Union Asks For Ban

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28257, 20 April 1957, Page 12

Union Asks For Ban

The Prime Minister (Mr Holland) has been asked, to use his influence with the Prime Minister of Britain (Mr Macmillan) to have postponed or cancelled the H-bomb tests in the Pacific. The request has been made by the Christchurch branch of the New Zealand Tramways Union.

“In the opinion of my members, further tests are neither advisable nor necessary, and we join with many others in protesting against further tests being held,” states a letter from the union secretary (Mr L. C. Southon) to Mr Holland. “We request that your influence and the influence of your Government be directed towards convincing the Great Powers of the necessity for international agreement abolishing nuclear weapons and outlawing further tests.”

There had been reports of disease in the Pacific as a result of the fall-out from previous explosions, deaths and suffering in Japan, continued warnings by eminent scientists and a refusal by West German scientists to take part in testing, manufacturing, or use of nuclear weapons, the letter states.

Public opinion no longer considered nuclear weapons a deterrent to war, being convinced that the weapons would be used by both "sides, the letter continues. It was not yet too late to adopt a humanitarian outlook. Science could destroy the world or open up a wonderful future for the human race.