GOVT ‘BOUND TO RENEGOTIATE'

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32458, 19 November 1970, Page 3

GOVT ‘BOUND TO RENEGOTIATE'

(N Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, Nov. 18. The Government was morally bound to renegotiate the agreement with Comalco, a scientist with the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Dr C. A. Fleming, said today. Dr Fleming, one of two New Zealand Fellows of the Royal Society of London, was making submissions in a private capacity to the Parliamentary Select Committee considering the proposal to raise the level of Lake Manapouri. His submissions were given in support of the petition from the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand seeking to restrain the Government from raising the lake level.

Dr Fleming was the first witness to be heard today, the second day of the committee’s hearings. He said strong public feel-

ing on the planned raising of the lake had been held in check by reported assurances by members of the Government that the decision to raise the lake had not irrevocably been made. Referring to the declaration of the Manapouri region as a national park, Dr Fleming said: “To override such a declaration for a small percentage increment in power production destined to support commercial profits, even if they be shared by all New Zealanders, appears to many citizens a negation of the noble principles of self denial represented by the establishment of national parks, and thus to smack of national greed.” Scientific investigation of the results of raising the lake had been inadequate. It might take 50 to 100 years to re-establish beaches at a higher lake level. An assertion that the Minister of Works (Mr Allen) had come perilously close to contempt of the committee was made by Mr F. D. O’Flynn, Q.C., counsel representing the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society. He said this was based on what Mr Allen said in a radio interview last Saturday. Mr O’Flynn quoted Mr Allen as having replied to a question about renegotiating the contract with Comalco by saying that he would have nothing to do with breaching the contract, and would not like his party to be associated with such a breach. Mr O’Flynn told the committee that breaching the contract and renegotiating it were two different things, and said Mr Alien’s remarks appeared to be a prejudging of one of the major issues before the committee. i The hearing adjourned at 1 p.m., until next Tuesday. i