BROADCASTING

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 118, 22 May 1925, Page 11

BROADCASTING

GENERAL DISAPPOINTMENT

•APPEAL TO POSTMASTERGENERAL.

Though it is a year and a half since the project to provide New Zealand with "the best broadcasting service in the world" was outlined by the Hon.- G. J. Coates in a speech at Dannevirke, the actual progress towards" the scheme thus indicated has been very slight. In the interim broadcasting has been carried out by private interests, and latterly listeiiers-in > have been charged a new licence fee of 30s per annum (as against the former ss). this having been adopted to finance the four big stations projected in the Government's scheme, The delay in reaching or even approaching finality is irritating to all concerned— to the listeners-iii, who are disappointed; to the traders, who, over and above the Government's subsidy towards the cost, aie still shouldering part oE the burden of financing the broadcasting, and who are not ..doing as much business as they would iE the service were more popular; and to those who are directly concerned with the formation of the broadcasting company. In view of these circumstances, . the secretary of the New Zealand Broadcasting Syri- ! dicate, JMr. H. E. Greig, recently wrote to the Postmaster-General a letter, in which he summarised the history of the broadcasting situation, pointed out the position in which those interested now find themselves, and showed that the delay is adversely affecting the prospects of a successful flotation of the intended company. He pointed out that the necessary proceedings in the formation of a company are : (1) A syndicate is formed to put up money for the necessary preliminary expenses; (2) the material contracts arc got ready; (3) memorandum of association and articles of association are finalised and prospectus issued; (4) capital is obtained and the company registered.

TENDING AGREEMENT.

The committee, ho stated, formed the syndicate 14 months ago, and has gone as far as it can with Die company papers piiudiiig tho agreement with the Government. The letter proceeded to state exactly what steps the committee had taken, up to the delivery to the Post and Telegraph-Department, in March, 1924, of the draft company papers, for perusal by the Crown Law Office.

After giving further details, the letter states : "In the end it was sth March, 1925, before regulations were gazetted. Even at that they were faulty, in that they contained several things that made it impossible for us or any other entity to undertake a broadcasting service with any prospect of success. The proposed regulations were submitted to our sub-committee on several occasions for comment, and on each' occasion we indicated our requirements, but without any satisfaction resulting. We understand amendments are now under consideration in the direction of our requirements.

, "Finally it was 19th March before our solicitor was able to peruse a draft agreement. This resulted in two things : (1) Our company papers which we had ready for twelve months for approva) had to be lorn up and fresh ones substituted.' This, I may say, our solicitor accomplished in a week !." (2) The draft agreement was in some respects such as we could not accept as trustees of the proposed company. These aspects were discussed with you by Mr. Hope B. Gibbons early in March. Our requirements are known to you, and as soon as the agreement is finalised in a mutually satisfactory form, we have every expectation of going right ahead. We. cannot understand tho delay, and we most earnestly and respectfully request you to see that the necessary alterations to the agreement and the regulations; are carried out without any further delay."