DECIMAL “COMPASS” Broadcasting Now Amended

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31236, 7 December 1966, Page 1

DECIMAL “COMPASS” Broadcasting Now Amended

(New Zealand Preet Association)

WELLINGTON, December 6.

The controversial “Compass” programme on decimal currency, which resulted in the resignation of the television producer, Mr G. Bick, after its broadcast was postponed in October, will be broadcast from all channels on December 20.

An N.Z.B.C. spokesman said this morning: “It will now be shown in its completed form in a special edition of ‘Compass’.”

He said the programme would include representation of the Decimal Currency Board’s views on the effect of New Zealand’s change to decimal currency. News of the plan to screen the show came as a complete surprise to the chairman of the N.Z.8.C., Mr C. A. McFarlane. He said today he knew nothing about it. The Director-General (Mr G. H. Stringer) on leave, was not available for comment. Nor was the corporation’s head of the public affairs and news department, Mr E. Parkinson. The Director of Sound Broadcasting (Mr L. R. Sceats) said there had never been any intention not to show the programme. “The issue, purely and simply, is that it was postponed, not cancelled, in October because it was not completed then. It was deferred until a later date to allow it to be completed,” he said. He had been asked if the show would be a revised version of the material of two months ago and why it had been decided to screen it shortly before Christmas. Normally “Compass” and

its allied comment programme “Topic” are spelled in December, January and February.

Asked today if he would appear on the programme, the Under-Secretary of Finance (Mr Muldoon) said he had indicated he wished to make an appearance— “as I did in October.” “As far as I know I’m on it, but have not yet been called for any filming,” he said.

The "Compass” programme will also contain a report on the 29th session of the South Pacific Commission, held in Noumea in October.