Appeal to court over ‘Princess’

Press, 14 July 1980, Page 15

Appeal to court over ‘Princess’

J An appeal will be made to the High Coin! for a judiciaJ review of the Broadcasting Corporation’s decision not to screen the controversial “Death of a Princess.”

" An Auckland University lecturer on film, Mr T. D. Hutchins claims the board of the corporation was grossly negligent in its decision, considering that it had not viewed the film. He intends to file a writ with the court this week to seek a review of the decision, which the board said was based on grounds that the film was not a reliable documentary.

Dr W. C. Hodge, a senior law lecturer at the university, who is acting as legal adviser to Mr Hutchins, said it was hoped the film could be shown, so New Zealanders

could make their own minds up about its merits.

He said it was a shame that economics seemed to have overshadowed the right of New Zealanders in an issue of considerable interest to the world today. “It is certainly newsworthy, and if it is contentious why not have some sort of debate or panel discussion afterwards?” he asked.

Dr Hodge said the board could not make a valid decision of any sort about the film unless it had looked at it first

To back up Mr Hutchins’s case Dr Hodge referred to a case in Britain in which the Independent Broadcasting Authority was taken to court to try to stop it showing a film it had not seen. The court ruled that the authority could not possibly make a valid decision if it had not seen the film.

Dr Hodge said Mr Hutchins would not ask the court to look at the film, but to review the.way in which the corporation reached its decision.