LORD STRABOLGI NOT “PUT OFF THE AIR”

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 92, 12 January 1939, Page 10

LORD STRABOLGI NOT “PUT OFF THE AIR”

Speech Shorter Than Time

Allotted

PAUSE MISIN TERPRETE D

BY LISTENERS

A suggestion that he had been cut. off Ihe air during one of his broadcast addresses on Monday night was denied yesterday by Lord Strabolgi and by Hie directors of the radio stations concerned.

Lord Strabolgi, who landed at Wellington from Hie Awatea on Monday morning spoke at G.-lo oclock that evening from 2ZB Wellington and at 7.10 p.m. from 2YA. This address was also broadcast from IYA, Auckland, and 4YA, Dunedin. Lord Strabolgi. who spoke mainly of international politics, ended somewhat abruptly, slightly before his time had expired, and there was a slight pause before the station programmes were resumed. This slight pause was evidently interpreter! by some listeners as an interruption to the speech, for on Tuesday and yesterday inquiries were made from various parts of the country whether Lord Strabolgi bad been “put off the air.”

"What happened was simply that my speech lasted a slightly shorter time than had been allotted to me by Hie broadcasting people.” said Lord Strabolgi yesterday. f’You can take it from me that nobodv will lie cut off the air.” said Professor James Shelley, Director of Broadcasting. “We don’t allow people to go on the air if we think they might have to be cut off.” He explained that the probable cause of the misapprehension was as stated above. “Lord Strabolgi was certainly not cut off in ids address from the commercial station,” said Mr. M. S. Bullivnnt, station director of 2ZB. “I personally listened to his address from beginning to end.”

Lord Strabolgi will leave Wellington tomorrow for a tour of the northern districts, returning in the middle of next week to visit the South Island He is Io leave Wellington for Sydney by the Awatea on January 24.