Akaroa votes to be nuclear-weapons-free

Press, 30 April 1984, Page 6

Akaroa votes to be nuclear-weapons-free

Akaroa has become a nuclear-weapons-free zone after a decision made by the Akaroa County Council at its monthly meeting. Eleven members of the Banks Peninsula Group for Nuclear Disarmament attended the meeting and presented a petition. This had been signed by 621 people in the area who supported the idea of the weaons-free zone, 53 who were against the idea, and 177 who had abstained from voting either way. the group had appeared before the council at the February meeting, when only 300 signatures had been collected. The council had decided against the declaration then and had resolved to reconsider the matter if the group supplied further information which clarified the view of county residents and ratepayers. Cr P. Cooke said that the group had done a marvel-

lous job responding to the council’s request. The chairman of the Banks Peninsula Group for Nuclear Disarmament, Mrs G. Manhire, said that it had gone to the people on the matter. She said that many of the people who had abstained from signing were in support of the cause but they were wary of signing petitions. The group was satisfied the petition showed that the majority of people in Akaroa County wanted to live in a nuclear-weapons-free zone. The county chairman, Mr I. C. Harris, asked Mrs Manhire what her feelings would be if the United States stopped producing nuclear weapons and the Soviet Union did not. Mrs Manhire said that she would not like it but thought it was not likelty to happen. “We are asking everyone to consider what would happen if the manufacture of nuclear weapons does not stop," she said. Cr J. Smythe said that he commended the group’s effort but thought New Zealand should be careful about becoming nuclear-free. Antarctica was set to become one of the world’s largest sources of minerals and New Zealand was the closest land base to Antarctica. “If a nuclear-weapons-free zone, we are telling foreign Powers that we are here and defenceless,” he said. Cr J. Corboy said that the council members were the elected representatives of

the area and as such should take note of the majority decision by the people whether they agreed with it or not. Cr R. Grigg said she agreed with Cr Corboy. The total of those who’ had signed in agreement with the peitition would equal about two-thirds of the adult population of the county. “We have to take this into account,” she said. The motion that Akaroa County become a nuclear-weapons-free zone was passed by five votes to two, with one abstention. Hall reserve The council will take control of the Barry's Bay Hall reserve. After discussion, the council decided to write to the Lands and Survey Department to accept administration of the reserve in accordance with the terms of a letter from the department. A meeting will then be called with the Onuku Community Marae Committee, and the Barry’s Bay Hall Board, to discuss future use of the building. The marae committee had written to the council asking that consideration be given to letting the committee buy the hall for use as a marae at Onuku. The hall would have to be shifted in sections from its present position to land at Onuku. The County Clerk, Mr L. W. M. Graham, said that to fit in with the town-planning criteria, the land would

have to be rezoned by the council to permit the establishment of a marae. Before the hall was moved, the council would also have to be satisfied that the marae committee had adequate funds to restore the building once it was shifted. Rubbish disposal The council should hasten a decision about finding a centralised rubbish disposal system for the county, said the chairman of the’ community council, Cr M. T. Woods. Reading the minutes of the community council’s meeting to the council, Cr Woods said that the problem of burning rubbish in the Akaroa Dump was increasing. Many complaints about the fire and the smoke and soot it created were received each Tuesday, she said. Cr Corboy agreed that the burning area should be taken out of Akaroa. He said the problem had lasted three years and complaints were coming almost every Tuesday. It was costing the community council considerable money each year. Building developments A meeting will be held in early June or July to discuss building developments in Akaroa. The meeting will take place between the council, community concil, advisory committee, and the council’s planning consultant.