L.P.G. contribution considered

Press, 12 October 1982, Page 1

L.P.G. contribution considered

The Christchurch City Council may contribute $2OOO towards the Lyttelton Borough Council’s legal costs in the long-running liquefiedpetroleum gas Commission of Inquiry. The policy and finance committee said yesterday that a “lenient view" of local body legislation should be taken to allow that financial assistance. The future growth of Canterbury partly depended on L.P.G. supplies, said Cr Rex Lester, and it was essential to get it to the province efficiently and safely.

Sir Terence McCombs said that Lyttelton had the only solicitor at the hearing capable of representing the local body point of view. Although' the Canterbury United Council voted against making a $5OOO contribution to the Lyttelton Borough Council, it recommended that constituent local bodies should consider the request for help. Cr Helen Garrett said she had "definite reservations" about the council taking such responsibility for the costs of another local body. “It seems to me the prin-

ciple and precedent are not desirable," she said. It was “fairly obvious” that the council had no authority to make such a payment. A solicitor's. opinion was that a lenient view of local body legislation could allow the council to help the borough by saying that Lyttelton’s representation before the Commission of Inquiry was concerned with public health and well being. The council was authorised to make grants to any group, within or outside its district, ■for the purposes of public health or well being, he said. .