Assistance for Canterbury?

Press, 26 November 1981, Page 6

Assistance for Canterbury?

Canterbury should become a regional development area and therefore be able to reap the benefits of Government incentives, according to the director of the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association, Mr I. D. Howell. Canterbury and Nelson are the only two areas in the South Island not designated regional development areas. By being a regional development area, 30 per cent of a building and plant for' processing and manufacturing can be advanced under a suspensory loan, which is written off after five years, Industry relocation grants of up to 50 per. cent of the cost of relocation) in a regional developmentarea are available. There is also financial assistance for staff training, funds for transfer of key employees; a grant of up to $lO,OOO towards investigating a new project, and regional investment allowances of 20 per, cent as well as other incentives under the scheme. .(•, , . regional development areas, so close to our own industries, offer considerable advantages for development,” Mr Howell said, when addressing the Canterbury Promotion Council last evening.

Mr Howell was a member of a panel of . four discussing the requirements for growth in Canterbury, plus the barriers to it.""

‘ ? Dr,, A-, T.. G... McArthur, reader in agricultural economics at Lincoln College, believes the Government is not very keen on irrigation because of the high percentage return on investment expected before the project is considered. “Great advantages can be gained through irrigation and Canterbury must bring political pressure to bear so that irrigation can be promoted," he said. Mr J. M. T. Greene, president of . the .Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, said that an increase in irrigation would create a great number of jobs “downstream.”.;-. Mr Frank Dickson, general manager of. the Canterbury.; Savings Bank, said he was astounded at the extent to which people who succeed were “knocked." “Canterbury, people must, get up and- ‘have a go,” Mr Dickson said.; “Too many are saying, ‘What if it doesn't work?’ or ‘What about the risk?’ rather than going "ahead and .attempting to (do something,” he said. A Mr Howell . believed there should be fhr, greater Government assistance towards easing transport problems from South? to North, the South being, an area where over the last five years there had been a.T7 per, cent drop in cargo V going ; North, “mainly because of "increasing freight costs."