Post_Office_1951-1952 — Page 12

RADIO LICENSING & INSPECTION BRANCH

30. Licences. The total number of licences of all kinds as at 31st March, 1952, was 41,636, of which 41,211 were broadcast receiving licences. This latter figure represents a decrease over the previous year of 2,166 licences of which no less than 1,797 had been held by the non-European section of the com- munity.

REDIFFUSION

31. The total of royalties due during the year amounted to $493,500, corresponding approximately to 41,000 subscribers. The increase of over $64,000 as compared with 1950/51, coupled with the decrease in broadcast receiving licences dues seem to indicate a tendency-particularly in the non-European section-, to transfer affection from the ordinary receiver to the more easily operated Rediffusion receiver. In this connexion it is an extraordinary fact that although quite obviously the sales of broadcast receivers by local dealers must have dropped, never- theless the number of radio dealers licenced increased from 205 to 273.

WIRELESS SURVEYS & INSPECTIONS

32. During the year 177 ship wireless stations were surveyed, and 341 ship and aircraft wireless stations were inspected by the Wireless Surveyor. Although the former

figure represents a drop of 38 over 1950/51 the inspections showed an increase of 180 or nearly 112%.

CONTRAVENTIONS OF THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS ORDINANCE

33. There were 159 successful prosecutions during the year comprising:

150 for unlicensed broadcast receivers

9 for illegal transmitting stations.

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