Aramoana smelter scheme rejected

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33693, 16 November 1974, Page 3

Aramoana smelter scheme rejected

(New Zealand Press Association') DUNEDIN, November 15. The Government has rejected a proposal to build an aluminium smelter at Aramoana Head, near Dunedin.

The news came in a brief announcement by the Minister of Trade and Industry (Mr Freer.)

He eaid that the Government had decided to reject the proposal from Otago Metal Industries, Ltd. Mr Freer emphasised that the proposal had been rejected only after a careful examination of all the relevant factors involved.

“In particular, the Government has decided that at a time when New Zealand is anxious to conserve its energy resources it could not support an energy-in-tensive industry dependent upon imported raw. materials. “Recent events have brought home to us all the fact that we cannot expect large quantities of energy always to be available. “Accordingly, it is necessary to determine the optimum uses for the resources which we do possess,” said Mr Freer. “A proposal which uses imported raw materials — with the end product predominantly allocated for export — means that _we would simply be exporting resources at a very low price. These must be reserved for the country’s economic and social requirements.”