KEEN INTEREST SHOWN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22045, 27 February 1935, Page 13

KEEN INTEREST SHOWN

B STATION ACTIVITIES MORE SUPPORT ADVOCATED CONTROVERSIAL TOPICS [BT TELEGBAPH —SPECIAL BEPOBTEB] WELLINGTON, Tuesday The keen interest taken by many members in questions affecting the broadcasting policy was reflected by the long discussion in the House of Representatives to-day, on the introduction of the Broadcasting Amendment Bill. So eager were members to express their points of view that it was over an hour before the acting Postmaster-General, Hon. J. Bitchener, secured a chance to explain the actual provisions of the measure. The tone of the preliminary discussion indicated that a long and possibly acrimonious debate is in prospect when the bill comes forward for the second reading. The first in the field was Mr. E. J. Howard (Labour —Christchurch North), who reminded the Government that Hitler had made a gesture of freeing broadcasting, but that after a certain election he had taken charge of it again and subjected it to close control. Mr. Howard asked if everyone in New Zealand was to have the right to use the air and if there was to be any special provision for B stations. Mr. A. E. Ansell (Government —Chalmers) considered it important that B station activities should not be circumscribed as they had been in the past. If it were not for B stations, he said, the number of licences would be reduced by 50 per oent. Personnel of Board

Mr. C. L. Carr (Labour—Timaru) referred to harmonic difficulties experienced by station IYA and to the success with which they had been investigated and eliminated. He suggested that similar harmonic interruptions in Canterbury should also be eliminated. Mr. Carr also suggested there should be musical and dramatic experts included in the personnel of the Broadeasting Board. It was stupid to have farmers on the board and no one who understood music. Mr. F. Jones (Labour —Dunedin South) hoped that the new controversial regulations would apply to B stations as well as to A stations. Mr. J. A. Lee (Labour —Grey Lynn) said he had nothing to say against A stations, but he thought B stations should be given more support. Isew Zealand should be a nation of performers as well as a nation of listeners. L°cal talent should be organised and tuliT utilised and local performers should be paid what they were worth. Mr. R. Semple (Labour— Wellington East) thought, that some of the programmes broadcast f rom local stations were "pure unadulterated tripe." The best talent in the country was not allowed to use the air, because it was starved out. Political Speeches Over Air

Political speeches by Ministers and by the Leader of the Opposition should be broadcast, said Mr. Semple. He had often heard speeches by the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance read over the air. The Minister of Education, Hon. b. G. Smith: I have often heard the Leader of the Opposition quoted. Mr. A. S- Richards (Labour —Roskill) considered that a listeners' representative should be added to the Broadcasting Board, and Mr. P. Fraser (Labour —Wellington Central) thought Parliament should have a broadcasting station for itself. ~ Mr. A. Harris (Government— Waitemata) criticised the time limit imposed on broadcasting stations. He did not know why they were not allowed to carry on continuously. Mr. Lee: How about applying that to politicians ? Mr. Harris said an important B station in Auckland came on the air for half an hour at 8 a.m., went off until 11 a.m., and, after three-quarters of an hour, was silent until 5 p.m. The whole policy of the Broadcasting Board was deliberately to "kill'" B stations. Interests ol Listeners

Mr. Bitchener explained the provisions of the bill, saying its main purpose was to co-ordinate the whole of the broadcasting stations, B class and all. He said the point had been put to him that listeners-in should be represented on the board, and he had expressed his willingness to hear a deputation on the subject. The Minister also explained that it was proposed that control of broadcasting in New Zealand, with the exception of the issuing of licences and the allocation of transmitting frequencies, should be placed in the hands of the board, which would also be authorised to prohibit any transmission which it might deem inappropriate for broadcasting purposes. Mr. A. M. Samuel (Government — Thames): That's the sting. Mr. Richards: Is there any right of appeal from the board's decision? Mr. Bitchener: I don't know that that is provided for, but with seven members you can be assured that all due consideration will be given. Mr. A. J. Stallworthy (Independent —Eden): With all members appointed by the Government and no listeners' representative ?

Mr. Bitchener: I have said I have promised to consider that. The bill was read a first time.