Heathcote council stand

Press, 1 September 1980, Page 18

Heathcote council stand

Sir, — Bravo for Mr John McKenzie, chairman of the Heathcote County Council. As for Mr Birch’s comments on radio this morning, “Mr McKenzie needs to do his homework”; if all Government Ministers did their homework as well as Mr McKenzie, and were equally as honest this country would have far less humbug. — Yours, etc., J. DYER. August 29, 1980. Sir, — It is good to see that' at least one local authority chairman has the fortitude to oppose the insidious operation of progressively depressing the economy of the South Island. I refer to Mr John McKenzie’s forthright stand against the Minister of Energy - in the interests < of Heathcote County electricity consumers in. general,, and local horticulturalists in particular. As Mr McKenzie pointed out in his recent radio interview, if it is in order for the National Government to negotiate electricity prices for large- overseas conglomerates, why cannot price negotiations be entered into for local industries many of which are perilously close to a bare survival position in keeping ■ their small enterprises viable because of heavily inflated electricity charges. The mumbled responses from Mr Birch to Mr McKenzie’s accusations. were totally unconvincing, except perhaps to Social Credit League supporters and League of Rights members who appear to look upon the South Island as a future source of slave labour. — Yours, etc.,

R. L. PLUCK. August 28, 1980.