L.P.G. hearing delayed

Press, 17 November 1981, Page 6

L.P.G. hearing delayed

An application by the Lyttelton Borough Council to have a hearing relating to the storage and reticulation of liquefied petroleum gas transferred from Wellington to Christchurch has been adjourned by a Wellington judge.

In a letter to the council, its solicitors said that it had done all that it could to have the case heard urgently and that it should now await developments. The council is taking the Minister of Energy (Mr Birch) to court because it disagrees with his interpretation of the Petroleum Amendment Act, which was introduced late last year. The council is also dissatisfied with the terms of reference of the Commission of Inquiry which will consider the proposed LytteltonWoolston L.P.G. pipeline.

The chairman of the council’s finance committee, CrM. Cretney, said, “This letter

concerns me. This could cost the council $3OOO to $4OOO. We outlined a very good case to have the hearing transferred. It has cost us money to have representatives up there (in Wellington) and now we will have to go through it all again.” The Mayor, Mr M. E. Foster, said, “It is a concern but we would not want to give the impression that the -council would challenge the judgment, although it is likely to cost the council."

The council’s solicitors said that the judge had indicated that the application to transfer the hearing could be brought forward when the Minister of Energy made a decision on the Liquigas application to establish the underground gas pipeline from Lyttelton to Woolston.

The council discussed a report from its L.P.G. subcommittee and another about an L.P.G berth at Quail Island in committee.