Random reminder

Press, 31 October 1977, Page 30

Random reminder

BRING BACK THE BIRCH

TV 1| is planning to follow up the success of "Stout!” its SSM account on the life of Sir Robert Stout, former Chief Justice of New Zealand, with a new major series to be called "Birch!” The subject of Birch is Mr Bill Birch, M.P. who is chairman of Parliament’s Public Expenditure subcommittee, currently enquiring into the cost of “Spoons,” a documentary on the subject of New Zealand attitudes to teaspoons from 1947 to the present day. Announcing that the channel was to embark on “Birch!” its DirectorGeneral, Mr Morris Martin said: "Here in TV 1$ we regard Mr Birch as one of the major public

figures of his time. His political acumen is only exceeded by his untiring industry'. His grasp on debate in the House is unexcelled. His authority over his caucus colleagues as Chief Whip is based on respect and affection. His performance as chairman of the Parliamentary sub-committee on Public Expenditure is as remarkable as it is incisive. We intend to dramatise and document every aspect of Mr Birch’s career, andl we intend to spend SI6M m doing it.” “I know,” Mr Martin went on, “that there are those who will suggest that by devoting this maximum effort to Mr Birch we are attempting to buy off an adverse

finding of the subcommittee on the subject of “Spoons.” To those knockers, I can only say, ‘keep your evil thoughts to yourself, otherwise they ' can cause untold harm.’ “We would never try anything so blatant as to buy off an investigating M.P. with a major dramatic series about himself — unless of course that M.P. happened to be one of the major and most fascinating figures of his time. No, ‘Birch!’ will stand or fall on its own merits, and our decision to make it is quite unaffected by considerations such as Mr Birch’s masterly control and brilliantly tolerant command of the Parliamentary sub-committee on Public Expenditure.”