Greymouth Has No Sites For New Industries: Statement To League

Greymouth Evening Star, 7 April 1948, Page 4

Greymouth Has No Sites For New Industries: Statement To League

In the area in Greymouth classified as suitable for light industries, not one vacant section is available to allow any expansion m present undertakings or to permit new enterprises to be established in the _ town. This statement was made at last evening’s meeting of the Westland District Progress League during a discussion on the need for the development of secondary industry in the district. The Christchurch City Council’s Public Relations Officer, Mr T. H. Langford, advised that the Christchurch Expansion and Development Committee supported the development of industry on the West Coast but so far he had not been able to direct any business to the province. He proposed that all suggestions for industries in the province should be forwarded to him. “The position is almost hopeless, said Mr G. F. Shallcrass. “One firm is at present looking for a factory site in Greymouth, but it cannot get its hands on one. There is not one site vacant in the industrial area of the town. Mr P. C. Blank, indicating that Hokitika could accommodate the businesses Greymouth could not satisfy, said that recently a plywood firm had sought a site in Greymouth but had been told by the Harbour Board that none was available. “Now this firm is spending thousands of pounds in establishing a factory in Christchurch,” he said. Another member stated that this was not entirely true. Two satisfactory sites had been arranged, but the Government had declined to give the firm import licences to import the necessary machinery. When it was pointed cut that the machinery had been imported after the firm had been established at Christchurch, members suggested that this was another indication that the West Coast was being overlooked. “Now West Coast logs are being railed to Christchurch for this factory,” said Mr J. S. Robertson. “It is farcical.”