Interest in people foremost

Press, 12 November 1981, Page 12

Interest in people foremost

MRS

L. R. SIMMONS

The Social Credit candidate for Timaru Mrs Lynley Simmons carries a banner proclaiming an interest in what makes people “tick," concern for the surroundings in which they live, and a burning desire to be more than just an armchair critic. She says her philosophy is simple: she is “impelled" to do something, not just sit back bemoaning the direction in which the country is heading. Mrs Simmons' association with Social Credit started this year. On the national scene, Mrs Simmons diagnoses certain ailments — unemployment, inflation, taxation, foreign involvement, destruction of democracy, a breakdown of family life and the consequent disorientation of youth — as “a direct result of inept and disastrous policies pursued by a government controlled by vested interest” — as evidenced by the present state of the country. “Pathetic” attempts to alleviate such difficulties have only served to aggravate the situation, she says. Locally, Unemployment, with its associated social maladies, and the plight of South Canterbury’s business-

men. demand immediate attention. “I can offer the people of Timaru a sensitive and enthusiastic approach to our problems combined with honesty and straight talking,” Mrs Simmons says. “I believe Social Credit has sensible, workable policies, designed at achieving economic stability. Small businesses will receive encouragement and stimulation resulting in market confidence and. ultimately, full employment." Rather than “Think Big," Social Credit preferred to “Think Growth” and “Think New Zealand” by expanding what it had proved it was successful at — farming. Social Credit would increase and diversify the country’s farm and horticulture production — an area where thousands more jobs could be provided at a frac-

tion of the cost of the National Party’s energy plan, and where markets aplenty were assured under Social Credit’s bilateral-type trading policy. Mrs Simmons, aged 28, became the first District Commissioner of Apprenticeship for South Canterbury in 1979. She was born at Palmerston and attended Timaru Girls’ High School, and is now studying philosophy through Massey University.

She is every a step a fighter, as was shown when, as a member of “Campaign Power Poll,” she opposed the siting of a second smelter. A member of a Refugee g Resettlement Committee, she likes music and sang in the St Mary’s Anglican Church choir for 10 years. She spins, is a keen reader, horsewoman, and cooks Continen-tal-type dishes. Her husband. Mr C. H. Simmons, is senior inspector of factories. Mrs Simmons has run the gamut of work within the Labour Department, even to the extent of passing the factory inspectors’ entrance examination. She professes no interest in compromise. “I am young enough to have to ‘get-up-and-go’ which Timaru needs and experienced enough to be capable,” she says.