Nuclear use defended

Press, 20 September 1985, Page 4

Nuclear use defended

Mr John Grover is a man who is anti the anti-nuclear lobby. Mr Grover, a retired Australian metallurgical engineer and author of a book,

“The Struggle for Power,” began a 10-day tour of New Zealand yesterday by lambasting pacifists and antinuclear weapons campaigners. In an address to members of the Canterbury Officers’ Club and a few guests, Mr Grover warned of the “subversive humbug that is des-

troying the nation’s morale” and accused those who commemorated Hiroshima Day as “purveyors of false guilt” who tried to brainwash the nation’s children. He described appalling losses of submariners in World War II and said that nuclear-powered submarines were the answer to the defence needs of Australia. Defence was the insurance for survival in the future. Nuclear-powered submarines cost a fifth more

than conventional dieselpowered submarines but with their speed were able to cover the same area as four conventional submarines, he said. Mr Grover said that within 15 years no ship would be built that was not nuclear-powered. Disposal of radioactive waste was not a technical problem. The amount of nuclear waste from 30 years use of a Ruby-class submarine would be no bigger than a 12-volt battery.