THE PRESS TUESDAY, JUNE 29, 1982. W.E.A. needs exemption

Press, 29 June 1982, Page 16

THE PRESS TUESDAY, JUNE 29, 1982. W.E.A. needs exemption

The need for an organisation such as the Workers' Educational Association appears to have increased rather than diminished since its formation in 1915. Although its services are complemented, and even duplicated to some extent by other programmes, such as that for adult education through schools, enrolments with the W.E.A. continue to increase. More than 4000 enrolments were registered by the W.E.A. in Christchurch last year for the 206 courses offered. The association was set up as a voluntary body to provide a means for selfimprovement through learning. Over the years a degree of subsidy has taken place through grants from the Government and other organisations. The loss of the Government's grant, announced last week as a cost-cutting measure by the Minister of Education, Mr Wellington, will be a hardship, but not a disaster.

The W.E.A. in Christchurch is confident that it can continue without the grant, just as it did during the Depression of the 19305, although its range of courses may have to be reduced. The associated withdrawal of the Government-paid salary of a director ($26,000 a year) may also force a reduction in the association’s activities. Nevertheless,

Trans-Atlantic strains

The argument about the Soviet gas pipeline to bring gas from Siberia to Western Europe may become one of the most bitter conflicts between the United States and Europe. Earlier this month President Reagan banned sales to the Soviet Union of technology for the pipeline by European firms which held licences for American technology. European governments and firms had believed that if they did not extend export credits to the Soviet Union for the pipeline construction there would be no restriction on supply. They appear to have received an assurance on that point from Mr Alexander Haig, who resigned as Secretary of State over the week-end. The pipeline issue, more than any other, may have been the immediate cause of his resignation.

■ The pipeline is to deliver gas from Urengoi in West Siberia to the Chechoslovak border with West Germany and Austria. From there the gas, which is almost sulphur free, will be pumped into the integrated gas grid of continental Western Europe. The supply contract which, is for at least 20 years was signed towards the end of last year. The Soviet Union already . supplies some gas to Western Europe. The additional quantities amount to at least 40 billion cubic metres for the 20 years. The new pipeline system will be at least 5000 kilometres long and will pass through a permafrost area of about 800 kilometres through the Ural mountains, through, long stretches of dense forest and over about 700 rivers. The construction has been estimated to cost SUSIS billion. The whole deal has been called “the deal of the century.” The Europeans have a great deal to lose in being denied the chance to tender for construction contracts if the technology they are using is held under an American

the number of enrolments, and the willingness of tutors to give their time — many tutors return their fees to the association — suggest that the association has a worth-while rule. The association is determined to continue to play that role to the best of its ability. What the association finds objectionable is that it will be further hampered by the freeze on charges. The result has been a pincer movement, attacking the economic well-being of the association on two fronts. The fees charged by the W.E.A. are not high: in. some instances there are no fees. For an average course of 10 two-hour sessions the charge is regularly as low as $2 a session, including materials. Other courses, depending on their nature and the relative ability of students to pay, range up to $lB a session. The association now has to argue a special case for exemption from the freeze on charges, on the grounds of hardship. Very small increases in its fees would allow the W.E.A. to make good much of the loss of the Government grant. To withhold an exemption and place the association in a position of double jeopardy — its grant withdrawn and its fees frozen— would be unreasonable and unfair.

licence. The American firms of Caterpillar Tractor and the General Electric Company have already been hit by the American Administration’s ban. The Caterpillar Company lost a $9O million order for pipelaying equipipent and General Electric a $175 million! order for turbine rotors. Doubtless neither firm liked losing the contract, but at least they are American firms subject to American law. President Reagan’s ban on , European firms manufacturing under American licence raises the whole question of sovereignty. European governments will doubtless have to face considerable pressure from European • firms to stand up to the Americans on the issue.

The Reagan Administration's opposed to the Soviet gas pipeline to Western Europe on several grounds.. It wants to punish the Soviet Union for the imposition of martial law in Poland, believing that the Polish authorities imposed it under Soviet pressure. The Administration also believes that the delivery .of sophisticated equipment will strengthen the Soviet Union’s economic and strategic position. It also considers that the contracts will make Western Europe more dependent on a potential enemy and that Europe’s determination to resist the Soviet Union, should the occasion demand it, would be weakened by a Soviet threat to cut the supply of gas. The differing attitudes of the United States and Western Europe towards the Soviet Union lie at the very heart of American-European tension. The pipeline issue may bring about an open split. The two-day summit meeting in Brussels of European Ecomomic Community countries has begun and will undoubtedly have European-American relations at the top of the agenda.