Ministerial abuse of power alleged

Press, 24 June 1981, Page 2

Ministerial abuse of power alleged

PA- Wellington Coast farmers are faffing the Minister of Energy (Mr Birch) to court for alleged abuse of Ministerial power. • - The West .Coast province of ’Federated Tarniers. with the'Kopara Sawmilling Company and the West Coast Conservation and Develop-' merit Association, filed a : writ in the High Court on June 2, naming Mr Birch as first respondent. The Kanieri Gold Dredging Company and the Grey Cojmty Council are also named in the writ. ’ i • The case concerns changes to ,'jfhe mining licence conditions under which the Kaniert company is working in the’Grey Valley. The applicants claim that Me Birch, as the Government official empowered under the Mining Act, 1971; . to grant mining licences, exceeded his powers on May 15 when he issued a unilateral Memorandum of Amendment, chang-ing-the conditions of two of the. clauses in Kanieri's licence and deleting the provision that Ranieri obtain all approvals required under other legislation. > The changes alljow dredg-

ing by Kanieri to' start, even though the Westland Land Use Committee has yet to determine the ultimate land ■ use. ■■ ", The retiring president of Federated Farmers’ West Coast province, Mr F. Wall, said that by laying down • ( H these conditions without con- •"£ sultation, -Mr Birch had stepped outside the guidelines of even the National Development Act. “Also, local people who ,■ wish to have a say are not • ' getting a decent" hearing. They are being overridden by decisions from the top,” said Mr .Wall. i Regarding the operations of Kanieri: which has already ‘.started dredging work on the . (Grey River. Mr .Wall said | that “numerous problems” had arisen which reinforced the Federated Farmers’call ; for the need for a surveil- .. 1 lance committee to oversee . , and. police the conditions of the company's mining • licences. • “A surveillance committee is absolutely imperative,” he I said. • - , The case will be heard in the High Court at Wellington .on July 1.