Nuclear free zone declaration likely for Heathcote

Press, 13 April 1984, Page 7

Nuclear free zone declaration likely for Heathcote

Residents of Heathcote County may soon be living in a nuclear weapon-free zone.

Councillors at last evening’s finance and administration committee meeting recommended that the council declare the county a nuclear weapon-free zone. If approved Heathcote would become the seventy-ninth such zone in New Zealand. Before making their decision, councillors listened to a peace proponent, Mr W. R. Rosenberg, give practical and symbolic reasons in support of a declaration. Mr Stuart McMillan, a writer on international affairs with “The Press,” outlined what attempts had been made internationally to control nuclear arms.

The County Chairman, Mr 0. T. Alpers, said that the council had no power under the Local Bodies Act to prevent the movement of armed forces within the county. He said that the declaration of the county as a nuclear weapon-free zone would be “an empty but symbolic act.” He asked Mr Rosenberg if a more constructive step could be taken.

Mr Rosenberg said that the declaration would add weight to the symbolic gesture so far made by 78 local authorities in New Zealand.

Cr M. J. Taylor said that she did not think it was appropriate for the council to declare itself nuclear

weapon-free until the Government adopted such a policy.

She recommended that the council should write to the Prime Minister, Sir Robert Muldoon, to express its concern about the spread of nuclear weapons, and the futility of increased spending on this form of destruction, and a request that active negotiations be made against nuclear weapons. The recommendation was defeated. Cr J. G. Laurenson said that the deterrent effect of the council declaring a nuclear weapon-free zone was symbolic of the concern of the council and its residents. He recommended that the council declare the county a nuclear weapon-free zone. Civil Defence authorities should be consulted to ensure that they were able to instruct citizens of the consequences of nuclear war, accidents, fall-out, and dumping of wastes, he said. The Government should also be urged to pursue an active peace-making policy, and to urge the nuclear powers to seriously begin nuclear disarmament. The motion was passed by the committee with one voice against it. Music funds The Christchurch Symphony Orchestra may be in for a bigger grant than usual from Heathcote

County. Committee members recommended that the council provide $l5OO as a grant in its 1984-85 estimates. Mr Alpers, who made the recommendation, said that the orchestra was needed for the development of musicians. The orchestra’s board has launched a five-year-plan which includes fundraising activities. Financial assistance from local bodies is also required for it to pursue its activities. The board has requested $50,000 from local bodies. The council’s proposed grant would amount to 3 per cent of the combined councils’ grant. The committee’s chairman, Cr T. P. Wills, said that the council should not look at the matter “through fogged lenses.” The council had had financial requests from a lot of worthy organisations such as the Canterbury Museum and the Ferrymead Historic Trust. Last year the council’s grant to the orchestra of $lOOO had been 100 per cent more than in the previous year, and the proposed grant was another big increase. “We have got to look at the majority’s wants and needs,” said Mr Wills. “I think we have looked after this minority group pretty well over the years.” Library service Councillors have requested more details on the intention of the National Library to cut its extension service to the Heathcote Valley Library. The Heathcote library has been told that because of its proximity to city libraries it no longer qualified for the service. The matter wil be discussed at the library’s annual meeting in mid-May. Mr Alpers said that the council should see if it could retain the extension service ■or adopt an alternative which would not make the council buy “stacks of books.”