Ferry talk 'incredible’

Press, 9 August 1980, Page 14

Ferry talk ' incredible’

r Political ambitions are colouring people’s comments on the abandoned idea of resuming the Wellington Lyttelton ferry service, according to the director of the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association, Mr I. D. Howell.

He was responding to criticism of the association by members of the Lyttelton Harbour Board and to other comments bn proppsals to resume the service. -It was incredible that members of the board spent time on the; issue when there was no mention of the need to support the Pacific

-Jorum Line, especially as Government Ministers from New Zealand and other Pacific nations were in Christchurch this week to discuss its future, he saidSouth Island- ; industries had for years fought for the introduction of a direct service from Lyttelton to the South Pacific islands and when its future was being discussed in Christchurch no support was given.- by the board.

Exports to the Pacific islands provided jobs for Canterbury poeple: exports out of Lyttelton to the Pacific exceeded ; :the Pacific

Forum Lines’ exports carried from Auckland and Napier combined.

“From reading ‘The Press’ report of the (Harbour Board) meeting it appears that some board members do not realise that there is already a regular LytteltonWellington freight service which is under-used,” said Mr Howell.

“Surely board members should be working to hold this service rather than to introduce an opposition service.”

Mr Howell said that from a freight point of view, the Manufacturers’ ' Association could see no justification for the introduction of an additional freight service between Lyttelton and Wellington.

However it believed there was justification for the construction by the Government of a link span at Lyttelton which' would enable Cook Strait ferries to be diverted when the PictonChristchqrch railway line was out of commission, Mr Howell said.