Petitioners to see Minister

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33786, 7 March 1975, Page 1

Petitioners to see Minister

The petition to save “1 he South Tonight” might be signed by more than 20,000 people, said Miss Wendy Barker, one of the organisers, yesterday.

A total of 15,056 signatures had been counted so far. but many more sheets from throughout Canterbury had still to be returned, she said Four of the petition’s organisers will present the request for the retention of the highly rated programme to the Minister of Broadcasting (Mr Douglas) on March 14. in Wellington Mrs Jennifer Parker, who

s heads the organising team, t said yesterday that the ((Acting Prime Minister (Mr 1] Tizard) had advised her to .(present the petition to Mr si Douglas, who had at first “(declined to receive it. f However, after an exj change of telegrams, Mr - Douglas had later agreed to 1 receive the Christchurch petition deputation at Parlia- > ment Buildings on the morning of March 14. “ “We are not giving up b.y any means,” said Mrs Parker "We have had a tremendous : response to the petition.” Her response to the proposed appointment of two new front men? “It stinks.” This move was most unfair, she said. “The public I has shown that it wants Rodney Bryant and Bryan All- ! press. We are the ones who (pay exorbitant television licence fees. i “We feel that it is up to the two channels to retain (this pair for Canterbury viewers,” Mrs Parker said. (“There is not a great deal of talent in this country, and these two have shown they have talent. They should not be pushed into administrative jobs.”