RADIO-TELEGRAPHY

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11422, 19 January 1923, Page 8

RADIO-TELEGRAPHY

REGULATIONS GAZETTED AMATEUR AND EXPERIMENTAL STATIONS. APPROVAL BY CABINET. Radio telegraph regulations for amateur, experimental, and broadcasting stations have been finally approved by Cabinet. The regulations provide for the issue of licenses by the PostmasterGeneral to persons, associations, or corporations desirous of establishing radiotelegraphic apparatus or stations, no perron being allowed to operate a radio station unless duly certificated. Tho Dominion is divided into four radio districts—Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury. and Otago—each with a radio inspector. The Chatham Islands are included in the Wellington district and Stewart Island in the Otago district; while Western Samoa and the Cook Islands each constitute separate radio districts. It is provided that every applicant for a radio station license or for an operator's certificate Bhall furnish to the satisfaction of the Minister such technical or other information as may be required by him, together with evidence as to British nationality and references as to character, etc. The holder of an amateur operator’s certificate is required to maintain his proficiency in the subjects covered by the certificate, otherwise the certificate may be revoked. FEES AND CHARGES.

The annual fees to be paid in respect of licenses issued by the Minister for the installation and operation of any class of radio station are as follows:—. (1) An amateur station for reception only (including reception from broadcasting stations), ss; (2) an amateur transmitting and receiving station, Grade 11., £1; (3) an amateur transmitting and receiving station, Grade 1., £2; (4) an experimental transmit-

ting and receiving station, £3; (5) a private broadcasting station, £2; (6) a toll broadcasting station, £5. The fees to be paid in respect of examinations for an amateur operator’s certificate for eaoh examination or re-examina-tion: (1) Amateur operator, Grade 1.. 6s; (2) amateur operator, Grade 11., 6s. The fee to be paid in respect of a duplicate of an amateur operator’s certificate or of a radio \etation license is 6s. DECLARATION OF SECRECY. Every licensee (other than an association or corporation) and every operator is required to execute a declaration of secrecy to the effect that he will not divulge to any unauthorised person any information whatsoever relating to public correspondence that may come to his knowledge; and that he will, by every means in his power, seek to preserve the secrecy of the same. Such licensee or operator shall hot commit to writing any public correspondence that may come to his knowledge while exercising the powers conferred upon him by the license. In the case of societies, institutes, and similar bodies, all members of the body having access to the apparatus are required to execute the declaration of secrecy, and special care is to be taken to ensure that all the conditions of fhe license, particularly these relating to secrecy of public correspondence, are strictly observed: CONTROL IN EMERGENCY.

The following provision is made for control of radio stations in emergency

“If and whenever an emergency shall have arisen in which it is expedient in the public interest .that His Majesty’s Government shall have control over the transmission of radio communications by the licensed apparatus, it shall be lawful for any officer of Hia Majesty's Navy, or Army, or for any other person authorised in that behalf by the Admiralty or by the Minister, to take possession of, or to dismantle, or to cause the licensed apparatus or any part thereof to he t-aken possession of or to be dismantled in the name and on behalf of His Majesty, and to be used where such use may be deemed heoessary for His Majesty service, and, subject thereto, for such ordinary services as the said officer or person may deem fit; and in that event any perron authorised by the said officer or person may enter any radio station m which any such apparatus is installed end take possession of or dismantle tho Baid apparatus and tee the same as aforesaid.” NATURE OF COMMUNICATIONS Other regulations provide that: (!) “A radio station licensed under these regulations shall not be used in any way to compete with Government communication services, and shall not transmit or receive radio comqauiucatiops the transmission or reception of which is calculated, in the judgment of the Minister, to oause a loss of revenue to the Rost and Telegraph Department; (2) the licensee or the operator shall not transmit any radio communication of a seditious, profane, obscene, libellous, or offensive nature; (3) the licensee or the operator shall not transmit any . radio communication of a false or misleading character, and, in particular, shall not transmit any false S.O.S signal.”

It is required that licensed radio stations shall at all times be operated in such a manner as to avoid interference with other radio stations, and, in particular, with Government and coast and ship stations; and that all the technical provisions of the license of a radio station relating to power, wavelength, type of transmitter, and the like, to prevent such interference, shall be faithfully observed, and no unauthorised variation shall be made therein; and that the station shall at all time# he maintained at the highest possible degree of efficiency and selectivity.

Provision is made for temporary permits for demonstrations of radio-tele-graphy in connection with lectures, scientific proceedings, and suchlike. BROADCASTING. Broadcasting centres have been constituted at the following places, each with a prescribed wave-length of transmission varying from 190 to 335: Whangarei, Auckland, Hamilton, New Plymouth,, Gisborne, Napier, Palmerston North, Kaitaia, Dargaville, Thames, Tauranga, Rotorua, Whakataue, To Taumarunui, Hawera, Hastings, Wellington, Nelson, Greymouth, Christchurch, Timaru, Dunedin, Invercargill, Wanganui, Dannevirke, Masterton, Westport, Eaikoura, Oamaru, Queenstown, Roxburgh, and Gore. NO CONTROVERSIAL PROPAGANDA. It is provided that “on Sundays, during the hours of 11 a.m. to 12.30 p.m., and 6.30 p.m. to 8 p.m., priority shall be given to the broadcasting of religious services and kindred matter”; also that “broadcasting stations shall not he used for the dissemination of propaganda of a controversial nature, but shall be restricted to matter of an educative or entertaining character,

such as news, lectures, useful information, religious services, musical or elocutionary entertainment, and such other items of general interest as may be approved by the Minister from time to time. The licensee of a broadcasting station shall not transmit radio communications which, in the judgment of the Minister, do not come within the authority or this regulation or do not conduce to the public interest.’’ Special regulations are made as to experimental transmission stations. For infringements of the more important regulations, such as thosei relating to S.O.S. calls, and breaches of the oath of secrecy, the penalty of a £SO fine or imprisonment for six months is provided; and for lesser offences a fine of £lO or imprisonment for three months.