SOUTH ISLAND’S NEEDS

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 24096, 4 November 1943, Page 6

SOUTH ISLAND’S NEEDS

CONFERENCE HELD IN CHRISTCHURCH MINISTER’S STATEMENT ON HYDRO-ELECTRICITY The Minister of Supply (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan), when addressing yesterday what was described by the Mayor (Mr E. H. Andrews) as tire largest gathering of local body representatives from all parts of the South Island ever held in Christchurch, pointed out that several matters on the agenda of the conference had received consideration by the Government. Provision had already been made said the Minister, for a foresting plan in the South Island, another for irriga tion in various parts, and a third for hydro-electric development. The last scheme, Mr Sullivan indicated, would cost about £3,250,000 annually.

“So you will see that South Island needs have already been considered to a large extent by the Government,” declared the Minister, “also that our island is already playing an important part in our national economy.’’ The Minister, in conclusion, urged the advisability of the executive elected by the conference conferring with departmental heads. “Much time would be saved in that way if you went to the heads direct, and discussed your problems,” said Mr Sullivan. In reply to a question, the Minister said that the Nelson and Otago districts were on the planting programme Extended Afforestation After a long discussion on afforestation, the conference resolved that the Government be requested to give every attention to representations now being made, and that areas for that purpose In the South Island be extended wherever possible. The Department of Scientific and Industrial Research was asked to cull young deer (because of the damage they were causing to trees), in afforestation areas. The conference sat throughout the day under the chairmanship of the Mayor (Mr Andrews), and it will be continued today. A provisional executive was elected, and delegates (who numbered more than 100 and came from as far north as Nelson and from Invercargill in the south) considered remits that had been prepared by local bodies. In addition to two South Island Ministers of the Crown, several members of Parliament were present. The only woman member of the conference was Miss Mabel Howard, M.P. “They say that a squeaking wheel gets the grease!” said the Minister of Transport (the Hon, J. O’Brien) amidst laughter. Perhaps the North Island had obtained more, he added, because it had been more insistent In its demands upon previous Governments. However, as the South Island had a representation of seven Ministers in the present Cabinet, Mr O’Brien said that southerners should

be more optimistic. More Population The Minister spoke of the need to increase the population in the South Island if new industries were to be developed, and remarked that the country had to be opened up. Farmers had also to consider the problem of more intensive production "The South Island has room for many of the men who will be returning after the war,” said the Minister. “The South should depend on itself and not leave things to other people.” South Island people and institutions had been largely to blame for the position of the South Island to-day. said the Mayor when welcoming the delegates “We have had South Island Prime Ministers and Cabinet Ministers, and still have the latter,” he said. “But when they

make Wellington their centre they are apt to overlook the interests and claims of the Island that sent them to Parliament. Again the people are largely to blame, for we have complacently allowed them to go their own way without protest.” . There was no intention on his part, the Mayor said, to condemn the North Island for outstripping the South Island Wellington was the centre of Government, and the State departments had been centralised there. “But it seems to me that this state of affairs cannot go on indefinitely.” he declared “The Government must go in for the decentralisation of its departments, and go further afield.” Then, why not Picton, with its splendid harbour and cheap land? he asked. The Mayor said he could visualise both Picton and Blenheim as suburbs of Wellington after the war. One reason for the advance ot the North Island had been the development of the interior. Settlers had flocked from the South, and had helped to make it prosperous. While he was anxious to avoid parochialism. Mr Andrews said, it was the object of the conference to present the claims of the South Island to its rightful place as a very important part of New Zealand”: to increase its Production, and encourage its industries. The South Island had unlimited hydro-electric possibilities, and it might well be that the South would have to generate electricity and deliver it across Cook Strait to keep the wheels turning in the North Island It was also the desire of the southerners to prevent the drift of population to the north, and. Indeed, to Increase it in the South Island The Mayor of Timaru (Mr A. E. S. Hanan) said that while some members of Parliament were present, he thought that more should have attended He also complained that the proceedings were not to be broadcast. “If this conference had been held in Wellington.” said Mr Hanan “that would surely have been done. It wss decided on the motion oi the Mayor of Oamaru (Mr J C. Klrkness) that a South Island Association be formed (or a body having such other name as might be thought fit) for the purpose of watching and fostering an South Island interests, to assist in every way possible the development of primary and secondary Industries, to develop the South Island tourist traffic, and especially insist that due prominence be given to scenic and other attractions of the South Island and Stewart Island by the Tourist Department. The following were appointed to the provincial executive:—Messrs J. S Hoycs (Queenstown), J. R. Neale (Nelson). Abraham Wachner (Invercargill) A H Allen (Dunedin). A E S Ranan lTi maru). James Rodman (Waitakl), L. a Nelderer (Southland). James Kenn ngton (Marlborough). James Ward (Buller). William Cameron (Tuapeka), and S t’. Taylor (Ashburton), with the Mayor- of Christchurch (Mr Andrews) as convener Housing Problem

The conference decided to make urgent representations to the Government mat. on completion of the programme of military building operations, the Building Controller be instructed to give preference to the needs of the South Island in tlon to buildings of all classes, which have been delayed owing to the transfer of skilled labour to the North Island The latter, it was suggested, should be returned to the South Island Immediately In view of the experience of Britain, Russia, and China, the Government was urged to adopt a policy that would be most conducive to safety in time of war by an equitable distribution of population and the avoidance of the growth of slum areas, which, in the past, seemed to have been a feature of industrial areas The conference was addressed by Mr J, D. McDonald, of Westport, wh. declared that the greatest single national problem in New Zealand, apart from defence, was housing. “If we want the houses, he said, “we must have an assembly line of production." When advocating the use of plastic materials for pre-fabncated housing construction, Mr McDonald said the process would be even more simple than building motor-cars That process did not mean that the new type of home would be in any way inferior to the old A young couple on marrying could buy three or four units of a house, and add to the home later Such a procedure, said the speaker, would be an incentive to early marriage, and that would help to solve the problem of lack of population The house would have the added advantage of being impervious to fire, earthquake, and vermin. “We are crying out for immigrants, and the best type are young New Zealanders,” he said. ‘But where are the houses for them to-day? Mr McDonald emphasised the importance of coal deposits and other natural resources throughout the Dominion, which could, he said, be utilised for the scheme he suggested. The age that was approaching would be a plastic age, and New Zealand could not afford to neglect it. “In New Zealand coal is available, and it is a criminal waste to burn it,” said Mr McDonald, when commenting on the variety and range of by-products that could be obtained from coal. The cheaper grades should be used, he added, and the better ones preserved. It was also essential that every variety of wood waste should be utilised. Coal Wastage “While we New Zealanders are the most wasteful people in the world,” said Mr McDonald, “we can still learn. In Germany, the people are forced by circumstances not to be the most wasteful people in the world. It is up to us to see that our natural resources are not wasted. The forest may grow again, but once coal is lost it cannot be restored.” The conference, on the motion ot Mr Abraham Wachner, of Invercargill, thanked Mr McDonald for his address. ‘‘We have thousands of acres of bush in Southland,” he said, “and we appreciate the future potentialities of those natural resources.’’

During a discussion on the housing shortage, the Mayor (Mr Andrews) complained that so many houses were left to an unfinished state. “Why not complete ttifim and let the people get into them?" aa Mid. “More have been finished lately.