“Procrastination” on colour TV sets

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32967, 13 July 1972, Page 15

“Procrastination” on colour TV sets

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON. July 12. New Zealand manufacturers could produce colour television sets that would be cheaper than imported ones, Mr W. W. Freer (Lab., Mount Albert) said in Parliament yesterday.

A locally-made Japanese-; designed television set with! a 22in screen would cost I $758, compared with a Japan- i ese-produced equivalent selling at $965, Mr Freer said. The Minister of Industries' and Commerce (Mr Taiboys) had procrastinated for months and months over colour television sets. He was pushing New Zealand manufacturers into the position where they would be unable to meet the deadline of September, 1973, Mr Freer said. He suggested that Mr Talboys might then say that local manufacturers had not made the grade, and colour sets would have to be imported. Not one local manufacturer knew whether he would be asked to make colour television sets. Until that decision was made manufacturers could not import tubes or order

pocal materials and stilt hope Ito meet the deadline, Mr Freer said. I The Japanese Ambassador to New Zealand (Mr Ker jchiro Yoshida) had told the I Federated Farmers confer(ence that Japan specialised lin television sets with 12m Ito 17in screens. However, in 1971, 95 per cent of all colour sets sold in | the United States, and 72 per jcent of all colour sets sold jin Britain, had screens of 22 •linches or more, Mr Freer said. | He added that the Government must be embarrassed to have to make a decision I which could result in import (licensing on a new product. The Minister of Broadcasting (Mr Walker) said nobody doubted the ability of the New Zealand electronic industry to make colour television sets, but there were still some matters to be discussed.