Mayor lambasts Navy

Press, 19 July 1988, Page 1

Mayor lambasts Navy

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The Mayor of Christchurch, Sir Hamish Hay, has accused the Royal New Zealand Navy of favouring a British tender for the refit of H.M.N.Z.S. Southland because it would provide ‘welcome trips to the Old Country” for naval staff. He believed there was a “secret agenda” associated with the refit and that the Navy wanted to use the contract to renew links with the Royal Navy, Sir Hamish said. “I think they are looking to renew a close link with the British, a relationship they have lost partly because of

our Government’s policy on A.N.Z.U.S.”

Sir Hamish said the $7O million tender was of vital importance to Canterbury and should go to a New Zealand firm even if its tender was higher than one from overseas. “I think it is worth a few million dollars to save more in terms of the spending on unemployment if this project is not given to the region,” he said. New Zealand and Lyttelton had the facilities and the technical ability to cope with the refit, Sir Hamish said. He drew support from his fellow councillors for an ap-

proach to the Minister of Defence, Mr Tizard, seeking the contract for a New Zealand firm. Two New Zealand firms have tendered for the refit: William Cable, Ltd, of Wellington, and Sinclair Melbourne and Company, Ltd, of Lyttelton. Three British firms have also tendered.

The Navy has asked for an early sitting of the Defence Major Tenders Board and hopes for a Government decision on the project by the end of the month.

It is believed the Navy’s recommendation is for the refit contract to go to one of the British firms.