RADIO BROADCASTING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23213, 10 June 1937, Page 7

RADIO BROADCASTING

ro nil- tsonoH Sir,—"Radio Fan" has not given much consideration to the proposals which I outlined in my letter of June 3 If he had, he would see that what he fears could not take place. Whatever revenue either A or B stations got, it would be for services rendered. This they are morally entitled to, so long as the services are of the best. Neither A nor B stations would be able to get revenue through having a monopoly to broadcast. So far as licence fees are concerned, the natural result would be that they would be at the lowest figure; they could not be otherwise, unless the Labour Government was as immoral as past Governments were in allowing A and B stations' representatives to fix charges and arrange what class of service should be given. "Radio Fan will see that to attain the object aimed at in my first proposal it would be necessary that stations should act independently of each other as far as possible. , ~ In reference to your correspondents statement relative to motor transport starving our railways through being allowed to compete against them, allow me to suggest to him that road transport is on the road through the fact that the railways for many years were run with the object of passing them over to private ownership. Instead of making the best use of them in the interest of the people, they were used otherwise; the result being long-dis-tance motor transport. Let me assure "Radio Fan" that the present Government is treating motor transport interests more than justly in buying them out. It could with little difficulty have run them off the roads with fair competition if it had desired. In no country have municipal and State utilities been used more disgustingly and more immorally than in New Zealand. Instead of being used for the benefit of the people and for the purposes for which they were meant they have been used for a few financial gamblers. The truth of this statement is well borne out by the words of Mr J. G. Coates, who stated that " representatives of the State insurances met representatives of private insurance companies and fixed premiums and benefits." thus nullifying the object for which the State entered into insurance business, namely, to keep the premiums as low as possible and the benefits as great as possible. Now that we have a Labour Government in office let us hope it will be a little more honest with the State utilities than past Governments have been. Let us hope, that it will bring into being Socialistic legislation of a description as will give to all sections the opportunity to give service of the best and, furthermore, sec that private enterprise shall also give service to a value which is fair for that which they lake from the people. If this is done, we shall see different figures on the Stock Exchange lists. We shall no doubt see many essentials much cheaper, including our newspapers.—l am, etc.. C. M. Moss. June 8.