EXTENSION TO SPORTS?

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33399, 4 December 1973, Page 1

EXTENSION TO SPORTS?

(Xew Zealand Press Association >

WELLINGTON, December 3. The Government was considering extending restrictions on fuel use in the future to sports, the Prime Minister (Mr Kirk) said tonight. “It may be we will have to look at some competitive sports,” he said at a press conference.

Motor-sport had been specifically mentioned, he said, but anything that caused a great concentration of people at sports events might need a shut-down.

N'AC. and Air New Zealand had been asked to give some indication of what savings they could make, the Prime Minister said. The Government was taking the view that the airlines were in a better position than the Government to assess needs.

Asked about restrictions in the Armed Services, Mr Kirk said this was one Government area that had been ahead of the 5 per cent savings target set last week. Defence savings were probably the greatest of any department, he said. The new restrictions announced tonight would make considerable problems for the Railways, but the Government saw no need to change its pledge to hold rai 1-fares and freight charges

for three years. Freights were a considerable component in costs. New Zealand’s aim in the energy field was to become, to the greatest extent possible, self-sufficient, the Prime Minister said. To this end coal production would have to increase substantially, and the Departments of Trade and Industry and Mines were studying this matter. But one thing was certain. The “change-back” to coal by those industries at present using oil would be a permanent change. It might be necessary in some cases for the Government to assist industries changing to coal, Mr Kirk said.