PRIMARY PRODUCTION

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 December 1940, Page 4

PRIMARY PRODUCTION

BROADCAST TALKS REFUSED. [per press association.] AUCKLAND, December 9. Some strong comment was made'at a meeting of the Auckland District Council for Primary Production when advice was received that the Radio Co-ordination Committee at Wellington had refused the council permission to arrange for a series of broadcast talks to farmers in the Auckland Province with a view tc stimulating an increase, in production. Dissatisfaction was expressed, and ii was decided to make further representations to the committee.

The secretary (Mr J. E. Bell) reported that on the council’s instructions he had requested that permission be granted for a broadcast of 15 minute talks once a month. It was hoped that the talks would help to stimulate the production of foodstuffs of value for export to Great Britain. The talks would be submitted for approval. The reply received from the station director of IYA stated that the request had been referred to the Radio Co-ordination Committee at Wellington, and it had decided that it would not be desirable to broadcast talks at present. “We regret our inability to act on your suggestion,” stated the letter. The council’s sub-committee had considered the reply, reported Mr Bell. It recommended that weekly topical talks should be given by speakers well known to the farming community, and addressed to dairy, sheep and pig farmers, afid women on farms. It further recommended that the talks should not be censored. It cited the topical talks given by the British Broadcasting Corporation. The chairman (Mr R. C. Clark) said the council was given to understand that Mr A. H. Cockayne, Director of Agriculture, was impressed with the proposal to give talks. The refusal looked like lack of co-ordina-tion between two departments. Mr H. Woodyear-Smith said that ordinary talks on farming interests had been cut down from 30 minutes to 15 minutes. In view of the necessity fdr increasing production, which could be assisted by talks on the air, the time should be increased, rather than diminished. “There is too much sob stuff put over the air, and suggestions that everything is going well,” commented Colonel N. P. Adams. “Essential things are being sidetracked in favour of purely social efforts.” The chairman: The idea is that listeners must - be pleased. Colonel Adams: I don’t care whether they are pleased or not. The job is to get on with essential things. “The council’s job is to see if it is possible to increase production, and tell the farmers how it can be done. It is unfair to treat us as if we were children,” remarked Mr J. Mackie. The letter -was received, and . the sub-comrnittee’s report adopted.