FURTHER EXPLANATION

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19038, 11 June 1936, Page 5

FURTHER EXPLANATION

JAMBED RADIO STATION BREACH OF REGULATIONS VOTING INSTRUCTIONS (Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. The jambing of the Friendly Road radio station, Auckland, just prior to the general election has been the subject of regular discussion since, and it came before the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon with a slightlv new angle, the PostmasterGeneral, the Hon. F. Jones, producing a report from the head of his department which detailed the technical means by which the station broadcast was interrupted. The report stated that it had come to the knowledge of the department that the licensee of IZB had been advertising the sale of a political pamphlet, which was contrary to the regulations, and another pamphlet was announced which would, it was said, advise electors how to vote. The head of the department, therefore, discussed with . the then PostmasterGeneral the possibility Of putting.the station off the air.

The report continued: "1 felt that any orders would be ignored, as in the past, and I suggested that if the licensee did what ho was saying he would do that he should be prevented; that, of course, means jambing."

The Hon. A. Hamilton: 1 never heard of that.

The present Postmaster-General replied that he was reading the report of the Director-General. This went on to explain that the oscillator had been specially built to deal with a "roarer" in Christchurch, and it was taken to Palmerston North in connection with radio communication for aeroplanes. It was then transferred to Auckland for use for the purpose of jambing IZB if necessary.

POLITICAL CAPITAL "Of course, the instructions should have been given from me," continued the Director-General's report, "but one of my officers did so without advising me. I took the first opportunity of reporting to the Post-master-General, who informed me that he deemed my action correct, because the announcer opened his remarks instating he was going to tell his listen ers how to vote."

Mr. Hamilton: I did nothing of the sort.

The Postmaster-General waved the Director-General's statement an 1 remarked that he thought from the statements made by the ex-Minister at the time he took full responsibility. Therefore, he (lid not go any further, but now the member for Wallace was talc ing up another attitude, though he was not going to argue the point.

Mr. Hamilton: What 1 said was the instruction T gave. At a later opportunity he again briefly mentioned the matter, suggesting that an enormous amount of political capital had been made out of the incident. He knew nothing about, the instrument which was used and never gave instructions for the jambing. "Will the Minister accept that?" he concluded. The Postmaster-General: Yes.

Mr. Hamilton explained that as Minister in charge he took the responsibility for the action of his officer.