OBJECTION BY MR WATT

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30056, 14 February 1963, Page 10

OBJECTION BY MR WATT

“Concern For Taxpayer”

(N.Z. Press Association) WEUUNGTQN, Feb. 13. Concern Um* New Zealand taxpayers were now to find the capital for Manapouri power development instead of it bring fiopnd by the aluminium company, Comalco, was expressed tonight by the Minister of Electricity in the former Labour Government,

Mr Watt, The Prime Minister (Mr Hoiyoake > announced earlier today that the Government would undertake the provision of the hydro-electric generating starioos for the Southland aluminium project. Mr Whitt said that he had always been keen to see an

international aluminium smelter set up in the South Island using cheap New Zealand electricity. The taxpayers would be interested to know that now they would be finding £3l million of this cost, said Mr Watt.

Cheap electric power was essential for the production of aluminium on the world markets and if the Government had not “blindly and irrevocably” committed New Zealand to the Cook Strait cable at a cost of £2O million it might have been able to offer Comalco power from the Benmore station, said Mr Watt.

“Southland’s Approval” (N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, Feb. 13. “Southland people will greet this major Government policy measure with warm approval,” said the Minister of Justice (Mr Hanan) today commenting on the announcement by the Prime Minister (Mr Hoiyoake) earlier in the day on the role to be played by the Government in the Comalco aluminium project. Mr Hanan was speaking as the member for the Invercargill electorate, in which the smelters for the industry are expected to be sited. Mr Hanan added that the economic consequences were of vital importance to the whole country.