B CLASS STATION

Greymouth Evening Star, 28 April 1937, Page 5

B CLASS STATION

GOVT. OFFER DECLINED

[per press association.]

DUNEDIN, April 27

A decision not to accept the Government’s offer to purchase the B class station 4ZB was made at. the annual meeting of the Otago Radio Association to-night, when consideration was given to a letter from the Minister in Charge of Broadcasting (Hon. F. Jones). The price offered for the station, which is controlled by the association, was £4OO, and although it was made clear that the association considered the offer generous, the opinion was generally expressed that those interested in the station looked on the work involved as a hobby, and therefore had no desire to lose possession of one of their life interests.

During the discussion, the chairman of the (upsociation, Mr. R. Bruce said that those .connected with the station should not allow a passing Government policy to take away their hobby. He considered that they should put the Government to the test, and ask it to stand by its election pledge on the giving of assistance to B stations. It. would seem that the Government was now finding a. difficulty in that these stations offered a service comparable with that of the national stations. He doubted whether a service modelled on that of the British Broadcasting Corporation would find favour with the majority of the peo? pie of the Dominion. A committee was set up 10 draft a suitable reply to the Minister.

ADVERTISING RIGHTS

CHRISTCHURCH, April 27.

A private company in Australia, known as Radio Vision, Ltd., has been sold the Australian rights for the. letting of advertising over the air in New Zealand. This was confirmed, by the Minister at present in charge of broadcasting, the Hon. F. Jones last evening. Mr Jones was replying to an earlier request for comment on a report, that the sale had been made to the company, which was- reported to be one of the investments of the McArthur Trust.