F.—3,

1940. NEW ZEALAND.

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE NATIONAL BROADCASTING SERVICES (FOR THE TWELVE MONTHS ENDED 31st MARCH, 1940).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly pursuant to the Provisions of the Broadcasting Act, 1936.

REPORT. This report is furnished in two sections, the first dealing with the National Broadcasting Service and the second with the National Commercial Broadcasting Service. SECTION I.—NATIONAL BROADCASTING SERVICE. I have the honour to submit the following report on the operations of the National Broadcasting Service for the period Ist April, 1939, to 31st March, 1940. Eeceiving Licenses. The increase in the number of radio licenses issued is highly satisfactory, being 27 097 To-dav approximately 85 per cent, of the houses in the Dominion arc equipped with wireless-receiving sets. The increases in licenses during the past ten years arc shown hereunder:—

I—F. 3.

Number of Increase for Licenses. Year. 31st December, 1929 .. .. .. 50 273 31st December, 1930 .. 6o'l62 9 889 31st December, 1931 .. .. 11291 31st December, 1932 .. .. .. 88*993 17'540 31st December 1933 " m [ 053 M ' Qm 31st December, 934 148;284 35 31st December 1935 .. mm m SiS^TfoW 936 •• •• 231 > 364 47 '534 31st March, 1937 242,306 58 476* 31st March, 1938 286 ' 057 £'*'* 31st March, 1939 318,613 S'SJ 31st March, 1940 345,710 27^097 * Increase for fifteen months.