RADIO LISTENERS

Southland Times, Issue 19546, 9 May 1925, Page 8

RADIO LISTENERS

GOVERNMENTS WARNING.

PAYMENT OF LICENSE FEES. (Special to the Times). WELLINGTON, May 8. Radio listeners-in plying their hobby on Sunday evening are being warned that the ; Government is on the track of a good deal of missing revenue, owing to the laxity of amateurs in paying their license fees. Representatives of the various radio societies recently interviewed the PostmasterGeneral with regard to the appointment to the Broadcasting Board of a representative of the listeners-in. The Minister promised that . the* Post and Telegraph Department would undertake the work of holding a postal ballot, if such should be necessary and that all persons who hold licenses under the new regulations would be permitted to vote. The functions of the Board will embrace the technical, financial, operating and general administrative aspects of broadcasting, as well as the most suitable lines of development. Arrangements have now beeji made, states the secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department (Mr A. T. Markman), for the selection of a representative of licensees and all persons holding licenses on May 30 next under the new regulations, will be entitled to vote. Nominations, which must be signed by at least 10 holders of radio receiving licenses, should reach the secretary, General Post Office, not later than June 21 next. Should more than one nomination be received, ballot papers will be distributed and a ballot held as soon as possible after June 21. A NUMBER OF LICENSES. sin connection with this matter it is announced that while the number of receiving licenses under the old regulations at 5/- a year exceed 4000, the number of renewals since April last at 30/- a year, is only slightly in excess of 2000. A reminder in the form of a letter to all those who have not received their licenses, and have not intimated their intention of not renewing, is now going forward from the General Post Office. It is well-known that there are many unlicensed stations in use, but up to the present no action has been taken, as it is thought desirable that, licensees should be given a reasonable time in which to make up their minds whether they desire to renew or not. It is, however, intended that at a very early date action will be taken against those who are found to be defying > the law. The penalty provided in the Post and Telegraph Act for the establishment or operation of either a transmitting or receiving radio station without a license issued by the Minister of Telegraphs is a fine not exceeding £5OO, and the forfeiture of all material that has been in use at such station. The Post and Telegraph Department Amendment Act, 1924, provides that after April 1 last, radio dealers must be licensed and that every person who carries on business without obtaining a license, is liable to a fine of £5O. Up to the present only 24 radio dealers throughout the Dominion have taken out licenses. It is known that there are many dealers that have not yet taken out licenses, and it is stated that it will be quite a simple matter to detect offenders and bring them to book.