No health hazard reported

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32959, 4 July 1972, Page 1

No health hazard reported

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, July 3. Reports from Pitcairn Island indicated that there was no health hazard yet from France’s nuclear testing at Mururoa Atoll, Britain’s Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Sir Alec Douglas-Home) said in Wellington today.

He said that the reports were the result of samples taken from British monitoring stations since the last test.

Sir Alec Douglas-Home said that the French testing was among the subjects discussed today during his talks with Cabinet Ministers and later with the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Kirk). “We feel that testing in the atmosphere is wrong,” he said. “If testing has to be done and has to continue, then it must be underground.” Sir Alec Douglas-Home said he doubted that New Zealand’s opposition to the French testing would have any effect on Common Market negotiations. FRENCH STATEMENT Asked to comment on the reported statement of the French Minister of Overseas Territories (Mr Pierre Messmer), who said in Noumea last month that France might take retaliatory -action over New Zealand dairy imports, Sir Alec Douglas-Home said that all decisions of the Com-

munity were matters that had to be taken jointly.

He said that his discussions today with the Government and “agricultural opinion” had produced useful views on the place of New Zealand’s primary produce in the E.E.C.

He said the views would help Britain’s negotiators get the right terms for New Zealand’s produce. He said that during infor-

mal talks this afternoon with agricultural leaders, “fair and reasonable remuneration” for New Zealand’s produce was discussed. The Minister of Overseas Trade (Mr Taiboys), is expected to visit Britain and the Continent later this year, the Prime Minister (Mr Marshall) said this afternoon after the meeting of the Cabinet.

Mr Marshall said it was agreed that there should be close consultation on the question of a sheep-meat regulation which was likely to be promoted at some time after Britain became a member of the Common Market and New Zealand also gave notice it would be raising the question of the iamb levy with the British Government.