Mr Watt Criticises Kapimi Gas Delay

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31091, 21 June 1966, Page 13

Mr Watt Criticises Kapimi Gas Delay

(New Zeiland Press Association) NEW PLYMOUTH, June 20. The delay in implementing plans fof using Kapuni natural gas could be tolerated no longer, the Deputy Leader of the Opposition (Mr Watt) told a Labour Party symposium in New Plymouth.

The Prime Minister earlier had known that the Government was in a position to make a decision within a week, and the suggestion Of the Minister Of Labour (Mr Shand) that the Labour Party join in a committee to consider the use of the gas was only to acquaint the party with a decision that the Government had already made, said Mr Watt. Mr Shand had been in the process of establishing a select committee of Parliament. “1 am confident that what the Government should have done was what we proposed i last year—to set up this committee and have its meetings ; open to the press. Any interested organisation or individual could give evidence, and those giving evidence would he subject to cross-examina-tion,” said Mr Watt. The Labour Party looked -

upon New Plymouth as a city Open to expansion, particularly industrial expansion, he said.