Manapouri Campaign Appeals For Funds

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32265, 7 April 1970, Page 26

Manapouri Campaign Appeals For Funds

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, April 6. An appeal for $12,000 was launched today by the national Save Manapouri organisation.

The money will be used to continue the campaign through to its conclusion. Letters appealing for amounts towards the $12,000 have gone out to local Save Manapouri Committees and other affiliated organisations. The executive chairman of the national committee (Mr P. Proctor) said in a supplied statement that the money was essential if the Campaign was to be sustained at the vigorous level created over recent months.

“Collectively, the compaigning on all fronts has involved much time and manpower,” said Mr Proctor. “Several thousand dollars have been

spent by the many organisations convinced that the level of Lake Manapouri should not be raised.

“It is a fallacy, even in a democracy, to think that the several hundred thousand people who have added their weight to the campaign can be effectively heard without organisation. And organisation means money. “Evidence is now being collected for final presentation to the commission of inquiry, the possibility of engaging counsel is under consideration, and there is a great deal of work to be done in the coming months,” he said. “Unfortunately, effective protest of this sort costs money, and if we are to act in a positive and sustained manner we must have financial resources to back up such organisation.”

The target date for the fund’s completion is May 1. More than twenty five district committees pledged financial support for the campaign at the recent national conference.

The chairman of the Wellington committee (Sir Jack Harris) has agreed to act as treasurer to the fund. The address for donations is Box 2873, Wellington.