Sugar vote to Ashburton

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33964, 3 October 1975, Page 1

Sugar vote to Ashburton

(From Our Own Reporter)

DUNEDIN, October 2.

Ashburton won support for its plans for a s3om sugar beet industry, in spite of opposition on behalf of similar interests at Balclutha, at the South Island Local Bodies Association conference in Dunedin todav.

There have long been plans for a sugar beet industry in South Otago. The sugar beet remit was introduced by the Ashburton Borough and County Councils.

The remit. which was adopted after some discussion, said that the feasibility of producing and harvesting in Mid-Canterbury had been proved beyond doubt.

Mr I. R. Hemitt, of the Balclutha Borough Council, moved an amendment supporting the establishment of a beet industry in the South Island, the site to be determined by an investigation by those putting up the money. It had not been proved that Ashburton was the best site, he said. The factors’ would cost

about S3om. and would need Government finance. His amendment was lost.

The Mayor of Ashburton (Mr D. O. Digby) said Ashburton wanted support now to convince the Government that the scheme was in the national interest bv saving overseas funds and reducing internal freight costs.

The association’s decision was welcomed in Ashburton by the chairman of the Canterbury Sugar Development Company (Mr F. Newton), who said the company had sent submissions to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary’ to the Minister of Trade and Industry (Mr B. O. Macidonell), and it expected to Ibe summoned for a discusision of the proposals in the ; near future.