Clyde dam

Press, 30 June 1982, Page 20

Clyde dam

Sir. — "Today’s question is simply whether the building of this dam should go ahead, whether a different scheme should be adopted," you argue in your editorial article. On the contrary, since the Government stated its . intention to override the High Court, the central issue has been, as Mike Minogue, clearly puts it, "whether the law and the judiciary will continue to stand as a protective shield between the citizens and an increasingly all-powerful State.” This is the question that should exercise Parliament and not that of a choice between dams. On completion of the Upper Waitaki, surplus South Island power will be about 2000GWh/year, of which the third potline, at Tiwai Point will take 1500. Clyde, Luggate and Queensberry will add another 3225 GWh/year. What private company could mismanage such a colossal over-production without going bankrupt? Building hydro-electric stations for political reasons father than for reasons of demand makes a mockery of the growth strategy and simply fuels inflation. —’ Yours, etc., ERIC BENNETT. . June 27, 1982.