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Northern Advocate, 25 May 1949, Page 5

AUCKLAND, Wed, (P.A.)—Mor<| than one group of "experts" should b'« consulted on the merits of the Gov* ernment’s pulp and paper manufacture ing project said Sir Cecil Leys, chair* man of New Zealand Newspapers, Ltd,; in an address at the annual meeting of shareholders this afternoon, “This year a matter which, is of grave :oncern to all newspapers re* ceived mention several times in the daily press,” said Sir Cecil. ■ "The Government has announced it# intention to develop a pulp and paper establishment near Murapara. “This project may be desirable. “There is no doubt that a pulp and paper miU with New Zealand’s vast) forest resources merits serious con* sideration, but we think the project has not been given the detailed inves* tigation it requires. , “The Government’s attitude sug* gests a determination to go ahead af oil nnctq COMPLEX 'PROBLEMS “Establishment of a paper mill pre* sents highly technical and complex problems. "Errors in calculation may provf very costly. “False conclusions at the planning stage woiUd be disastrous. “This is common knowledge, and it \yould be expected that the Govern* ment would proceed with caution. “The main adviser is an American machinery company instead of independent engineer consultants that arf available in all countries where: the paper-making industry is successfully established. - . . j “In public statements the Commissioner of State Forqstg j(Mr Skinner), has made it clear that the Government is relying implicitly on the advice of this company. “A paper-making scheme .in New Zealand is an undertaking of such magnitude and importance that for tha Government to ake the advice of any one group of individuals, however reputable (and the repute of this firm in its own field is lot questioned), i 3 palpably unsound, STATE OWNERSHIP “It may be that the 1 report it has received from this company would be in accord with the views of other experts, but it would seeni obvious that more than one group of experts should be consulted. “Apart from the unsatisfactory technical approach by the Government, the suggestion that the mill will be stateowned is disturbing. “Other examples of state control do not lead us to believe that this will . make for efficiency.” ;