Chch Has No Minister In The Government

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31343, 13 April 1967, Page 14

Chch Has No Minister In The Government

Either the Prime Minister had no regard for Christchurch or could not find a Government member from the city good enough to hold a Cabinet post, the Labour Party candidate in the Fendalton by-election (Mr B. Barclay) said last night. Mr Barclay told an audience of 32 that it was probably the first time in New Zealand’s Parliamentary history that Christchurch did not have any portfolio representative.

The labour Party, he said, thought enough of Christchurch to choose its leader from that city and had three other members now in Parliament who had filled Cabinet posts. He accused the Government of “calculated deceit" in its explanation of the state of the economy at the time of tie last General Election. Within three months of being returned, the Government had imposed a “most savage increase in the cost of living and attacked the wage earner in his pay packet” Such had been the effects so far that only two factories in Christchurch to his knowledge were now working overtime.

“Before the winter is out there is going to be unemployment in Christchurch,” he said.

The Labour Party would broaden the spectrum of import controls and abolish the import of goods which could be produced at home.

Mr Barclay accused the Government of pandering to the banks, lending institutions and stock and station agents in its financial policies. Increased Rates He said that by authorising increases in interest rates for local body loans, the public would have to pay. He quoted increases in interest rates on new loans raised by the Lyttelton Harbour Board which would add to repayments by £200,000. To meet this, the harbour board would have to increase charges for goods passing through the port, and these would ultimately be paid for by the public. Answering a question about the cost of land in Bishopdale, Mr Barclay said Labour when returned to power would develop Crown land and sell it at a price sufficient to cover costs.