TELEVISION SERVICE

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28089, 3 October 1956, Page 14

TELEVISION SERVICE

BRIEF DISCUSSION IN HOUSE (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, October 2. The cost of television was not really an obstacle to its installation, said Mi M. Moohan (Opposition, Petone) in the House of Representatives this afternoon. He was speaking in the discussion on the estimates of the Broadcasting Account after Mr J. Barnes (Government, St. Kilda) had criticised the social effects of television.

In Seattle there was a television service which had cost 1,000,000 dollars, said Mr Moohan. For a city such as Auckland. this would be an expenditure of some £300,000. The difficulty was to keep that station going many hours a day.

Mr EJbrnes said he had not met a New Zealander who, after seeing television, gave it whole-hearted support. Tn America, television had broken down home • and social life. People were invited out to sit in darkness while children neglected their lessons and did not play outside. “I was in a lot of homes in the United States where television is treated much as we treat radio.” said Mr Moohan. Mr Barnes’s remarks' were a complete exaggeration. Television could perform a great national service. The amount of advertising was such that an annual fee was not necessary. Mr P. N. Holloway (Opposition. Heretaunga) said that if the Government was not prepared to introduce television then other people should be allowed to do so.

Mr J. Rae (Government, Roskill) said that television in New Zealand had its own problems. Officers had gone overseas, and its introduction was being studied. The installation of a service earlier would have meant the scrapping later of much equipment.

The Government was trying to get a decision, said the Minister in charge of Broadcasting (Mr R. M. Algie). “A derision will be made when we are pretty sure that it is the right one and the best one,” he added.