Minister rejects appeal

Press, 10 June 1978, Page 5

Minister rejects appeal

PA Wellington The Minister of Transport 1 ■j(Mr McLachlan), has re-.i ,'jected an appeal by the Wel-I< Hington Harbour Board ; against a Ports Authority ’. decision to allow the Tara- < naki Harbours Board to : develop facilities to service < cellular container ships that < have their own cranes. 1

Mr McLachlan said that as the appeal authority he had decided to decline the appeal after carefully studying many submissions to himself and to the Ports Authority. “Under the New Zealand Ports Authority Act, 1968, the only ground for a successful appeal against a Ports Authority decision would be that the decision was not in the national interest,” he said. Mr McLachlan said the Taranaki Harbours proposal

was restricted to providing facilities to service only I those cellular container vessels that had their own cranes. “I emphasise that Port Taranaki will not become a container port as a consequence of my decision, and that this decision clearly does not represent a departure from the National Ports

Plan but rather builds on it,” the Minister said. “In considering the appeal, 1 was mindful of the arguments presented by various parties, indicating that there would be savings to New Zealand exporters if the facilities were provided at Port Taranaki. “It is imperative that as a nation we do all we can to assist in making our exports competitive. I consider the provision of these facilities will be of assistance in achieving this,” he said.