Rowling inquiry call

Press, 19 August 1978, Page 6

Rowling inquiry call

The Leader of the Opposition (Mr Rowling) visited the Aulsebrooks factory in Christchurch yesterday and later called for an independent investigation of the company’s viability. Mr Rowling and the member of Parliament for Southern Maori (Mrs Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan) soent an hour inspecting the factory. Asked what Labour would do to help workers at Aulsebrooks if it came to power, Mr Rowling said

the situation seemed to be typical of what was happening elsewhere in New’ Zealand. “T’m desperately concerned about the people at Aulsebrooks but I’m also concerned about many others elsewhere in danger of being tipped out of their jobs.” he said. He found it difficult to accept that the situation had not been brought about by the recession, with its reduction in consumer spending. “One of the reasons

why we’ve produced our tax package is to help purchasing power,” he said. Asked if a Labour government would abolish the 20 per cent confectionery tax, Mr Rowling said that the previous Labour Government had been approached on this but it had not been seen as necessary at the time. Aulsebrooks’ management had made no suggestion yesterday that the tax was a factor in the plant’s present difficulties.