Manufacturer lashes out at politicians

Press, 24 June 1978, Page 6

Manufacturer lashes out at politicians

A call for politicians toput aside politics, and come! up with sound policies for the development of the South Island was made by the pre--sident of the Canterbury! Manufacturers’ Association 1 (Mr D. G. Sanders) in a, statement yesterday. "Many South Island members of Parliament do noti seem to-realise that this ter-! ritory is heading into a depression of a magnitude likely to equal. that of the 19305,” he said. "The time for beating about the bush has gone. Thej time to ‘speak up’ in the in-i terests of the South Island,; and accordingly of New Zealand. has arrived. “Politicians must forget; about fighting an election on) narrow political lines and lift; their sights above the battlei for marginal seats. For the! sober truth is that the whole; industrial and economic!

future of the South Island is.] ! marginal.” u Mr Sanders said the appa-; 11 rent ignorance by members! • I of Parliament about the pre-j I sent and potential situation! ; 1 was disquieting. j “I am the last person to; (indulge in loose talk in this!, subject. Unhappily, the facts - (support me to the hilt,” he|! !said. I “Coping — or trying to I, cope — with the worst re-1 j cession in their experience,[ companies are extremely j cautious about prospcts fori I any improvement, and some! i forecast an even greater de-! I cline. . I Mr Sanders said that thej ;state of unemployment in the Christchurch area gave! ireason for concern. “Some! M.P.s think that Auckland isj (New Zealand’s ‘disaster area’ (when it comes to a high rate! I of unemployment. ! ! “In fact, Auckland has 3.43 [

per cent of its work-force unemployed or on special I work,” he said. “It is a pity M.P.s did not (realise that there are four ’areas far worse off in the South Island — Blenheim at 14.76 per cent, Christchurch [at 4.15 per cent, Nelson at [3.75 per cent, and Greymouth iat 3.52 per cent. “Thev need to get away [from Parliament, where in I the Wellington-Lower Hutt [area the figure is only 1.78 [per cent, and see that in [many areas these problems [could be overcome by realistic energy and transport I regional development polijcies.” Mr Sanders said. .( “Even in retail sales for the [last three months of 1977, [Auckland had a 4 per cent growth. Wellington a 4.2 per -[cent growth —- and Christichurch a decline of 3.2 per [cent,” he said.

“Those statistics speak for themselves. They demonstrate more.than anything else the extreme urgency of restoring confidence to the people of the South Island by making it possible for our factories to compete on an equitable basis, especially with those further north.