Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995), Monday 7 February 1972, page 13


What city folk

think

of the rural

recession

D° city people carc

about the ups and downs of rural communities? And do country people understand the reasons for city attitudes to them and their problems?

The historically uneasy relationship between city and country, built upon misunderstanding and prejudice, which has existed since the early days of the nation, is candidly examined in 'Someone Must Care', a special documentary on Channel 3 today at 8.55pm.

The program surveys present-day attitudes and outlooks of city and country people against a background of recession in, and uncertainty about, the future of many of

Australia's traditional revenue-earning industries.

Property owners around Australia, once riding high during the boom years of primary production, are now experiencing difficult times, brought about by greater export competition, tumbling prices and lessening demand for their pro

ducts.

During the good years capital earned was often put back into the properties, upgrading facilities and increasing production. Now the same owners are caught in the cleft stick of reduced incomes and rising costs on a property worth much less on the open

market.

Overall, the program shows the need for greater understanding between both communities and the importance of solving the present problems together to ensure the future prosperity of Aus

tralia.

* * *

"TF you really want to

-*. understand children, watch them at play. In particular, their imaginative play . . ." says author and psychologist John Gabriel. Futhcrmorc, he continues, to understand children's play is to go a long way towards understanding adults and adult life.

Mr Gabriel discusses and illustrates his ideas in 'The Other Side of Innocence', a documentary trilogy beginning on Channel 3 on Wednesday at 9.20pm. Taking as his theme the importance of play in our lives, he shows, through watching and talking about children, that the innocent games of the young are preparing them for the realities to come later as responsible adults in a competitive world. . .

Mr Gabriel sees spontaneous and imaginative play, purely for enjoyment,

as reflecting the lighter side of the innocence of children. But there is also the other, darker side, a side which emerges when a carefree game becomes a contest to win. This can be moulded and encouraged through competitive sport, something which Gabriel sees as damaging to the children and the creative potential of our soci

ety.

. * *

A USTRALIAN author

Neville Shute's bestselling novel, The Far Country', now dramatised for television, begins on Channel 3 on Wednesday at 8.00pm.

The English writer David Whitaker adapted 'The Far Country' into six hour-long episodes. He also appears in the first episode as Dr

Wilkinson.

Set in the Australian countryside, 'The Far Country' is the story of an English girl, Jennifer Morton, (Bernadctlc Hughson), who visits her relatives, grazier Jack Dorman (Peter Gwynne) and his wife Jane (Betty Dyson).

She falls in love with a Czech migrant, Carl Zlinter (Graham Corry), who works as a lumberjack at the neighbouring lumber

camp.

They meet under trying circumstances while helping the injured after an accident at the logging

site.

As with many of the other European workers, Carl Zlinter's professional qualifications arc not recognised' in this country and it is with considerable risk that he carries out his role as a doctor in the emer

gency . . .

The Far Country' in produced for ABC-TV Drama by Eric Tayler whose many television productions include the recent adaptation of D'Arcy Niland's novel, 'Dead Men Running'.

* « «

TVJARTY Fcldman, at

. _ present touring Aus

tralia as the star of his own stage show 'Marty Amok', returns to ABCTV this week in a BBC comedy special. 'Marty' will be screened at 8pm on Thursday.

In this 45-minute program, Marty is seen in the kind of lunatic situations which became so familiar to viewers of his series, and which have won for him many television awards for performing and writing.

He is supported by John Junkin, Tim Brooke-Taylor, French revue star Robert Dhery, and ' a group called Vivian Stanhall's Big Grunt which specialises in crazy costumes and gadgets.