Mr Kirk Welcomes “Factual Report”

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31753, 9 August 1968, Page 1

Mr Kirk Welcomes “Factual Report”

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, August 8. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr Kirk) told Parliament that the Labour Party welcomed the report on the Omega navigation system and thanked the Royal Society for producing speedily a dispassionate assessment of this important issue.

“The contents of the report have justified the call for further information and we thank all those who assisted in compiling the report, particularly the scientists who sifted the information available and prepared the final text.

“Such a factual report was needed,” he said. Mr Kirk said that the foremost criterion, in the Labour Party’s view, was the longterm interest of the people of New Zealand.

“Because of this, members of the Parliamentary Labour Party have naturally wanted to ascertain whether the fears of the many people who have expressed opposition to the Omega proposal are well founded.

“The information made available in the report assists in this respect,” he said. Mr Kirk said it was noted that the United States authorities had expressed the

hope that stations such as that proposed would be entirely owned, manned and operated by the partner nations.

“In our view, if the New Zealand Government were to make a firm decision in this direction it would go some distance to overcoming objections,” he said. In view of the public interest in the question of establishing an Omega base in New Zealand, Mr Kirk asked the Prime Minister if the Royal Society’s report could be published for the public. Mr Holyoake said he agreed that the report should be readily available to the public but before doing so the demand for it would first have to be considered. Once demand had been estimated, he said, the Government would endeavour to make more copies of the report available.