Mining pledge from Socred

Press, 10 November 1981, Page 38

Mining pledge from Socred

PA Tauranga Under a Social Credit government mining rights would not be let to foreign interests unless it was to New- Zealand’s advantage, said the leader of the Social Credit League (Mr Beetham). All minerals belonged to the Crown and, in cases of mineral exploitation, royalties should be paid to it, he said. “Although exports of minerals in the raw state might seem attractive, we will retain them for our own use as and when we require them,” he said. Mr Beetham told 300 people in the environmentally sensitive electorate of Hauraki that Social Credit would form a minerals cor-

poration to fund exploration. Development would be done by private companies. Mr Beetham arrived at the meeting at the head of a cavalcade of cars which drove along the main street displaying the distinctive Social Credit green and gold. Hauraki, a National seat with a majority of 2000 over Social Credit, is considered to be Social Credit’s fifthbest chance to gain a seat at the General Election. The issue of mining was very important to the area, said Mr Beetham. Other changes the party would make would be to create a special mines court, and the Mining Act would be subordinate to the conservation code Social Credit had drawn UP-