‘Secret’ Govt control

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32903, 29 April 1972, Page 16

‘Secret’ Govt control

I The new regulations ito control the price of electricity were obviously intended to make it easier to increase the cost of electric power, the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Kirk) said in Christchurch last evening. Mr Kirk said that the new regulations would extend the interference of the Minister of Finance into another area of local government. “Under the new arrange-

ments, the Minister and the Treasury will have a substantial say in an important area of local government. “Consumers are not only likely to pay more for power, but can also expect to accept restraints, which neither the Minister, nor the Government is prepared to accept, on the Government’s incomes and prices. DAILY INCREASES “This latest action shows that increased power charges are likely to be added to the continuous round of increases in other fields that are secretly being authorised daily

by the Government agencies.”

There could be no better reminder that the Government’s so-called price restraints did not stop prices, would not stop them, and were never intended to stop them, he said. “They were only intended' to try and kid the public that the Government had an effective anti-inflation policy. To make it possible for electricity to be increased in price in addition to all the other increases, and then pretend that the power price freeze has not been lifted is neither fair, nor just or honest,” Mr Kirk said.