“RED TAPE RUN RIOT"

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 531, 7 December 1928, Page 1

“RED TAPE RUN RIOT"

SOLICITOR CRITICISES DEPARTMENT LISTENERS-IN FINED “It’s red tape run riot,” complained Mr. -A. V. Fraer when defending one of a number of listeners-in prosecuted by the Post and Telegraph Department for offences against the Radio Regulations at the Magistrate’s Court this morning. C. Wood was charged with failing to notify change of address. Mr. Fraer explained that his client had notified the electoral officer and the post office though he had not seen the officer in charge of radio registration. The irony of the thing was that it was the post office that controlled radio. Mr. Wood’s new home was only a stone's throw' from the house he had formerly occupied. Mr. F. K. Hunt. S.M.. reminded counsel that, though the Post and Telegraph Department controlled radio administration, that work was done by what was practically a separate department and it was not sufficient to notify the postal officials only of a change of address. Wood was fined 10s and costs. Described as a straight-out pirate, S. W. Gedye, whose radio set was concealed from the public eye, was fined £3 and costs for operating an unlicensed radio. Complaining that the departmental officers would rather prosedute than accept proffered fees, Douglas G. Jack was fined £1 and costs on a similar charge. For the same offence George W. Read was fined £2 and costs; Thomas C. Fowler was fined £1 10s and costs; Thomas Iremonger and Francis J. Noake were fined £1 and costs.