B. STATIONS

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 June 1937, Page 12

B. STATIONS

AUCKLAND MEETING.

[PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

AUCKLAND. June 10.

An emphatic protest against the nationalisation of B class radio stations was made by speakers at a public meeting in the Town Hall this evening. called by the B Stations Protection Committee. The need for continued Government financial assistance for'the stations was urged and criticism was levelled at the Acting Minister for Broadcasting (Hon. F. Jones) for withholding permission to broadcast the meeting. Professor W. Anderson presided over an attendance of about 2000.

The meeting was enthusiastic, and the .speeches were interspersed with rounds of applause. Interjections, which were mainly good natured. occasionally interrupted the speakers. At the conclusion, the following resolution was passed, a small section dissenting: “That this representative meeting of the citizens of Auckland calls upon the Government to make full provision for B class radio stations, which is in accordance with its declared policy when elected, and which.is necessary for their autonomy and continued efficiency.”

CH.CH. STATION PURCHASED

CHRISTCHURCH, June 10

Negotiations for the purchase by the Government, of the Christchurch B Class radio station, 3ZM, are almost complete. The price to be paid by the Government is £1,252/18/8, but a formal agreement between the parties has still to be signed.

. This was indicated to-day by the Postmaster-General (Hon. F. Jones) in a telephone conversation from Wellington, with the “Press.” The owners of the station are Mr. W. J. Green, formerly of Christchurch but now the Editor of the “Standard,” the Labour Partyfs newspaper, published in Wellington; Mr. J. Younger. Christchurch; and Mr. C. G. Clark, of Christchurch. The license for the station* is held by Mr. Green and Mr. Younger. The negotiations with the Postmaster-General were carried out by-Mr. Green on behalf of his partners. The Postmaster-General said he was unable to say when the station would go off the air.

U.S.A. INDUSTRY.

AUCKLAND, June 11

..“Just around the corner,” is the view regarding television, which Mr. J. Carroll, a leading representative of the radio industry in Australia, has formed after a trip to the United States and Canada. He is a through passenger by the Monterey. “Enormous expenditure will be involved to develop television on the scale of broadcasting,” he said; “and those who undertake the cost will have to be given some security regarding revenue." He said that the cost of a television set was about £lOO, compared with £4 for an ordinary radio receiving set sold in the States. He added that two million sets were manufactured by one firm alone in the States, last year, and the demand' was keeping up with the supply.