RADIO LICENCES

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 278, 20 August 1938, Page 17

RADIO LICENCES

Most Fees Paid Quarterly

During the depression, to meet cases of hardship, people were allowed to procure half-yearly and quarterly radio licences, but this has been so exploited that about 75 per cent, of the licensees now pay their fees quarterly, said Mr. L. G. Emens, .deputy-radio inspector for Wellington, in the Magistrates’ Court, Wellington, yesterday. The result bad been that in Wellington there were 100,000 transactions annually in respect of 37,000 licences. Under the radio regulations a licensee was required to procure a receiving licence for a period of not less than one year. Unfortunately, there was a section of the community who ignored all warnings about the renewal of their licences but immediately a summons was issued they pleaded extenuating circumstances which would have been taken into consideration had they submitted them, instead of maintaining an attitude of indifference. He said that more than average leniency was extended to offenders by the department, and defendants had only themselves to blame for the matter being brought before the court. It would probably clear up a good deal of misunderstanding if it was pointed out that the person actually in possession of a radio-receiving apparatus, as distinct from the owner, was responsible for the licence.