Councillors irate

Press, 21 August 1979, Page 6

Councillors irate

the remarks of a retiring I Ministry of Transport official ha.-> again demonstrated “a negative and stubborn approach" by the Government to * South Island tourism needs, says a Christchurch' councillor. Cr Mollie Clark said last! evening that comments attri-j buftd to Mr Fraser Norton.’ retiring chief controller of t thee Civil Aviation Division, I amounted to a “true confes-| sion” that the Government j had "looted after Auckland! from the start. ” Mr Norton was reported as paying that Christchurch wo«!d never attract tourists onja large scale. Sir Robert Macfarlane said! th» comments explained’ sotjje of the frustrations the | council had faced in getting: better airport facilities and| airfine services. 1 ‘M think we ought to make I a $t of a row out of this,” he-said Through .-the years, it had been obvious there was “sAneone lurking ' in the baikg round." •the chairman of the coun cilia public utilities committetri Cr M. R. Carter) said it)

iwas “a sad indictment” that Government officers could speak that way. Mr Norton was condemning the entire South Island tourist industry. “It really put into sharp I focus some of the thoughts a | lot of us have had for quite ia while,” the Mayor (Mr H.' G. Hay) said of the report. I “If that is the attitude, it I is no wonder Christchurch is

finding it difficult to get access to direct flights," he said. “Let’s take the gloves off on this statement.” The attitude also prompted the council to make another plea for a longer runway to attract more international flights. “We should press that with the utmost vigour,” Mr Hay said.