‘DEAD END' ON FRENCH TESTS

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31005, 10 March 1966, Page 7

‘DEAD END ' ON FRENCH TESTS

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, March 8.

The -Government had reached a “dead end” in its efforts to dissuade the French from polluting the South Pacific with their nuclear weapon tests, the president of the Federation of Labour (Mr T. E. Skinner), said today after his meeting with the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) last night.

Future action now lay in the hands of Australian and New Zealand trade unionists, said Mr Skinner.

No French ships or any material destined for the nuclear test area in the South Pacific near Tahiti would be handled by New Zealand trade unionists, in line with an F.O.L. decision, he said. “It is clear that any action to be taken to deter France from pursuing these tests will have to be taken by the Federation of Labour,” Mr Skinner said. “The Government has done all in its power but now it has reached a dead end,” he said.

The federation will await a meeting of the Australian Council of Trade Unions on the subject on March 28 and then take joint action with the Australians.

Last night’s meeting between officials of the F.O.L. and the Prime Minister had

been centred on New Zealand’s future, said Mr Skinner. Immediate considerations had been the French tests, Vietnam and the country’s economy.