“SATANIC” INTERFERENCE

Evening Star, Issue 22195, 25 November 1935, Page 10

“SATANIC” INTERFERENCE

FRIENDLY ROAD STATION JAMMED LETTERS AND TELEPHONE THREATS ■ [Per United Press Association.] ; AUCKLAND, November 25. There was a sensational development in connection with radio , broadcasting last evening when reception from station IZB, the Friendly Road, washopelessly mutilated by an exceedingly powerful transmitter, operating on the station’s wave length. Interference was concentrated on the period in which the director, the Rev. C : G. Scrimgeour, was addressing the listeners in the course of the usual. Sunday evening session. Mr Scrimgeour bad received anonymous letters, and one telephone message, warning him- that he , need not expect his message to reach 1 listener. Subsequently Mr Scrimgeour was informed that he was in personal danger, and the police accompanied him, from the studio to his home at Kohimaramara., There: was no attempt at molestation, and this morning Mr Scrimgeour declared his determination! to. repeat the broadcast to-night, if permitted. He has received hundreds of sympathetic messages from'many .parts of the Dominion. Mr Scrimgeour said an attempt would be ‘ made to-night to locate the disturbance, if repeated, by - means of . direction-finding apparatus. “By to-night we expect the radio department of, the Post and Telegraph Department to act. That is their ,job,’< lie said, adding that he was also obtaining assistance from independent radio.experts. ’ • , ' One listener said in an interview that no sooner had Mr Scrimgeour] commenced his address, making favour* able reference both to Mr Coates anj Mr Savage, than it seemed as thouan ‘ Satanic forces had tuned. in on tM station, and pandemonium reignql throughout. the address. Behind afl could be heard faintly the speaker’* voice, but it was impossible to follow the speech: When the address ended!, the interruption ceased as if by magic,“We regard it,” said Mr Scrim- - geour, this morning, as a most glaringexample of the extent to which some’ people will go to muzzle free speech.”' He said he had a great number of let* ters and anonymous messages from poll* tical partisans, who - imagined he had been opposing their interests. rHe waif merely giving one -of-his routine Sun- 1 day evening talks to “ the man in thef street,” and wherever he touched upon: politics it was merely in the hroadestf sense. He was certainly not making reference to the party aspect in appealing to the people to put aside per* sonalities, and exercise the sound common pens©'that was characteristic of New Zealanders. SOURCE UNKNOWN SUGGESTION OF GOVERNMENT REBNNSH BILITY REFUTED Mr G. H. Robins, Government radio) inspector, states that the department is making an exhaustive investigation as to the source of the interruptions. Mr G. P. Finlay, chairman of th« executive of the National Political Federation, said his organisation disclaimed all knowledge of the source of the interference. “ Our organisation; stands for principles and ideals too high to allow of resort to any such practices,” he declared. , ■ Mr Coates, interviewed, said the occurrence was entirely, to be regretted* Any suggestion that the Government was in any way responsible for the interference was quite without foundation. Neither the Government nor tho Post Office, nor the Broadcasting Board’had the slightest connection wita the occurrence, nor any knowledge ot it “The interference was .either » childish ‘ rag,’ or an unscrupulous attempt to make political capital by throwing suspicion on ment. I’ve already warned the publi* against last-minute trickery. Mr Coates added that in view of th« unfortunate occurrence, arrangement* were being made to enable, Mr bcrimceour to speak over the air to-night, so that the programme which was interfered with may be given. “ For my part, I can only deplore the who,e unfortunate happening,, and reiterate my personal sympathy with the B stations, and my .desire to give them every reasonable facility. I regard the B sta. tions as sivilig useful service, to till public, and providing a valuable stimulus to the national stations.