WIRELESS DEADLOCK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18381, 23 April 1923, Page 7

WIRELESS DEADLOCK.

HOME-MADE INSTRUMENTS.

LISTENING-IN OBJECTED TO.

A. and N.Z. f; LONDON, April 20. The Postmaster-General, Sir W. Joyn T son-Hicks, ,in the House of Commons related the circumstances of a curious position that has arisen in regard to wireless broadcasting. He explained that under an agreement made by his predecessor he could only grant broadcasting licenses with the proviso that the users must use an instrument marked " British Broadcasting Company." But he ; could issue experimental licenses without this condition. The present position was that 87.561 broadcasting and 35,385 experimenters' licenses had been issued. Further, 33,000 applications for experimenters' licenses had been received. It was probable that half a million people were anxious to take out licenses 'if they could get those they wanted. The company complained that experimenters were using home-made instruments to " listen-in" to concerts without paying a license fee, which, in the case of broadcasting, was shared between the Government and the company., ■ ;:."^ Sir W. Joynson-Hicks said he was not prepared to accept the company's view that he should issue experimenters' licenses with the proviso that the instrument parts should be' of their manufacture. He was willing to stipulate British manufacture, but this, proposal the company had declined. The law officers of the Crown had advised him that he was compelled to grant the applications of genuine experimenters, therefore he was submitting the 33,000 applications to the staff of experts, and if genuine they would be granted. He also would appoint a committee to consider the whole question, which had become one :of monopoly.Mr. J. Ramsay Macdonald, the Labour leader, said the House was amazed that such a contract should exist and such a deadlock be created.