Plan to survey men involved in N-tests

Press, 2 October 1987, Page 3

Plan to survey men involved in N-tests

Initiatives to prepare the way for a survey of personnel who served in New Zealand naval ships during 1950 s British nuclear tests in the Pacific have been announced by the Ministry of Defence.

The Minister of Defence, Mr Tizard, said credibility was the key issue in any health survey. New Zealand naval ships had attended British nuclear tests at Malden Island and Christmas Island in 1957 and 1958. It had recently become evident that there was increasing concern about the consequences for New Zealand naval personnel of their presence in the area at the time of the nuclear tests, he said, and so preparation was being made for studies. H.M.N.Z.S. Pukaki and H.M.N.Z.S. Rotoiti had beej sent to provide

meteorological information during the tests. Some men who had served in those ships had since died of cancer. “What we do not know is whether this is a consequence of exposure to radiation during the tests,” Mr Tizard said. The only way to proceed was to compare the records of those who had served in the two ships during the tests with other naval personnel of similar age who had not been involved. That was a sophisticated task.

The British were surveying the long-term effects on their service personnel of exposure to radiation from nuclear tests in Australia and the Pacific. That survey had been underway for several years and might be completed next year. Its results would be of great importance for New Zealand. v A,