Support For Gospel Radio Station

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32266, 8 April 1970, Page 6

Support For Gospel Radio Station

Evidence in support of the application by Radio Gospel Fellowship, Inc., for a private broadcasting warrant in Christchurch was completed before the New Zealand Broadcasting Authority yesterday.

The authority consists of Messrs R. T. Peacock (Wellington), as chairman, R. B. Miller (Christchurch), and H. Duff Daysh (Wellington).

The Radio Gospel Fellowship (Mr C. C. H. Knight) called 18 witnesses. Public attendance at the authority’s sittings increased with the. hearing of the fellowship’s application—yesterday there was an attendance of almost 50 persons, maintained throughout the day. The hearing yesterday continued with the cross-exam-ination of Frederick Hilton, who said he would be programme adviser of the proposed station.

“We believe that there is only one Lord, and we intend to preach His word,” Mr Hilton said. But this would not be along the lines of any sect —“just simply the message as we see it from ■ the Scriptures.” Mr Hilton later said: .“We as a fellowship feel that the word as given to us by God is the word that should be preached.” Mr Holland put it to Mr Hilton that the fellowship’s programmes would offend some people. “Our programmes would not be designed to offend but to assist,” Mr Hilton said. Mr Holland: I’m putting it to you that your programme I will offend certain sections of | the community. Will it not? { Witness: There are always some sections of the community offended. j It is likely to offend the Roman Catholics, if yours is {the only station they could {listen to?—I wouldn't be able to answer that without first asking them. WHAT SERVICES? , Pressed to say just what church services would be broadcast, Mr Hilton said the church he himself attended—the Opawa Baptist Church. There were also assemblies of the Brethren they would be “thrilled” to broadcast. There would also be broadcasts from Presbyterian churches and Anglican churches. “I would be hard pressed to name every church that I—-or rather we—would, or would not, broadcast," Mr Hilton said.

Questioned by Mr B. L. Darby (for the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation) abbot neiws services, "Mr Hilton said that the Radio Gospel Fellowship had made arrangements with the New Zealand Press Association about overseas news, but had no arrangement about New Zealand or local news. Questioned by the chairman about the Canterbury - Westland Journalists’ Union’s comment that the fellowship’s application showed no provision for news-gathering and .services, Mr Hilton said that the fellowship’s primary object was “to present the gospel.” Pressed by the chairman for a reply to the union’s comment, Mr Hilton said he had nothing to say. INCOME SOURCE Peter John Anthony Marshall, a real-estate agent and treasurer of the Radio Gospel Fellowship, said that its source of income was private donations. As its work had increased, so had its income increased—“firm evidence of God’s support for the work,” Mr Marshall said. To Mr Mahon (for Radio Christchurch, Ltd), he agreed that the balance-sheet showed the fellowship’s total accumulated funds as $5OOO. Operating costs for a radio station were shown at $26,000. “This money will come from the same source as we have received since the fellowship has been in operation,” Mr Marshall said. Mr Mahon: Donations? Witness: Yes. And do you expect to get $20,000 in donations the first year?—Yes. To Mr Holland, Mr Marshall said that the membership of the Radio Gospel Fellowship was “about 50”— under 100—with an annual subscription of $5. Richard Michael Henry Berry, a salesman, said that it was contemplated that he be station manager of the proposed Radio Gospel Fellowship station. Its application, he said, was brought with a history going back to 1961 when he first approached the Director-General of Broadcasting to see if a Christian radio station could be set up in Christchurch. “It needed much thought and the conviction from the Scriptures before I decided definitely that this was the will of God for me,” Mr Berry said. Mr Berry said that after the establishment of the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation on April 1, 1962, he applied for a licence under the terms of the Broadcasting Corporation Act, 1961, and was informed by the corporation that consideration would be given to his application “at the appropriate time.” “At no time have I received any further indication from the corporation regarding the consideration to the application," he said.

Mr Berry traced the work of a group called Radio of Combined Churches, with a committee of four (himself included), which later became an incorporated society under the name Banbury

Recordings, which in 1967 played a major part in establishing the New Zealand Federation of Evangelical Broadcasters, an organisation set up to combine all Christian recording societies in, order to provide a common pool of projects and ideas. PUBLIC MEETING

At a public meeting in November, 1968—with an attendance of 150—the society Banbury Recordings became the Gospel Radio Fellowship, under the chairmanship of Mr R. Clarkson (who has already given evidence before the Authority). In October, 1969, said Mr Berry, a telephone survey undertaken by the fellowship asked the question: “Are you interested in a radio station being set up in Christchurch which will have as its basis a strong Christian influence?" to which 71 per cent of persons approached gave “an unequivocal yes.”

Since then, the fellowship had been directing its efforts towards the present application.

Mr Berry said that should he be confirmed in the management of the proposed radio station, he felt he could do the work competently, and would direct his entire energies and resources to it. OTHER EVIDENCE

Others connected with the Radio Gospel Fellowship to give evidence were John Melton Ward, a radio, television, and electrical supplier; Thomas Duncan Matheson, a clerk of works for the Can terbury Education Board; Lieutenant-Colonel T. A. Me kenzie, of the Salvation Army; the Rev. W. A. Chain bers, of the Riccarton Methodist Circuit; and Dr J Bramwell Cook, a former medical missionary in India The latter said that he was conscious of the threat of a drug-addiction problem in New Zealand and anxious to take measures to combat it. A radio station as envisaged would help disseminate information to combat drug addiction.

Nine members of the public also gave evidence in support of Radio Gospel Fellowship’s application. They were Donald Laugeson, managing director of Motorways Ltd; the Rev. R. H. Tripp vicar of Hoon Hay; William John Taylor, a chartered accountant; the Rev. F. R Coombs, of the Opawa Baptist Church; Derek John Wiltshire, general manager of Anderson's, Ltd. engineers: Malcolm Alexander Richard { Cameron, a company secre- { tary; Pastor P. MeC. Morrow, of the Christian Revival Fellowship; Donald Ashley Cowey, an architect: and the Rev. A. S. Mack-Munro, of the Hornby Presbyterian Church.