MR E. S. F. HOLLAND ‘Local issues appear again’

Press, 6 November 1978, Page 24

MR E. S. F. HOLLAND ‘Local issues appear again’

The election will be fought on four points: credibility, leadership, performance, and policies, according to the National candidate for Fendalton, Mr E. S. F. Holland.

“People will judge the parties on these points, and I think we can stand pretty well on all of them,” savs Mr Holland.

Aged 57, Mr Holland is Minister of Housing and Minister in Charge of the Public Trust Office, and has been member of Parliament, for the Riccarton electorate since 1967.

Boundary changes have altered the Ricarton electorate, now known as Fendalton, but' Mr Holland feels- the changes have not affected his support in the electorate. If anything, they have improved his support on a booth-by-booth count, he savs.

As far as Fendalton is

concerned, he does not see any particular local issues. Ihe Merivale Mall is not strictly a local issue, but a

Although the Government Life Office is involved in the building of the mall extensions, Mr Holland believes there should still be no political decision involved.

The real issues are of a general nature, such as the South Island, energy, and transport. “They’re not all new issues; they seem to come up every three years,” says Mr Holland.

Pressure has been applied for a consistent price for liquefied petroleum gas.

says Mr Holland, and it is in areas like this that he believes Government mem bers have an oportunity to press for policies that Opposition members do not have.

But more important than energy is the transport issue. Mr Holland believes the “iron-bridge” concept is .not rhe answer to the South Island’s problems.

“Maybe it’s the answer for Canterbury, but you must take a wider view than that.” Mr Holland's "wider view”- includes upgrading the Christchurch-Picton

rail-line, which he says, was not built to take the loads that it carries now. A Cabinet member in 1972. and again since 1975, .Mr Holland does not feel he has left his electorate un tended. In fact, he regards it as a compliment: to the

electorate to have a Minister as its member and believes he can achieve more for the electorate beof his Cabinet position. Houses are more readily available than they were two or three years ago, he says, and there is no shortage of mortgage money at reasonable rates of interest (“considering the inflationary times we live in”) for prospective home owners. The State-house waiting list is down to such tiures that anyone who had a very urgent need for housing would be housed within two or three months in Christchurch. says Mr Holland. “The important thing, however, is that 1 approach this election with what I think is a good record and a good relationship with my electorate. Most of all, though, T am a member of a team.” says Mr Holland.