Rangiora: nuclear free?

Press, 4 March 1982, Page 3

Rangiora: nuclear free?

Rangiora might be declared a nuclear weapon free zone by the borough council, in a symbolic anti-nuclear gesture. The move would follow the lead of Auckland’s Devonport Borough Council and many similar authorities oveseas. The borough could be declared nuclear free or nuclear weapons free, said Cr C. G. Hayward when he raised the two options at this week’s town planning and bylaws committee meeting.

“While it is unlikely to be nuclear here, as a moral stand on the issue we should declare this borough a nuclear free zone,” he said. Cr J. A. Sparkes said the issue was one of personal opinion and it would be “facetious” of the council to make a declaration.“Nuclear weapons are here to stay and they are a good deterrent,” he said. Cr Sparkes said he would be against a nuclear power station in the area but saw no reason why personnel and

components from nuclear installations should not pass through. Cr G.' E. Koller remarked that the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research had a nuclear reactor at Lower Hutt and although unlikely it was “not beyond the bounds of possibility” that one could be set up locally. “We have nothing in our town planning that protects our citizens from the setting up of a nuclear reactor.” The Mayor (Mrs D. M.

Harris) said the council should not make a rush decision on the issue and, with Crs Sparkes and S. A. Boyce, she voted against Cr Hayward’s motion, for a nuclear weapons free zone. However, the motion was carried 4-3 when the committee chairman (Cr D. J. Williams) added his vote to those of Crs Hayward, Koller and D. A. Franklin. The committee’s recom-’ mendation will go before the full council meeting at the end of the month.