Labour Blamed For Idle Accelerator

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29952, 13 October 1962, Page 12

Labour Blamed For Idle Accelerator

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter]

WELLINGTON, October 12

The inability to employ the £84,000 particle accelerator delivered 15 months ago to Lower Hutt after its purchase for the Institute of Nuclear Sciences was the fault of the previous Labour Government, the Minister in charge of Scientific and Industrial Research (Mr Tennent) claimed in Parliament today.

The Government had to set aside £196,000 for buildings to house the equipment, but the project would take two or three years, he said.

“Because of the lack of forward planning by the Labour Government this equipment will lie idle for three years.” said Mr Tennent.

The Labour Government had bought the expensive accelerator, but had not prepared a place to house it. There was not even a tin shed to put it in. said Mr Tennent. During today’s consideration of the D.S.LR.’s estimates (£2.351,000), Mr Tennent said that, a fortnight ago. the Cabinet agreed to spend £114.000 to re-equip the Dominion Physical Laboratories at Gracefield. An officer was now on his way to Japan to examine a display of equipment. The Cabinet would soon be

discussing proposals on the organisation of research, based on recommendations contained in the report of the Royal Commission on State Services. The commission’s recommendations included replacement of the present Council of Scientific and Industrial Research with a national research council to advise the Government on the needs, planning and co-ordination of research, and consideration of the advisability of appointing a minister of science.