DANCE MUSIC

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23895, 24 August 1939, Page 9

DANCE MUSIC

SUNDAY MORNING BROADCASTS MINISTER BANS PRACTICE (Fiom Our Parliamkntahy Reporter) ' WELLINGTON, Aug. 23. The recent alteration in the broadcasting schedule of Station 4ZB to give an hour's dance music between midnight on Saturday and 1 a.m. on Sunday for the convenience of persons holding parties was made without the authority of the Acting' Minister of Broadcasting, Mr F, Jones. Mr Jones stated to-day, in reply to a question asked by Mr J. A, Roy (Opposition. Clutha) that as soon as the matter came to his knowledge he gave instructions for the normal hours of transmission to be resumed. The question asked by Mr Roy arose out of a letter published in the Otago Daily Times. He also asked whether the Minister knew that the 'Controller of Commercial Broadcasting (Mr C. G. Scrimgeour) had stated over the air " that if the policy of the Carpenter of Nazareth failed he would try siomething else." " It was considered," the Minister replied, "'that a majority of listeners would appreciate the session referred / to in preference to the usual broadcast between 11 p.m. and midnight on Sundays. The entertainment provided after midnight on Saturdays was inoffensive in character. The change was made without my authority, however. and as soon as it came to my knowledge instructions were given to restore the normal hours of transmission. "The Controller of Commercial Broadcasting denies making the statement ascribed to him," Mr Jones added.