Advts bring hint of cut

Press, 23 September 1980, Page 6

Advts bring hint of cut

PA Wellington The Minister of Energy (Mr Birch) has criticised an acclimatisation societies’ advertising campaign opposing a second aluminium smelter in the South Island. He says he is keen to look at the level of Government funding of the societies. Mr Birch, who had just returned from , Europe, said.' the societies’ advertisement, carried in some newspapers, was more damaging, to the societies than to himself; in some ways. ’ '•* ? “They have never approached me to discuss the second smelter and that is hardly the way a responsible group works.” he said. The advertisement is headlined by a statement proclaiming: “To buy his smelter will we have to sell our country?” and suggests that among other things, the smelter will

lower the standard of living, damage scenic rivers, and bring nuclear power a step closer. Mr Birch said that much of what was contained in the advertisement was extreme and had no foundation. Groups protesting about the smelter tended to see it from their own narrow perspective but the Government’s responsibility was to see that the broad community interest was well served, .Mr Birch said. , '. . - ?*: The Government must provide jobs, and ' maintain the country’s, viability. In spite of farming and manufacturing , developments, New Zealand still had an increasing bal-ance-of-payments deficit, he said. Energy-related developments would save New Zealand $BOO million a year and- were the key to overcoming inflation and employment problems.