Govt. Blamed For Tongariro Delay

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31086, 15 June 1966, Page 3

Govt. Blamed For Tongariro Delay

(Neto Zealand Press Association! AUCKLAND, June 14. The Government was using “all the excuses in the world” to hold up the Tongariro power project, the president of the Federation of Labour (Mr T. E. Skinner) said today.

He described as "completely inaccurate” a London report that the federation had agreed to the Italian tenderer for the £2O million project to bring in Italian labour under certain conditions. The Government feared It would lose its marginal Taupo seat if more New Zealand workers were brought into the district, said Mr Skinner. He said the way was now clear for the Italian contractors to resume negotiations with the federation if the contractors could get approval from the Government.

Single men are leaving the Tongariro power project site at the rate of about two every day, as uncertainty about the project continues, says the Press Association. Contractors have nearly completed their contracts around the new town and, in a few weeks, the Ministry of Works will have nothing more to offer them.

One of the largest building firms has already sent a telegram to the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake), expressing concern at the failure to let housing contracts. Many thousands have been spent on Turangi’s modern shopping centre, but when the shops open in a few mohths there could be few customers to patronise them.