NUCLEAR TESTS

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29803, 21 April 1962, Page 8

NUCLEAR TESTS

Protest To Prime Minister

“We must register our strong objection to New Zealand collaboration in nuclear weapons testing, to the extent of permitting the United States military authorities to establish two of their stations on our territory,” says Mrs E. V. Hardie. assistant-secretary of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. in a letter sent to the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake). The letter deals with the use of territory in the Cook Islands for the establishing of American scientific stations for the proposed nuclear weapon tests at Christmas Island

“We cannot accept your contention that these activities at Rarotonga and Penrhyn are a ‘health measure’,” the letter says. "The stations are to be manned by scientific and communications experts under the direction, not of the United States Health Department, but of the military authorities. Hence, any service to the health of our people will be marginal and not a primary purpose. Our New Zealand scientists are fully competent to make observations for health purposes.”