FRIENDLY ROAD

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22878, 5 November 1937, Page 13

FRIENDLY ROAD

COMMENTS ON CONTROL ITEMS IN BALANCE-SHEET NO MENTION OF CHARITY [nv TMI.KGUAI'H— SI'KCIAI. HKPOnTKII] "WELLINGTON*, Thursday Ciiticisin of Mr. C. G. Scrim scours administration of the Friendly Road radio station in Auckland was voiced by Mr. W. P. Kndean (Opposition— Jiirnoll) during the debate on the Broadcasting Amendment Bill in the House of Representatives to-day. Mr. hndcan asked why the balance-sheet of the organisation set up to assist charity contained no mention of grants to charity. ( "I always understood that this Friendly Road station was designed to convey religious instruction to people and also to alleviate suffering," Mr. Endean. said. "I understood that this organisation was arranged for charitable purposes and to help the needy and the poor. Naturally I was surprised to find oil examining the balancesheet of the Friendly Road that no mention was made of any grant to char it v."

Large Item lor Travelling Expenses

Mr. Kndean quoted details from tho balance-sheet of the Friendly Road for the year ended March 31, 19:17, and said there was not a single item which could prove that any amount had heen paid to charity or for the relief of the poor.

One large item was for travelling expenses, Mr. Kndean said, and he had heen intonned that Mr. Scrimgoour had heen in the habit of coming down to Wellington at the expense of the station and staying at. the best hotel in the city. That was the religious concern which had been used to put the Labour Government into power. Referring to the alleged jamming of tho Friendly .Road station during the last election campaign Mr. Endean said no felt that Mr. J. A. Leo (Government —Grey Lynn) and the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. W. E. Parry, knew more about it than they had told the Uou.se. It was significant, ho suggested, that they had been able to go straight to tho place where tho oscillator was housed. In fact, it looked as if there had been "a little frameup between certain Government officials and Mr. Scrimgoour." Mr. Endean Makes An Offer

If the Government would set up a Royal Commission presided over by a Judge of the .Supreme Court to decide whether the Leader of the Opposition, the Hon. A. Hamilton, had ordered the jamming of the station and if the found that such was the ca.se, m7\ Kndean said, he himself would give -•"'0 to charity. It would be found That M r - Hamilton, as Postmaster-General at the time, had not been responsible in any way for the jamming. r l' ( l he take the responsibility?" asked a Government member. Mr. Kndean: T do not know, but ho may have been a chivalrous gentleman —a tiling which members on the other side might not understand.