No Comment On Bick’s Transcript

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31187, 11 October 1966, Page 18

No Comment On Bick’s Transcript

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, October 10. The Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) declined tonight to comment on a statement by the former television producer, Mr Gordon Bick, about a conversation between Mr Bick and an official of the Decimal Currency Board.

Mr Holyoake also declined to comment on what Mr Bick described as a transcript from a tape recording of this conversation, and he declined to comment on Mr Bick’s request for an inquiry. Mr Bick recently resigned from the N.Z.B.C. following his complaint about political pressure on the television programme, “Compass.” The conversation took place while Mr Bick was producing a “Compass” television programme on the currency change. Speaking in Parliament on Friday, Mr Holyoake gave an account of this conversation in which there was no suggestion of interference by Mr Holyoake. The relevant portion of Mr Bick’s account is as follows: Official: Our spokesman, of course, on all the controversial and political issues is Mr Muldoon, and if you wanted to get any change of policy, of course, you would have to take it up with him, through to Cabinet, of which he’s not a member of course, you see. Mr Bick: But has Mr Muij doon put this clamp down upon you? Official: No, no, it's come right from the top. Mr Bick: Right from Mr Holyoake, you know, we don’t want any sort of . . . Official: Well, that’s off the record, but if you want to blame anyone, blame him, he’s really put the clamp on,

and it’s come through him and through Cabinet, to keep right away from the election campaign.

“Under Pressure” “Mr Holyoake denied any Prime Ministerial interference,” Mr Bick said today. “He said my allegation had been checked with the officer, who categorically denied using his name.” Mr Bick said when the full weight of Prime Ministerial authority descended on the officer, he was under the same kind of heavy pressure as the N.Z.B.C. “Just as the corporation bends so often to the rushing wind, it would be extraordinary if the officer’s recollection of events three weeks ago was not slightly strained,” he said. “I can understand his position only too well. If he gave the wrong answer, he might have to join me, looking for a job. “But I hope now the public will think twice about some of the charges made by the Government last week in its efforts to cover up the serious political pressure which impedes the corporation from giving good service.”

R.S.A. Membership.— The Christchurch Returned Services* Association had 6722 members at the end of last month, compared with 6504 at the same time last year.