P.M. notes mood change on Coast

Press, 22 July 1989, Page 5

P.M. notes mood change on Coast

By

PAT TAYLOR

in Greymouth

A Greymouth resident, aged 95, Mrs Irene Jamieson, who has been flooded out of her Preston Rd home several times told the Prime Minister, Mr Lange, in Greymouth yesterday that she was pleased the Government was helping build the new protection wall around the town.

"The people we met while inspecting the protection wall were so grateful,” said Mr Lange later. “Greymouth now has its own versions of the pyramids, something that will be a tourist attraction,” he said. Mr Lange said that while flying down the Grey River valley he had noticed other flood damage, particularly where the “river, instead of turning a corner, went straight ahead,” and severely damaged a Coal Creek farm. Mr Lange said he was certain the political climate on the West Coast had changed since 1986. When he had last visited, farmers had driven stock on to the roads “and it took hours to get to Reefton.” Others, such as Communists, had protested at Blackball about unemployment. “Those were the days of white heat in rural trauma, but we are now

coming through that. Many of those who were fearful of their jobs now find that they are still in there.” The New Labour Party was not regarded as a threat, it had a “certain novelty,” but had not done what it had set out to, he said. Mr Kerry Burke, the member of Parliament for West Coast, who accompanied Mr Lange said Labour had received no resignations nor knew of any defections to New' Labour. Mr Lange began his whirlwind visit to the West Coast when he arrived in Westport about 9

a.m. He officially opened the Buller High School’s new arts and crafts centre, and visited the site of a polytechnic horticultural course at the O’Conor Home. He went by helicopter to Reefton, where he saw the site of the proposed new visitors’ centre. From there it was to Inangahua College to meet teachers and parents from schools in the area to discuss education reform. Mr Lange obviously enjoyed the meeting. “The children were there, too, — everyone, the whole works,” he said. He expressed doubts about claims that up to

400 first-year graduate teachers would not have jobs next year. He agreed with suggestions that there was a shortage of teachers on the West Coast and that 12 of 42 schools only had relieving principals. “I have commissioned a working party to see what incentives are needed, and in some cases I have instructed the purchase of houses,” he said. The requirement was to place people where they were needed. Teachers had to be prepared to move to where jobs were. In Greymouth Mr Lange spoke to teachers and parents at a meeting at the intermediate school before moving on to Hokitika for an inspection of the site of the new $ll million Hokitika bridge, and the area zoned for creation as Heritage Hokitika.

He then joined a flight to Christchurch on his way home to Auckland.