‘Hurunui finance essential’

Press, 29 March 1979, Page 5

‘Hurunui finance essential’

The North Canterbury ! Electric Power Board I could not continue with : the Hurunui hydro-electric power shceme unless it had the Government’s financial backing, the general manager of the board I (Mr D. W. Harris) has ! said. Mr Harris said that the ■ board was very dis- j appointed about the Gov- i ernment’s decision not to I make any more contin- ' gently repayable grants i available to it. He was commenting on ; two letters received at a I hoard meeting from the ! Hurunui and Amuri ' county councils. The Hurunui County I said it was disappointed ; to learn that the Govern- : ment had declined to give ! the scheme any more i financial support. However, it urged the board to I continue with an appli- j cation for water rights ' and suggested that a meet- j ing should be held with I North Canterbury local authorities, the Minister of Energy (Mr Birch) and the local member of Parliament, the Minister of Housing (Mr Quigley). The Amuri County Council said it regretted the decision by the Government that spelt the end of a scheme that would ■ have been of great value to all North Canterbury. The board decided to , tell the councils that it I could not continue the | scheme without the finan- I cial backing of the Gov- ! ernment.