Meeting on fourth ferry

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32406, 19 September 1970, Page 2

Meeting on fourth ferry

(From Our Own Reporter) TIMARU, Sept. 18. The introduction of a ; fourth Cook Strait rail i ferry, at a cost of about s7m, would kill the coastal shipping trade from New Zealand’s secondary ports, said the secretary-manager of the Timaru Harbour Board (Mr B. E. Strathern) yesterday. The board hopes to convene in Timaru a meeting of all interested persons and organisations likely to be affected by the Government’s approval of the construction of a fourth ferry. The board decided yesterday to invite the following to attend its hoped-for meeting: the New Zealand Harbours’ Association, New Zealand Ports Authority, South Island

members of Parliament, South Island Chambers of Commerce, South Island Local Bodies’ Association, South Island Promotion Association, South Island Manufacturers’ Associations, and other interested organisations. Mr Strathern told the meeting that the Gisborne, Southland, Otago, Northland and Oamaru harbour boards supported' the Timaru board’s representation for the deferment of the planning of the fourth ferry-‘-the introduction of which would enable the Railways Department to be so much closer to obtaining a monopoly of the country’s internal transport system, he said. The member of Parliament for South Canterbury (Mr R. L. G. Talbot), said Mr Strathem, had referred the board’s request to the Minister, and the Harbours Association had conveyed the text of a telegram from the board to its members.

He said that the Prime Minister (Sir Keith Holyoake) had asked the Minister of Transport (Mr Gordon) to explain the strong case which made the provision of a fourth ferry “essential.” The Leader of the Opposition (Mr Kirk), and the member of Parliament for Timaru (Sir Basil Arthur), had undertaken to raise the board’s submissions with the Government. The Minister had replied that the need for a fourth ferry was “immediate,” and could be substantiated by predicted traffic requirements. The chairman of the Ports Authority had said that.the decision to construct a fourth ferry was made by the Government, and any representations should be directed to it.

It was resolved that the board convene a meeting to discuss the decision of the Government to construct a fourth ferry. Mr Strathern said that organisations in the South Island had expressed concern

at the unbalanced growth of New Zealand, and at the national economic factors associated with the lack of development in the South. Island. The report by the Institute of Economic Research on regional development held “no joy” for the South Island, but if a fourth rail ferry was introduced—as was proposed—the port industry within the South Island would suffer considerably. Mr A. J. Burmester said: “The harbour boards have been let down. The Harbour Association has been advocating the setting-up of a Ports Authority. That has taken 10 years. The Government established a Ports Authority to deal with matters relating to coastal shipping, and ports outside the main ones. “I do not know whether the Ports Authority is merely a puppet of the Government —but someone has let us down,” he said.