Coaster to take on Govt over TV fee

Press, 1 April 1978, Page 2

Coaster to take on Govt over TV fee

Westport reporter Mr Albert Hawley, the Westport seaman who last month was convicted for refusing to pay more than half of his television licence fee, now intends to prosecute South Pacific Television for demanding money under false pretences. He refuses to pay the full fee because West Coast viewers cannot get TV2. Mr Hawley also plans to prosecute the Minister of Broadcasting, for aiding and abetting South Pacific Television, and the Post Office, for acting as its agent. In March, Mr Hawley was convicted in the Westport Magistrate’s Court by Mr F. G. Paterson, S.M., on a charge of failing to pay his television licence fee. Mr Hawley had sent a

! cheque for $13.75 — half the 'fee, for half the service to the Post Office in December. However, this was sent back! |to him. In his defence he told the' : Magistrate that to pay the full fee would be aiding and abetting fraud. Mr Paterson told him that! he appreciated the argument; I and it appeared that it would be some time before the West Coast got TV2.: However, under the terms of) ■ the Post Office Act, people) 'who had a television set had) Ito pay for an annual licence. ■ Mr Hawley has again been served notice by the Post; Office that it is proceeding; with court action to recover [the full fee. And now he! maintains he that he is prepared to go to prison "just for the principle of the) thing.”

"So far the court actions have cost me over $BOO in lost wages alone.” The public support from Coasters for his stand had been “fantastic,” he said. He hopes that a meeting of the Combined Services Association in Westport on Wednesday will result in the formation of a West Coast and Buller action committee to press for the urgent provision of second channel coverage for the Coast. He said that more than 2000 people in Buller alone would support the action committee. “We Coasters are getting sick of being treated like second-class citizens,” said Mr Hawley. “For years we have been paying large sums of money for service we, haven’t been given.”