PRIVATE ENTERPRISE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 83, 5 October 1938, Page 23

PRIVATE ENTERPRISE

DEATH KNELL SOUNDED

"Private enterprise sounded its own death knell when it was allowed to grow into the monster it did," said Mrs. C. S. Stewart, Labour candidate for Wellington West, last night. Private enterprise was doomed and the time would come when money would be the servant of the people. It would be used for the production of goods to be enjoyed by the people. At one time private enterprise was all right, but the time came when the clever or lucky man made more than others and stored it up or invested it. That system grew and grew until the few could control trade to the detriment of all others. Since Labour entered office a new era had begun. The pioneers of any change had always had to suffer —they were often crucified by their own people, but if an ideal was real nothing could kill it once it was born.

All of the forces that were brought against Labour could not kill the desire to make conditions better for the people Labour's aims might be hindered by the -few who wanted to cling to what they called wealth, but Labour would fight on for real wealth—■ a happy people.

COMMERCIAL STATIONS

FORECAST AND FACT

LIVELY MOMENTS

Mr. W. Appleton, National candidate for Wellington Central, was able to deliver his address at the Congregational Church Hall, Cambridge Terrace, last night only by waiting for the spells between the noise. He was counted out; interjectors were ordered out and one was ushered out; the chairman, Mr. T. Forsyth, ordered the complete back ranks out and was counted out, and, of course, neither back ranks nor chairman went. Finally, the mover of a motion of thanks was counted out, but what the result of the vote was nobody can tell. Both sides showed hands,' both cheered according to fancy, and finally everyone left the overcrowded hall and went home, with opinions changed or unchanged.

There were lively moments when the candidate was discussing broadcasting, particularly commercial broadcasting. Before the commercial department of the broadcasting services was' commenced there were optimistic forecasts that it would return a profit of £100,000 to the State, said Mr. Appleton, and though it was reasonable to expect a loss on the first year there certainly should have been a profit on the second year, but the two years ended with a dead loss cf £11,953, and the position would have been worse had it not been for the "subsidy" from the Fruit Board, for £4000 of an appropriation of £ 5000 was spent on radio.

It was well recognised by experts that not mbre than 20 per cent, of advertising allocation should be spent on radio, said Mr. Appleton. The administration costs of twenty-four stations controlled by the national service was £63,000, or 20 per cent, of the total expenditure, but the comparable costs of the commercial service, operating only four stations, were £85,400, or 80 per cent, of all the expenditure. Why the difference?

"Better service." called voices from the back ranks, adding, "And 80 per cent, listen in. Good old Scrim." when the candidate referred to Sunday evening broadcasts as an improper use of the air.

Moreover, continued Mr. Appleton, listeners' fees were being used deliberately to give the Labour Party an unfair advantage on the air. On August 9 the Prime Minister had stated that he was not satisfied that there should be politics on the air, but a month later he announced that the Broadcasting Service would be used during the election campaign, and, of course, the dice had been loaded against the National Party, the proportion being about fifteen broadcasts for Labour and six for the Opposition, Mr. Atmore and Mr. McDougall obviously being Labour. The back of the hall was in vociferous agreement with the allocation. The writ issued by the candidate by way of protest against the allocation of broadcast speeches was not listened to by half the hall and applauded to the ceiling by the other half, and the statement that Mr. Appleton was only waiting for the approval of the Attor-ney-General -before proceeding in the Supreme Court was met equally by applause and expressions of the heartiest doubt.

Back to the question of Sundaybroadcasts, Mr. Appleton said: "As to the Director of Commercial Broadcasting not putting over political propaganda, well, I' ask you!" The back of the hall, together and with gusto: "Good old Scrim!"

And so through the evening, in no way a satisfactory night's speaking or entertainment, though no hard words were said.