REVISED CLAUSES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22059, 15 March 1935, Page 11

REVISED CLAUSES

PERSONNEL OF BOARD TWO LISTENERS' MEMBERS CONTROL OF PROGRAMMES PROVISION REDRAFTED [BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON. Thursday Two listeners' representatives will be appointed to the new Broadcasting Board, according to a provision made in a Government amendment to tho Broadcasting Bill announced in the House of Representatives to-day. The board, as previously stated, will comprise seven members. A revised clause states that two members shall be appointed from persons nominated by organisations recognised by the Postmaster General as being representative of holders of receiving licencesi in New Zealand, provided that if no nominations are received the Governor-General-in-Council may appoint such persons as he thinks fit. As in the original Act the first chairman will hold office for five years and subsequent appointments shall be for three years. Of the other members, three shall be appointed for four years and three for three years. Thereafter appointments of members will be for three years.

The important clause giving the board control of programmes of all broadcasting stations lias been substantially redrafted and, in popular language, has been " loosened up." Originally the bill stated that the board should have the duty of controlling all programmes to be transmitted from broadcasting stations. The provision redafted reads: — " The board shall have the duty of supervising all programmes to be transmitted from stations and for that purpose may prohibit, either absolutely or subject to such conditions as it thinks fit to impose, the transmission from any broadcasting station of any programme or part of a programme which in its opinion is unsuitable for broadcasting." With the insertion of that comprehensive direction the sub-clause detailing the board':! supervisory duties has been deleted.

The clause dealing with the cancellation of licences has also been redrafted and in its new form reads as follows: "Upon receiving a report by the beard that a licensee of a broadcasting station has failed to comply with any prohibition or condition with respect to its programmes, imposed by the board, the Minister may in his discretion cancel the licence of the licensee."

MARRIAGE TO ALIENS WOMEN'S NATIONAUTY AMENDMENT OF BILL [BY TELEGRAPH SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON. Thursday Arising from representations made by the British Government, the rights and privileges which it was proposed to confer on New Zealand women marrying aliens have been somewhat curtailed. The Minister of Internal Affairs, Sir Alexastder Young, explained in the House of Representatives to-day that since the British Nationality and Status of Aliens (in New Zealand) Amendment' Bill had been brought down in the House, the Government had been in communication with the British Government, and it had been decided to make certain changes in order to bring the New Zealand law more into conformity with that of Great Britain. The original aim had been to give a New Zealand woman who married a foreigner the option of retaining her own nationality, with the rights and status of New Zealand women in this country or in any other part of the British Empire. The attitude adopted by the British Government was that, while it had no objection to the New Zealand Government providing for women marrying foreigners to retain the rights of British subjects while they remained in New Zealand, it could not agree to their retaining their nationality and their righ'ts outside this country, since that would mean setting up a separate category of British subjects, and thus impairing the British nationality law. The Government had arranged for a sub-clause, to be inserted in the bill in the Legislative Council, providing that, in the "event of other countries of the Empire enacting similar legislation to that of New Zealand, a reciprocal arrangement could be made. The position now, continued the Minister, was that, whereas a New Zealand woman marrying a foreigner might retain her own nationality and all the rights of a British subject while she remained in New Zealand, neither her British nationality nor her privileges could be recognised if she went to another country. . , "This legislation is in conformity with what the British Government agrees we may do, although it is in advance of the British law." said Sir Alexander. "It gives women all thev are asking for, but applies only to New Zealand." „ T Mr. P. Eraser (Labour —weninctpn Central) expressed regret that thi? Minister had been compelled to curtail his proposals, but said it was gratifying that Home progress had been made toward bringing women to the same status as men. The Hon. W. Downie Stewart (Government —OD lined in West) said he h&d a constituent who was going to marry a foreigner, and he wanted to know what her position would be. Unfortunately, she was marrying in Australia, and unless Australia was undertaking similar legislation to that under consideration, he did not think she would be granted the rights they were seeking to confer on New Zealand women. . , , The Minister said, in reply, that he thought the woman would still be a British subject. The amendment was agreed to.