South Island Movement

Press, 18 April 1980, Page 12

South Island Movement

Sir, — The South Island handicaps listed by Mrs A. J. Flanagan (April 16) are sound; her remedy is not. Federal systems are often unfair. Tasmania and Queensland find the more powerful states hinder their development. In the recent Canadian election, Mr Trudeau won a landslide victory in the east but only two out of 80 seats in the west. A quicker way to get justice would be to vote Social Credit, pledged to regional development. The. biggest shareholder in the company researching the possibility of getting a new woollen industry in Kaiapoi, where there are already people with the necessary skills, is the Social Crediter who stood for Sydenham several times. He has put his money where his mouth is. What "about charging for electricity according to latitude? It works in Norway and the Minister of Energy should be told so. Those in the north do not have to shiver or be unable to compete with the warmer south. — Yours, etc., A. M. COATES. April 16, 1980. Sir, — There are at the moment before the Parliamentary Select Committee reviewing the 1956 Electoral Act, proposals to change the electoral method of voting in New Zealand to one of proportional representation using the single transferable vote method. This allows every eligible voter in New Zealand to be represented not only in Parliament but in government. Such a multi-representative government demands co-operation, compromise and common sense. This long avoided electoral change to our method of voting provides everyone with the opportunity to be fairly represented in government. All New Zealanders would be better employed leaning on their members of Parliament to get the above measures passed rather than confusing the issue by advocating particular separatist points of view that can only worsen the fragmentary state of the country. — Yours, etc., L. J. ROBINSON. April 16, 1980.