F.—l.

A classified record of the oomplaints of interference received by the Department over a period of some months shows that m a very large number of cases the disturbance was due to faults in the receiving apparatus itself, and in other cases to aerials being erected in a more or less haphazard manner without regard to such factors as proximity to electric-power lines, &c. While the Department is anxious to do all that is possible to eliminate interference, and to this end investigates all complaints received, it cannot reasonably be expected to be responsible for pointing out defects in the receiving apparatus of individual listeners. Complaints to the Department should, therefore be made only after tests have proved that the disturbance is received over the air from a source beyond the receiving station. J Private Broadcasting Stations. The number of private broadcasting stations now in operation is 30. Amateur Transmitting? Stations : Suspension of License. Because of a breach of the regulations in regard to the acceptance of private messages for delivery to a third party, it was found necessary to suspend for a period during the year the license issued for an amateur transmitting station. . ncense Broadcasting Station Wave-lengths. In the new radio regulations issued by the Department it is required that the waves used bv broadcasting stations shall at all tames be within 100 cycles of the assigned frequency (wave-length) With a view to the periodical checking of the waves used by the stations, the Department is taking steps to improve the standard of its monitoring equipment. It is hoped that this will enable broad casting stations to be kept on their correct frequencies, and thus provide a maximum of service with a minimum of interference with the transmissions of other stations. Empire Broadcasting Service. Following discussions which took place at the Imperial Conference of 1930 the British Broarl casting Corporation arranged for the establishment of a modern short-wave broadcasting station at Daventry, England, for the purpose of communicating with all parts of the Empire The station commenced operations on the 19th December, and special arrangements were made in New Zealand for the reception of the transmissions and for their rebroadcast to New Zealand listeners. Unfortunately reception m the Dominion was not satisfactory, and the rebroadcasts were discontinued after a short period of trial. The British Broadcasting Corporation is making every effort to improve the service Test transmissions are being continued at varying hours on different wave-lengths with a view to determining the most suitable conditions for reception in New Zealand. It is confidently anticipated that the ultimate result will be uniformly reliable reception at suitable times of the Empire broadcast Special Broadcasts. During the year many notable overseas transmissions were rebroadcast to New Zealand listeners Many of the transmissions were arranged over the overseas radio-telephone channel and in some instances by means of the Empire Broadcasting Service. A broadcast of major importance was the Empire Broadcast arranged by the British Broadcasting Corporation on Christmas Day, when greetings from notable people in various parts of the EmS were transmitted to London by radio-telephony, broadcast from the British Broadcasting Corporation's station, and retransmitted by radio-telephone to all parts of the Empire for broadcast there The broadcast culminated m a personal message to the Empire from His Majesty the King Although conditions m New Zealand were not suitable for the reception of the transmission at the original broadcast, a record of the proceedings was made m London and rebroadcast for New Zealand listeners on the morning of the 26th December. Included in the special broadcast was a message from New Zealand s Prime Minister, the Right Hon. G. W. Forbes. Other overseas broadcasts of note were the Armistice Day Commemoration Service at the Cenotaph London, the unveiling of the Anzac Memorial at Port Said, and the speech of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales at the inauguration of New Zealand Day in London 7 During the period of the Olympic Games at Los Angeles, California, U.S.A., special transmissions were made from Station KFI Los Angeles, of the results of the various events. ArrangemeTwere made as far as possible to eliminate interference from local stations at the time of transmission of these broadcasts, which were uniformly well received. Transmission ot , In , addition > many other happenings overseas, both of general and sporting interest were rebroadcast during the year by the New Zealand stations. 1 g mterest > were TRANS-TASMAN AIR FLIGHTS. īneomeetion with the flight from Australia to New Zealand, undertaken on the 11th January by Sir Char es Kmgsford Smith in the aeroplane " Southern Cross " and on the occasion of the reton journey on the 24th March, special arrangements were made for a continuous watch to be kept at the Department s radio stations. The public was kept informed of the progress of the flights by messages transmitted from the aeroplane through departmental stations to the Broadcasting Board m6SSageS At the Bell Block Aerodrome New Plymouth, the terminal of the Australia-New Zealand flight special telegraph and toll facilities were provided on the day of landing of the aeroplane and special telegraph arrangements were made at the Ninety-mile Beach (North Auckland) on the occasion of the departure of the Southern Cross "on its return journey.

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