Clyde dam

Press, 30 September 1982, Page 16

Clyde dam

Sir,—Mr Birch’s description of the Clyde,dam power as “an attractive block of electricity” is more suited to a real estate salesman than a Minister of Energy. Appropriate enough, however, because the Minister will have to be an extraordinary Salesman indeed to avoid a loss on. the sale of Clyde electricity, particularly •selling to- an- aluminium smelter -as; he remains determined to do. Neither the smelter nor the Ministry’s, miraculous South Island industrial growth .will eventuate at economic electricity prices, so the high dam is unnecessary. With the passage of the Clutha Development Empowering Bill, . objectors have had taken' away by the Government their only legal means of stopping this irrational energy development. Apparently, decisions of this ■ magnitude are too important to be subject to the .“rule of law” and the courts. National and Social Credit have combined to deal a death blow to whatever democracy remained in this country. — Yours, etc., A. S. WHITE. September 28, 1982.