RESTRICTIONS ON BROADCASTING HAVE BEEN RELAXED

Wanganui Chronicle, 4 October 1947, Page 6

RESTRICTIONS ON BROADCASTING HAVE BEEN RELAXED

(P.A.) Wellington, Oct. 3 As from Monday next all broadcasting stations will close down for • three half-hour periods each week , day instead of as at present for three hours each week day. Until further t notice, stations will close down from i 8.10 a.m. to 8.40 a.m., from 11.30 a.m. ; to noon ,and from 5.30 to 6 p.m. on Monde ys to Fridays each week. Announcing this jointly the Min- ■ ister in Charge of Broadcasting, Mr. . Jones, and the Minister in Charge of the State Hydro-Electric Department, > Mr. Semple, said that, while the con- , servation of electricity still remained i of paramount importance, some relaxation in restrictions on broadcasting was now warranted. In the North Island the use of electricity i was still too high, but it was considered that the small economies : which were necessary could be made by consumers without undue effort, ■ particularly if the use of power for 1 water-heating was more carefully watched. South Island consumers, on the other hand, were using less power than was allocated to them. The Ministers said there was little doubt that the drastic reductions of broadcasting hours introduced this winter were severely felt by listeners, particularly by people in country areas, also by hospital patients and the infirm and sick. The Government expressed thanks to all who had co-operated in saving power by switching off receiving sets when broadcasting t stations were off the air.