Rangatira supporters have to fly

Press, 27 July 1976, Page 6

Rangatira supporters have to fly

PA Wellington.;! A group of South Island I businessmen, city councillors I and local authority members | were among passengers I booked on tonight’s sailing of | the Rangatira. which has I been cancelled by industrial I action. They were making the tripj’ to Wellington to give evi-li dence tomorrow before Par-• ; liament’s oetitions committee!) seeking the retention of all passenger service on then Lyttelton-Wellington run. || The irony of the stoppage]) is that these men will nowji have to fly to Wellington toll present evidence which if ac- |l cepted bv the committee | could lead to more jobs for]| seamen. ! The president of the Can-ll terbury Progress League, Mr 1 D. S. McKenzie, of Ashbur-ll ton, said yesterday that this] was the second time he had: to fly to Wellington, instead of travelling by the Rangatira, on business connected' with the service. “I could say I’m fed up] with cooks and stewards,] watersiders and seamen generally.” Mr McKenzie said. “But I believe both these I instances highlight why the; service is not getting the pat-1 ronage it deserves. “The service is not regular! enough when one has a day’s: business in Wellington. “I can sympathise with! those who want to see the ] service scrapped because of industrial troubles. “But the Government is itrying to remove the cause 'when dealing with these troubles, and that’s too big! a price for the South Island] ito pay.”