“BIG BAD WOLF”

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 9 March 1935, Page 5

“BIG BAD WOLF”

Broadcasting Board’s Control of B Stations ATTITUDE OF GOVERNMENT (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, March 8. Declaring that the avowed aim of the Government was to effect the ultimate extinction of B class stations, the Rev. G. Scrimgeour, of the Friendly Road organisation, during a deputation to Mr. A. Hamilton, 1. ost-master-General, saicl that* it the Broadcasting Amendment Bill was passed in its present form he would have no alternative but to pack up his traps and got out. . He said that his organisation, which broadcasts from IZB, Auckland preferred control by the Post and loleoraph Department, the “Big Bad Wolf” of the past, to the “Big Bad Wolf” of the future as connoted by the new board with the powers it was proposed to be given. There were several sharp passages between Mr. Scrimgeour and the Minister in the course of the interview, at which other interests represented were IZB Listeners’ Clubs and the IZM Listeners’ Society. , The deputation urged that the Bill should be amended to remove control of the B stations from the board, notwithstanding that the alteration might destroy the fundamental feature of the Bill. It was claimed that three listeners’ representatives should be appointed to the board, that the North Island should be divided into two wards and the South Island into another ward. The Minister intimated that the Government was following the British Broadcasting Corporation policy. He was not saying that they were committed to eliminating B class stations, but : he said that if there were no B stations to-dav no licenses would be issued for B stations. Asked for a direct answer as to whether the Government considered it advisable to have two classes of stations in New Zealand the Minister replied : “We are leaving that to the board,” which he indicated would have a free hand. The board would continue to subsidise the B stations.

The Minister stated frankly that it was not the Government's policy to encourage the investment of capital in TJ stations as a commercial venture. Tito Government was not against the existing B stations.