INTERRUPTED BROADCAST

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 10 January 1936, Page 5

INTERRUPTED BROADCAST

DONE UNDER INSTRUCTIONS FRIENDLY ROAD INCIDENT STATEMENT BY MINISTER (By Telegraph—Press Association) WELLINGTON, 9th January. As a result of investigations that have been made by the Government, it has been established that the “jamming” of the radio station IZB, Auckland, known popularly as the “Friendly Road,” just [(rior to the General Election, was done under instructions issued by responsible authorities, with the consent of the then Post-master-General (the Hon. A. Hamilton) to the taking of the steps that were adopted to put the station off the air on that occasion. This statement was made to-day by the Postmaster-General (the Hon. $\ Jones). At the time of the incident, which happened on 24th November, reception from this station was mutilated by an exceedingly powerful transmitter operating on the station’s wave-length. The interference, it was reported at the time, was concentrated on the period during which the director (the Rev. C. G. Scrimgeour) was addressing listeners in the course of the usual Sunday evening session. Allegations were made that the jamming was done deliberately, but these were refuted. The Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, when interviewed at the time, was reported $6 saying: “Any suggestion that the Government was in any way responsible for the interference was quite .without foundation.” He deplored the Whole “unfortunate happening.” “SHEER INGRATITUDE” FORMER MINISTER INTERVIEWED INVERCARGILL, This • Day. ‘.When the press message from Wellington containing a statement by the Hon. F. Jones on the jamming of IZB station, Auckland, was referred to Mr Adam Hamilton, former Postmaster-General, he discounted the suggestion that there was anything very sensational about the disclosure. “Evidently on the occasion now in question the service was being used, as it was often being used, for clever propaganda of a semi-political nature,” said Mr Hamilton. “I am sure that if the service had been used to boost the Government as it was being used in the opposite direction there would have been a terrible hue-and-ery from the Opposition." Mr Hamilton said he accepted whatever responsibility there might be for the action that was taken in preventing IZB from broadcasting prior to the General Election. He characterised the station management’s attitude in return for the granting of a special license as one of sheer ingratitude.