Second smelter

Press, 28 November 1980, Page 12

Second smelter

Sir, —lf those with reservations regarding the desirability or otherwise of a second aluminium smelter in South Canterbury (Fiona Elworthy, Noyember), have viewed the "Close Up” programme (November 23) revealing the extent to which all New Zealand rivers are in danger of being harnessed to provide the enormous amount of electricity required to operate a smelter, they must surely be convinced of the despoliation and desecration that will devastate not only the smelter site but vast tracts of land with tourist and localised potential for fishing or just as scenic beauty spots. Do we want our country to become a series of Twizel town remains similar to tailings left after gold has been extracted? It was pathetic to see a fisherman hooking a large fish in the remains of the original river (now mostly dry shingle full of fz»h eggs) and transferring the hooked fish to the manmade barren river created by the diversion. Even the dubious prospect of any benefit from a smelter is cancelled out. — Yours, etc., L. E. REID, November 24, 1980.