Mr Beetham criticised

Press, 30 August 1982, Page 12

Mr Beetham criticised

PA Wellington A conservationist, Mr Guy Salmon, has criticised Social Credit’s leader. Mr Beetham, for refusing to debate the Clyde high dam issue at Social Credit’s annual conference in Hamilton. Mr Beetham initiated plans for the debate, but called it off, saying that he did not want such a debate to be influenced by pressure from the environmental lobby. , Mr Beetham chastised the lobby for selling its magazine, “Bush Telegraph,” at the league’s conference. /

Mr Salmon, the publication’s editor, said it was "bizarre” that Mr Beetham should use the .distribution of the magazine as an excuse to cancel discussion at the conference of Social Credit’s agreement with the Government on the Clyde dam. One of the important points in an article in the magazine was that Social Credit had agreed to sell Clyde electricity for 1.5 c a unit, even though it cost 6c a unit to produce, Mr Salmon said. “Many Social Credit supporters had been very surprised to learn this,” he said.