‘Bank running out’

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33001, 22 August 1972, Page 3

‘Bank running out’

(N.Z, Press Association} WELLINGTON, Aug. 20. A Dickens character, Mr Micawber, had formulated a simple managerial policy many years ago which applied equally to man and the world’s resources, the Minister for the Environment (Mr Maclntyre) said in a speech prepared for delivery to the Institute of .Management today. “He stated that the result of expenditure being greater than income was misery,” said Mr MacIntyre. “It’s rather peculiar that it has taken us several hundreds of years to discover the rather surprising fact that since our stock of natural resources is finite, the same principle must inevitably apply. “What is worse, even

now, when we do understand this, we are not taking any notice. After spending natural resources we don’t even own for so long—and we don’t own them, we are only managing them for our own and future generations—we are still spending more than we can afford, and the end of our bank’s reserves is in sight. “And since this world is the only bank we have, that will be it.” Man must learn to manage the environment, said Mr Maclntyre. He must use certain limited natural resources, fresh air, clean water, fertile soil and minerals, to live. They were self renewing if handled properly. Public opinion, mobil-

ised, was the most powerful force in the world, and ordinary people, everywhere, were finally becoming concerned enough about the state of their environment to demand action. “And they will get it,” he said. “We will not only have to care for the environment, but also repair the damage done by past generations.” This would cost considerably more, yet it would be done. “We have to strike a balance between what we can afford to do and what we can’t afford not to do. We must maintain the environment in no worse shape than it is at the moment, and we must start making payments towards the debt we owe it.”