Attack From Mr Watt

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31041, 22 April 1966, Page 1

Attack From Mr Watt

(N.Z. Press Association) NEW PLYMOUTH April 21. The Government was strongly criticised over its dealing with the Federation of Labour on pay rates and working conditions for Italian tunnellers on the Tongariro power development by the Deputy Leader of the Opposition (Mr Matt) at Turangi today. Mr Watt was inspecting the scheme at Turangi with mem-

bers of the New Zealand Workers’ Union. The Government should not remain in power if it meant to slow down or stop the Tongariro power scheme, Mr Watt said. If the Government was i determined to lay down terms; ' to the federation the negoti--1 ations with the Italians could I not take place, Mr Watt said. There was plenty of machI inery to deal with the letting of contracts without any delay to the project involved. Mr Watt claimed it would be typical of the National Government to close down the project as it was fond of mothballing. “The trouble is they have ! not got the mothballs, as shown by the Maraetai II project” he said. The Government would not . have the time, however, to mothball the Tongariro project fully before the November General Election. If a Labour Government was put ' into power then, it would still have the time to bring the project back to schedule. “It is of importance to the ( national development that •’■ the scheme be completed to > provide power in the early . 19705.” he said. “But if the Government had 18 months instead of six in ■ which to stop the project the II cost of starting the work ' again would run into thou- ■ sands of pounds,” he said. ’ Mr Watt said the Labour I Party had always been in favlour of the scheme and if in

power would ensure its completion. Mr Watt was Minister of Works in 1958 when a preliminary report was presented to Parliament and he dealt with the project in his 1958 White i Paper on future power needs.