Minister Calling Talks On TV Interference

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30529, 26 August 1964, Page 18

Minister Calling Talks On TV Interference

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, August 25. In an effort to reduce the cost of investigating complaints of poor television reception the Postmaster-General (Mr Scott is seeking talks with power board representatives on electrical interference.

Post Office engineers have discovered that much interference is caused by salt-en-crusted insulators which have not been kept greased. Officials place the cost of investigating reception complaints at about £140,000 a year, and Mr Scott is concerned that with the rapid increase in the number of sets, the cost will also rise considerably over the next few years. As a result he is reported to be studying proposals that part of the cost should be born by those responsible for the interference power

boards and the Electricity Department He has already held Informal talks with the department and he probably will have discussions with power boards about the middle of next month when members are in Wellington for their annual conference.

The question arose from a dispute between the Post Office and the Broadcasting Corporation over the payment of costs for investigating complaints of interference. In his annual report to Parliament the Auditor-Gen-eral (Mr A. D. Burns) said the corporation had disclaimed liability for the costs and the Post Office had obtained payment by deducting the amout—in the last financial year £148,082—-from licence revenue. Mr Scott feels that not only must this disptue be solved, but the cost to the taxpayer of investigating the complaints must be kept to a minimum.