Mr Rowling backs ‘iron bridge’ scheme

Press, 19 August 1978, Page 1

Mr Rowling backs ‘iron bridge’ scheme

The South Island had been “cut adrift,” because the National Government had not bothered to search out a ship for the run from Lyttelton to Wellington, said the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Rowling) in Rangiora last evening.

Mr Rowling pledged to restore the ferry service, and also to accept the "iron bridge” concept sought by Canterbury manufacturers for a single freights rate structure from Lyttelton to Auckland. A Labour government would also emplov regional transnort incer h es and would shift Government departments and agencies from Wellington. Mr Rowling w"s speaking at the onening of the Labour campaign i- Rangiora. The -.udience of 300 gave h>m nd Mrs Whetu Tirakatene-Sullivan. member for Sout! *rn Maori, a standing ovation. Labour’s candidate for Rangiora, Mr D. S. McKenzie, urged South Island manufacturers to stand with the Labour Party and fight. Manufacturers had a commitment and an obligation to the South Island to help return it tc prosperity, he said. If something was not done soon the South Island would wither; it would become a nursery for New Zealand, said Mr Rowling. Mr Rowling said many factories in Christchurch had closed their doors in the space of eight weeks,

according to Government statistics. “Is it right that industry should be wiped out or factories closed because of the system?” he said. “Rationalisation” was an accountants word, he said. They say it suves money. It may do, I’m not sure. I know it destroys families, closes factories, cuts bus runs, and -loses schools. It drives children away from home -nd puts small communities >n the scrapheap. The Labour Party was totally committed to a regional development progiamme, said Mr Rowling. It would put “its money where its mouth is.” On law and order, Mr Rowling said, it had been proved that the best protection against a breakdown was fear of detection. The blitz on drinking drivers had shown this; it had brought people back to some sanity. “The best protection to crime is the policeman on the beat, and we will have many more of these,” he said. However, people could not expect to get an efficient police force by boosting the manpower on the cheap. The public would have to go without something else.

Mr Rowling promised every worker a decent living wage, every young person job opportunity, job security, and he promised progress in industrial relations. There was a need to maintain a strong trade union movement and to develop a sensible industrial law, that could be understood and negotiated properly, he said. He was critical of unemployment, particularly in the Canterbury area. “The Labour Party is dedicated to getting the country on the move and to making it a place of opportunity where young people want to stay and work,” said Mr Rowling. Mr Rowling will be in Christchurch again today. After explaining the Labour Party’s policy on women at a champagne breakfast, organised by the Labour Women’s Council, he will tour the Industries Fair. He will leave for Nelson this afternoon after lunch with the president of the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Federation (Mr I. D., Howell). 1 Mr Rowling has been in Christchurch for the last two days, supporting local Labour Party candidates.