Mr Marshall To Join Mill Talks

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29717, 10 January 1962, Page 12

Mr Marshall To Join Mill Talks

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, January 9. The Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr Marshall) will meet the leader of the Nelson cotton mill delegation of directors, Mr J. A. Leavey, for the first time tomorrow morning.

When Mr Leavey arrived in New Zealand, Mr Marshall had just left for a meeting of Ministers of G.A.T.T. nations at Geneva. Mr Marshall arrived back

in New Zealand two days before Christinas and has since been on holiday and studying the extensive range of documents in connexion with the cotton mill project Mr Leavey said today that he hoped for a "definite and unequivocal decision one wsy or the other” this week. He had been asked to comment on a statement by the president of Federated Farmers (Mr W. Malcolm' which expressed the hope that the coming decision on the cotton mill would free New Zealand from the project ‘‘At the moment I can say no more about the discussions than I have said so far, and that is very little,” said Mr Leavey. “The alternatives open to the Government are presumably the same as they were the day we arrived here some weeks ago, but I have no inkling of what they will be recommended to do oy the party caucus if the latter reaches a positive conclusion at the meeting which I gather has been arranged for the end of this week,” he said. “Nothing will now surprise me. The Prime Minister (Mr Holyoske) has Mid that he would hope a decision may be taken thia week and I can at least echo that sentiment, particularly if It is a definite and unequivocal decision one way or the other,” said Mr Leavey.