Plan to boost funds, roll of S.I.P.A.

Press, 29 April 1978, Page 6

Plan to boost funds, roll of S.I.P.A.

The South Island Promotion Association may engage an additional full-time executive officer to boost financial- subscriptions and membership in the organisation.

Association members yesterday approved in principle the new post, which would mean $20,000 more a year in salary, expenses, and travel costs. Details of the post', and whether it is viable, will be worked out later.

A member, at the association’s annual conference in Christchurch, pointed out that a promotions officer would have to bring in more money than the annual cost or the post would not be worth while. The association’s chairman (Sir John McAlpine) said that a membershp drive would have to be a top priority this year. There was also concern about less interest being shown by legislators in S.I.P.A.’s activities. Membership had remained “almost static” during the last year, said the finance committee’s chairman (Mr M. F. Hunter). “We can make every effort to help ourselves, I believe, or we can go backwards,” he said. One member said that the days were gone when membership could be maintained by volunteers. In his opening address, the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr H. G. Hay) said that the association might consider a future merger with the South Island Local Bodies’ Association. It might be that a “com-

bined organisation would be more effective and this could be welcomed by some of the local authorities who, at the moment, are financially supporting both.” Two big. concerns of the conference were energy and railways. Members asked the Government for a “clear statement” of its policy on future energy supplies to the South Island, particularly the supply of natural gas and liquid-petroleum products. They also wanted an assurance that such products would be available at uniform and equitable prices throughout New Zealand. The Government was also asked to improve rail passenger services. “We all know' the service is absolutely dead beat,” said Mrs Mollie Clark. She

suggested that any savings from the Air New ZealandN.A.C. merger could be directed to the Railways.

‘The poor Railways are absolutely . . . well, they are beyond sick. They are on their last wheels,” she said. Mr M. A. Connelly, the member of Parliament for Wigram, said that energy and transportation were “part and parcel of the same problem.” S.I.P.A. was in a better financial position at the end of December than during the previous year, which lasted 15 months, because the association adopted a new financial year. Accumulated funds totalled $25,000. A promotionalfund surplus of $2165 brought that fund to $14,637. About $9OOO was still in arrears in membership fees.