage) rose and moved the closure. The Opposition again called lor a division, but the closure motion was carried by 40 votes to 15. As the Committee stages progressed further amendments were put forward by the Opposition. One was designed to bring the Controller of Commercial Broadcasting under, the Director of Broadcasting, and when this was defeated a second amendment was moved to provide for the calling of applications for the chief administrative nosition in the Commercial Broadcasting Service. This was also rejected by the Government on a division. The third suggestion advanced by the Opposition was that a new clause should be added to fix the listeners’ licence fees at a sum not exceeding £l. The amendment on these lines was moved by Mr W. A. Bodkin (Central Otago), but the Postmaster-General (the Hon. F. Jones) said that it would mean a loss in annual revenue of £70,000. After some more discussion, the proposed new clause was rejected by 40 votes to 15, and the Committee stages were completed. Progress was reported and the House rose at 4.40 a.m.