No talks held on containers

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32541, 26 February 1971, Page 3

No talks held on containers

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, February 25. The Government had had no recent talks with British container lines about the effect of container shipping on areas other than the main container ports, the Minister of Transport (Mr Gordon) said today in a statement clarifying the report of an interview given yesterday.

“The report indicating that the British container shipping lines and the Government had reached ah ‘understanding’ could be misleading,” he said. “What in fact I was asked to comment on was the definition of maximum and minimum aggregation—terms being used by shipping circles to indicate the degree to which goods for export will be transported from provincial areas to the main container ports. “It is also correct that I indicated that the Gopern-

ment had told the British shippers that it would have to have regard to the socioeconomic effects on any other areas of New Zealand, and it had charged the Ports Authority with making a report to the Government on this aspect. “I would make it clear that Government has had no recent talks on this aspect with the British shipping container lines. “I also understand that the authority is not in a position to advise the Government until the British plans are given to it”