Party move at board fails

Press, 19 August 1981, Page 6

Party move at board fails

A Citizens' Association bid failed to reverse a Christchurch Drainage Board decision condemning the Government for refusing extra drainage subsidies while, spending more than $2 million on police protection for the Springbok tour..

Two Citizens’ members of the board sided with Labour members, so that a motion to withdraw the statement was defeated by nine votes to six at the board meeting yesterday. Both the board’s deputy chairman, Mr C. H. Russell, and Mr Newton Dodge supported the original notice of motion pushed through by a temporary Labour majority. Debate on the issue was

heated. Mr J. F. Davidson said that the .Government had ignored a board deputation last February asking for the declaration of a special subsidy area in Christchurch. He objected to millions of dollars spent on the Springbok tour when city areas were “littered" with leaking sewers.

Another board member, Mr H. W. Thompson, argued that the statement was playing party politics. Y “Drainage has nothing to do with rugby football,”’ he said. The board had earned a curt suggestion from the Associate Minister of Finance (Mr Cooper) that it concentrate on its own affairs.

Mr M. R. Carter described the statement as a typical case of climbing on the bandwaggon of the Springbok tour. .