DOMINION BROADCASTING

Evening Star, Issue 22596, 13 March 1937, Page 4

DOMINION BROADCASTING

BETTER SERVICE PROMISED “We have only had one’year and tre haven’t done much sleeping,” said ' the Prime Minister at Invercargill, when a deputation waited, upon him to ask for better radio facilities for South-' land. “I must say lam anxious that Southland and the whole of New Zealand should be properly served by wireless,. It is one of the. greatest services civilisation knows, and it would not be much use if it were confined to one city or one country. We want New Zealand .to speak to other nations, and - we must see that all localities are,'properly served- “ I know what we want and we arc going to have it. You won’t have to wait another nine years.” Mr Savage then spoke of the policy outlined by Professor Shelley, who, he said, had inspired him with the possibilities of • broadcasting in New Zeala'nd. “ I assured him that any service New Zealand could give would be given and the money would bo forthcoming. Since’ that, day, December 1, we have considered the question of sites for buildings, costs, other means of publicity, advertising programmes,, turning out our own journal. An architect is. even now considering plans for buildings. We must be up to date. Our span is short and we can’t afford to waste time. “ Regarding B stations, I have asked the Treasury to advise me about men to meet, the proprietors concerning the ’ - taking over of these stations. So far as we can get ownership we want it, but we can’t conscript them. The service must be controlled by the State, but we don’t want war with private owners. We must have uniform national control of the service, but that offers no great difficulty. “ It is no use having a fine service for the few. We must have it for the many. The best service we can provide in the way of broadcasting will be provided for Southland—whatever is needed in the way of buildings, too. ' The inevitable query will be, ‘ Where is the money to come from?’ but there is tio need to worry about that. , “ The. time is near when we will have * general news service and put the people beyond—shall I say?—the power of vested interests. You are not getting the broadcasting service you think you should, and the one for which you are paying. That must be put right. Up to this we have done a lot, but we are going to do more, and broadcasting is one of them. Our success in life concerns the people knowing what wo are doing, and they are going to get it from the horse’s mouth. “ I have seen something of Southland, and I agree it'should get better treatment in all ways than it has in the past. We want to see radios in every home and in the schools. It ' would pay us better to have, a substantial expenditure of money-and let the people buy . sets at. about £lO. You can rest assured facilities will be provided for Southland and everywhere else,” concluded. Mr Savage.