Manapouri Protest Sent To Ombudsman

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32208, 29 January 1970, Page 20

Manapouri Protest Sent To Ombudsman

(New Zealand Press Association) INVERCARGILL, January 28. The validity of the Electricity Depart* ment’s submissions to the Government on the level of Lake Manapouri had been made the subject of representations to the Ombudsman (Sir Guy Powles), the chairman of the Southland Save Manapouri Committee (Mr R. J. McLean) said today.

He left Invercargill on a nation-wide tour to co-ordin-ate the work of protest committees.

The main points raised in the representations were the extent of deepening in the channel required at the lip of Lake Manapouri, alternative power supply if the natural level were retained, the department’s statement on shoreline clearance, and differing legal opinions on the Government’s obligations to the Comalco smelter interests.

Weighed down with pamphlets, car stickers, subscription books, photographs and slides, Mr McLean left in his car today for Dunedin, where he will speak tonight. One of the latest developments in the protest was that the leader of the Social Credit Political League (Mr V. F. Cracknell) had accepted an invitation from the committee to come to Southland to see Lake Manapouri and Lake Monowai, Mr McLean said. Mr Cracknell is so far the only one of the leaders of the country's three major poli-

tical parties to accept the invitation from the committee. Mr McLean said that the Southland committee still hoped that 30 members of Parliament who would visit Southland in February to inspect forestry potential, would find time to be shown over Lake Manapouri. Commenting on the meeting in Wellington yesterday, Mr McLean said he was delighted with the support the Save Manapouri Campaign was getting in the capital.