COMMENTARY ON SPRINGBOKS

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27990, 9 June 1956, Page 8

COMMENTARY ON SPRINGBOKS

Rebroadcast Of Game Today SIX STATIONS TO BE LINKED (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON. June 8. A commentary on the South African Rugby team’s match against Waikato will be rebroadcast over six main national stations, starting at 5 p.m. tomorrow. The stations making the rebroadcast will be 2YA, 4YA, IYZ, 2YZ, 4YZ. and I YD. The decision to record the commentary on the Waikato match and then broadcast it later was made as the result of negotiations bv the Director of Eroadcasting (Mr W. Yates) with the New Zealand Rugby Union, after Ihe apparent failure of yesterday’s overtures. Commenting on the decision, the Minister in charge of Broadcasting 'Mr R. M. Algie) said: “I am delighted to know a measure of success has attended our efforts to secure the broadcast coverage of fixtures connected with the Springbok visit. “The Director of Broadcasting and his staff have given much thought to solving the problem of broadcasting the game without loss of gate money tn Rugby unions throughout the country. “We have seen all along that the Rugby Union had its own difficulties in the matter.” said Mr Algie. “We have kept our own doors ooen for negotiation with the Rugby authorities in the hope that these difficulties could be overcome. “The broadcasting authorities felt this first same at Hamilton meant so much to Rugby enthusiasts that every effort should be made bv all concerned to secure a broadcast of the match. I am grateful to the Rugbv Union for its obvious co-operation.” Mr Algie concluded.

“Satisfactory to AH” “This arrangement should be satisfactory to all concerned.” said the chairman of the New Zealand Rugby Uninn (Mr C. S. Hogg) today. “The unions will be able to carry on with the fixtures they have already arranged with little, if anv. effect on the attendance of their supporters and spectators, and the players and spectators and the nublic generally will have the opportunity to listen in to a full commentary nf the game. “The union would like to record appreciation of the co-operation received from the Director of Broadcasting to solve a mutual problem. “The New Zealand Rugbv Union appreciates that the public of New Zealand is intensely interested in the tour of the South Africans and would like to listen in to all their games, but the union has a duty to the 27 unions in New Zealand who carry on their football at the same time.” Mr Hogg said. “Many of these unions find it most difficult to finance their activities and denend on the additional finance available from overseas teams to renlenish their funds. If rational broadcasts were permitted for all games, the share they would receive would be offset by the losses incurred in conducting their normal club and representative games. “Likewise the New Zealand union makes a surplus onlv when a visiting team is touring, and in an off-season usuallv shows a deficit,” Mr Hogg concluded.

It is understood that after the publication this morning of an earlier statement by Mr Hogg, the Acting-Prime Minister (Mr K. J. Holyoake) intervened, and insisted that further discussions should be h°ld on broadcasting the Springbok-Waii-ato match.