South. Island Movement

Press, 9 May 1980, Page 12

South. Island Movement

Sir, — The smug, omniscient tone of your leader on the South Island Movement (April 29) was typical. You say federalism is unnecessary "but not why. If our present system were satisfactory I might be prepared to accept your opinion. But our existing system is far from satisfactory, has been, growing worse, and shows . no sign that it will improve. You also say that the- population, of the,South Island-is too small to. justify self-goy-ernment. I disagree. Please tell us the minimum allowable number and then explain how there are other places with populations smaller than ours that operate successfully, independently or within a federal system. Self-government for the South Island is economically possible, and socially, culturally and environmentally imperative. Can vou demonstrate that it is otherwise? It is entirely reasonable to claim and demand that those who choose to .live in the South island have a right to decide what is done here, by whom, why and when. — Yours, etc., BRIAN TURNER, Dunedin. May 4, 1980.

[Our correspondent's assertions of what our article said and did not say suggest that he has given the article a very scant reading. Even so, we hardly expected that enthusiasts for fragmentation or isolation as solutions for South Island problems would find any merit in arguments in favour of a, unified country.—Editor.]