‘Chatham Isles forgotten’

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33817, 14 April 1975, Page 19

‘Chatham Isles forgotten’

Because of the small voting power, the Chatham islands had become the forgotten islands, the deputy mayor of Christchurch (Mr P. J. Skellerup) said.

The Government was prepare d to waive, issues closer

(to home in favour of creating a “do good” image overseas, he said.

The Government poured millions of dollars into Nuie and the Cook Islands, or into restoring “some ancient pile of rubbish in Indonesia.” In comparison with these expenses. the cost of freight subsidies to the Chatham Islands — about $95,000 a year — was paltry, he said in a statement.

The Chatham Islands were entitled to regular freight and passenger services to and from New Zealand at subsidy rates that allowed them to compete reasonably at New Zealand markets.

“If Mr McGuigan is the friend of the Chatham Islands he claims to be, he will have to do much better than rest on his laurels,” Mr Skellerup said.

“Perhaps free air travel between Wellington and Christchurch as a member of Parliament leads Mr McGuigan to forget that it costs on the average another $4O to $5O to fly from Hapupu in the Chathams to Christchurch.

“Regional development and aid to the Chatham Islands seems to have been overlooked in Wellington and has a very hollow sound. We have a notional railway between Blenheim and Nelson, so why not a subsidised freight link with Waitangi?” Since the cancellation of the Christchurch-Hapupu link, leaving only the Wellington-Chatham ' Islands link, the North Canterbury Hospital Board must be in serious difficulties in maintaining an efficient service to patients in the islands. Mr McGuigan was giving only lip service to his constituents in the Chatham Islands, Mr Skellerup said. His own remarks were made after discussions with the chairman of the county council (Mr A. Preece), members of the county council and local residents, he said.