Film on beech forests mooted

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33664, 14 October 1974, Page 4

Film on beech forests mooted

A full document? beech forests will be < production next year. This was stated by thei Minister of Broadcasting (Mr! Douglas) in reply to a question for written answer in the House of Representatives. i Mr P Blanchfield (Lab./ West Coast) asked if thei Minister had noted the criticism of the television critic; in “The Press” of September; 30, who had said; “. . . very! few programmes, document-j ary or current affairs. are( [being made in the South; [island, while the N.Z.B.C.j ihad both the staff and the|' [technical resources to do a great deal more.” [ Mr Blanchfield asked the;J [ Minister if he would give [, consideration to producing a j documentary in colour embracing every facet of the beech forests of Westland and the proposed utilisation instead of featuring so regularly biased comments and opinions from critics with little or no personal information on those mighty for- . Jests. Mr Douglas said that this I < year “Nationwide” had fea-|{ tured 11 items dealing with ( the South Island, including a < 10-minute item about theu [beech forests. “Inquiry” had|l [presented three programmes•! [entirely made in the South J [lsland and 11 programmes[l partially filmed in the South!J [lsland; and “This Afternoon”'' lhad devoted five pro-it

ary on the Westland considered for possible ; grammes completely to the 'South Island, in addition to including five 10-minute [items from the South tn “mixed” programmes. I “Review,” the fortnightly (Programme about the arts t’n New Zealand, had presen’ed [five North Island programmes, five South Island [ programmes. four programmes that were half .North Island and half South i Island, and six programmes lof general or national interiest, said Mr Douglas. I During the current production year, the N.Z.B.C. [documentary unit was making six programmes totally [in the South Island, while [four others were being partially filmed there. Mr Douglas said.