TV VIEWS ATTACKED Clarke "Great Player. Boy As Administrator”

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30739, 1 May 1965, Page 13

TV VIEWS ATTACKED Clarke "Great Player. Boy As Administrator”

(Xcw Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, April 30.

Without knowing the full facts of the television issue, Don Clarke was illadvised to criticise a decision made unanimously by 100 delegates at each annual meeting for the last three years, said the president of the New Zealand Rugby Union (Mr T. H. Pearce) in Auckland today.

“If he wants to change a policy he should get on the Waikato union and argue it in the right place,” said Mr Pearce.

“As a player he is the greatest full-back of my time, hut in matters of Rugby administration he is at the same stage as w hen he first started playing as a boy.”

Mr Pearce was answering Clarke's criticisms of Rugby’s decision not to allow direct telecasts of this year’s Al! Black-Springbok test matches. He said that Clarke’s chief arguments were that only a minority of Rugby enthusiasts would have a chance of attending the four tests: hundreds of people resented Rugby's decision; crippled

and elderly people were penalised; and soccer was gaining ground through television.

Mr Pearce said the New Zealand union had provided accommodation worth £2 million in the four main centres.

“Assuming 65.000 people will attend in Auckland, 55.000 in Wellington and Christchurch and 45,000 in Dunedin. that’s almost a quarter of a million who will see the four Springbok tests this year, allowing for a small double at most games,’’ he said. “Well, now, how many supporters has Rugby got? After all. there’s only 21 million people in New Zealand.

“There would not be 220,000 genuine Rugby enthusiasts in New Zealand as our club and representative match returns show, but we are aware many, many thousands are interested at the peak occasions. “For this reason, the New Zealand union has always offered free delayed telecasts. What’s wrong with delayed telecasts, anyway?” Aware of Obligations “After all, because the N.Z.B.C. has no national linkup it’s imposible for those main centres outside the one where the game is being played to see the test if it televised on a Saturday.” Mr Pearce said the union

was well aware of its obligation to old and sick people and also well aware of its duty to the game and players.

“Because we have offered free telecasts the old people will be able to see the whole game.

“The number of sick people in hospitals who can leave their beds to watch a communal television set are very few. There are no television sets in wards where people through sickness are confined to beds—as most people in hospital are. On the other hand, radio facilities exist for these.” Commercial Approach Mr Pearce said another unwanted development in “our amateur game connected with television is that inevitable intrusion of commercial advertisements.”

“Overseas experience shows that commercial firms sponsor sporting telecasts as a matter of course. It is well known that Don Clarke is employed by an international firm which has consistently entered the sporting field whenever the opportunity has offered itself in this country. Hence, his views could natiifally be a little coloured in view of his employment.” Mr Pearce said he was quite prepared any time to give the New Zealand union's viewpoint on television. “I might add the last time I did this, at the request of a AKTV2 sports officer, he was subsequently disciplined by the Director of Broadcasting, Mr G. H. Stringer, and not permitted to conduct the interview.

“This shows quite clearly that the N.Z.B.C. is not prepared to consider Rugby’s case at all.”