Television Viewers' Secretary Critical

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30764, 31 May 1965, Page 12

Television Viewers' Secretary Critical

“Sick” television-hire businesses, television servicemen “ready to take the public down,” the president of the Federation of Labour, and the Government all came under criticism from Mr J. M. McKenzie, secretary of the Canterbury Televiewers’ Association, at its annual meeting yesterday afternoon.

Mr McKenzie criticised the firms which, he said, did not send out their monthly accounts for hionths on end, and then suddenly presented a bill for £9O saying: “Pay up. lady, or we will repossess.” He said that television “side boys” were “marching into line to take the public down” over servicing and adjustments necessary when the Sugarloaf Hill transmitting station operates—and warned members to seek the advice of the association. Mr McKenzie said that Mr T. E. Skinner, president of the Federation of Labour, had made a foolish suggestion for the Broadcasting Corporation to be appointed by the State Services Commission, and advised him “to mind his own business."

Finally, Mr McKenzie complained that the Government “really ran” the Broadcasting Corporation, through the provision of section II of the Broadcasting Act, but sheltered behind the “independent corporation” theory to avoid criticism. He also criticised “sick and feeble-minded politicians for not being honest with thp electors.” Servicing Charges

On “sick” television businesses, Mr McKenzie cited as evidence a 40 per cent markup on sets and “high charges” for servicing and parts. High prices were the remedy of these businesses for their bad administration, Mr McKenzie said. A woman had telephoned him saying she had not had a hire account sent to her in nine months, and then had at last been sent an account for £9O on the “pay up or repossess” basis. “This is unfair, and it is bad business,” said Mr McKenzie. “I have a duty, by virtue of my office in this association—and caring for the consumers—to protect your interests. “We should not nurse sick businesses—we should send them to the wall,” Mr McKenzie said. On television servicing and adjustments, Mr McKenzie said that some “side boys” would be saying: “Yes. madam, we will come out at 6 o’clock at night and fix your set,” and the public would be paying to the hilt for that. “I visualise sharp practices over Sugarloaf Hill transmission adjustments,” said Mr McKenzie. “I visualise stupid people being taken down for thousands of pounds—not you people,” Mr McKenzie told the meeting, “because you are members of this association.” The Broadcasting Corporation would be advising the public when it was time for adjustments to sets. That advice should be heeded. The Televiewers’ Association was prepared, when the time for adjustments came, to advise its members where to go for servicing. “Badly Let Down”

Mr McKenzie said the association had been badly let down by the president of the Federation of Labour with his suggestion that the Broadcasting Corporation be appointed by the State Services Commission. If that happened, televiewers would have no say in appointments—“we would

have less say than we have now, and we can’t have less than that, because we have none,” he said. Mr McKenzie challenged the Broadcasting Corporation to muster 1 per cent of the 305,460 television-set owners in New Zealand who were satisfied with its policy on advertising. But any criticism made to the Government—which really controlled the corporation through section II of the Broadcasting Act—met with the answer: “We cannot interfere with the lawful administration of this corporation.” That reply, said Mr McKenzie. was a lot of rot.