POST OFFICE ACCOUNT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21148, 4 October 1930, Page 14

POST OFFICE ACCOUNT.

SALARIES OF OFFICERS. SLOT TELEPHONES. “ B ” BROADCASTING STATIONS. (Special to Daily Tikes.) WELLINGTON, October 3. “I am as anxious as any member that every civil servant should receive the wages due to him for his services,” said the Postmaster-general (Mr J. B. Donald), in replying to questions raised in the consideration of the Post Office account in the House to-day. “ I realise that there are some men over 21 in the Post and Telegraph Department who are not receiving £4 a week.” Mr R. M'Kocn (Wellington South): Not £3. The Minister: Possibly so, although I am not sure about that, but steps were taken last year to put the lower grade men on a more satisfactory basis, and I am sure it not be long before salaries are put in a better position. The increases paid out last year amounted to £30,000, which is a considerable sum, EXTENSION OF TELEPHONES. “ We do not always look for a profit from each slot telephone,” said the Post-master-general, in replying to questions. “ We want to extend the slot telephones, and we are doing so to the extent of 85 further installations this year. We sgroup all slot telephones together, and if we make a profit over the lot of them we are satisfied.” The Minister added that there were 145 slot telephones in Auckland, 158 .in Wellington, 144 in Christchurch, and ,84 in Dunedin. Wellington seemed to be very well supplied, and the Minister accordingly did not give an encouraging reply to the request of Mr R. A. Wright (Wellington Suburbs) for more. BROADCASTING STATIONS. Radio broadcasting arrangements were discussed at some length in the House to-day. The Government’s intentions with regard to assistance to the B grade stations was sought by Mr J. A. Nash (Palmerston). It had been reported, he said, that the Government had entered inf.o an arrangement with the Copyright Association ■ for the purpose of protecting the New Zealand Broadcasting Company. There were numerous B stations in New Zealand, and they were giving excellent programmes, but they were not welcomed by the Broadcasting Company. The Copyright Association was demanding 4d for every copyrighted item broadcast, and as the B stations had no income the charge inflicted a grave hardship on them. All they had to rely on was the annual subscription of 5s from listeners, and unless they were given some protection they would have to close.

The Postmaster-general had intimated that he was making provision for the B stations, and Mr Nash asked him to announce his intentions. All the B stations wanted was permission to broadcast sponsored programmes. There was no question of advertising. Mr R. A. Wright (Wellington Suburbs) inquired whether there was any truth in a report that an American corporation was desirous of buying out the New Zealand Broadcasting Company. Replying to these and other queries, the Postmaster-general said it was not his intention to allow the Copyright Association to be extortionate in its charges on the B class stations. He understood 4d for each disc was being asked, and that seemed an outrageous charge. If it was possible for the Government to stop that it would be only too pleased to do so. Mr Wright had raised the question of an American broadcasting company buying the YA stations. Mr Donald said he had not heard that reported, and he could hardly believe it to be true. Americans had a reputation for being good business men, and, as the license of the present company expired in January, 1932, the Americans, would not be buying much of value. Mr Wright: But 2YA (Wellington) has the right of renewal. Mr Donald: That is not so.

Continuing, the Postmaster-general said he thought something better in the way of programmes should be given, and he intended to try to bring about an improvement. No one but the present company would take up the matter at the start. However, there was no reason why an effort should not now be made to secure better programmes, and his ambition was to bring that about. It wffs not fair to him or to the broadcasting company to ask just what was being done as the matter was under consideration, but he felt sure an improvement could be obtained.

Mr T. W. M'Donald (Wairarapa) Nationalise it.

Continuing, Mr Donald said he approved of the B class stations, and believed there was room for them in addition to the larger stations. Their interests would be conserved in the new regulations to be brought into force shortly. Reference had been made to radio advertising, and Mr Donald felt sure that people did not want advertisements “ on the air.” “We were asked for that sort of thing, but we turned it down,” he added. 1 | Mr Nash: Quite right.

Mr Donald said that in addition to. the advertising, care would have to be exercised as to what was allowed to bo broadcast as sponsored programmes. He believed there would be general satisfaction with the scheme that was being worked ouu

Mr C. L. Carr (Timaru); When will that be?

Mr Donald: It will take a few weeks vet. It should be ready by the time Parliament sits next year, but it will be worked out before then, I hope. The Postmaster-general in conclusion said if any extortionate demands were made on either the broadcasting company or the B class stations the Government' would defend the stations.