Cost Of TV Repairs

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30395, 20 March 1964, Page 10

Cost Of TV Repairs

Sir,—l received an account for repairs which took about 20 minutes, for £3 Is 9d. I queried it, saying I thought it excessive, and found that the part replaced cost 15s 3d. The old-established firm which I dealt with arranged with another firm to fix it, and they charged 10s 6d for doing so, and the firm that fixed it got the remainder. I was told that this firm’s charge was reasonable, as they called with a van worth £2OOO. I replied, sending a cheque for £2 Is 9d, which I said appeared to be a more reasonable charge. This was returned, saying that they would do it for nothing and put it down to experience. I told the firm that a doctor would call at my home with a car worth £2OOO for 12s 6d.— Yours, etc., R H March 18, 1964.

Sir, —One remembers the advent of sound radio in 1925 and one is not surprised by the similarity of the racketeering in the television sales and service of today. Allow me to inform Mr L. M. Hawes that a New Zea-land-wide electronic firm specialising in television servicing replaced an inefficient component five times without finding the primary cause of its failure every 500 hours (four visits at 30s each and one at 34s lid). Furthermore, a burnt-out yoke was replaced with a new yoke and the receiver was returned in a faulty condition. In reply to a request for the return of the damaged yoke the technician replied that the old yoke had to be surrendered for the new one. A surburban technician has now repaired the primary fault of “blooming” and replaced the sixth EH.T.B6 for 23s Bd. Yours, etc., RIP VAN WINKLE. March 18, 1964.

Sir, —Your article this morning carries a statement by Mr McKenzie, that, of the service organisations to which the “test” set was sent, “one of them is a large firm with branches throughout New Zealand and does contract and casual work for many retail television shops and departmental stores.” As there are only two companies in this category, will you state which one, or is this another of the inaccurate statements by the Telev J 'wers’ Association?— Yours, etc., TELEFAN. March 18,1964. [Persons who were not brave enough to attach their names to any statements they made were treated by him with the contempt they deserved, said the honorary secretary of the Canterbury Televiewers’ Association (Mr J. M. McKenzie). “Therefore, I am not prepared to discuss any matters raised by Telefan.’ If he does disclose his name in The Press,’ I am prepared to show him several accounts for television repairs which we consider amount to gross over-charging.”]

Sir,—My thanks and congratulations to the Televiewers' Association. The action was brave and timely. The time is ripe for an examination of the whole television and radio industry by some capable and fearless tribunal. Sharp practice in trade is not new and when found it should be exposed. If the industry has clean hands let it show them. A few years

ago I bought a pocket "transistor six.” On examination I found “Japan” stamped in many places. It appears to have been assembled entirely in Japan, yet on the inside of the plastic case is pasted a printed label, which reads: *“ model manufactured in N.Z. It appears to cover up some stamped impression. The probability is that the only thing manufactured in New Zealand is the printed label. —Yours, etc., March 19, 1964.