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The Nelson Photo News

 

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Abandoned!

First the railway, now the cotton mill, Abandoned. And when the Government made the announcement - after the £5 million scheme had been handed over to the National Party caucus for consideration - on what is now termed "Black Sunday" in Nelson, general feelings in the district was that Nelson had been abandoned. Undoubtedly we have suffered two crippling, although not mortal, blows within the last year, and feeling over the abandonment still runs high. Much has been said in the dally newspapers since the announcement. Some welcomed the decision; others were bewildered and angry - bewildered because even yet the Government has not given its reasons for its changed attitude towards the mill after ratifying the agreement when it first came into power, and anger because of the unstatesmanlike manner in which the whole affair was handled. There may have been good reasons - apart from the outside pressure that was brought to bear upon the Government - why the agreement should be abandoned. All we know is that an enterprise which was to have increased the prosperity of Nelson and its people and the people of New Zealand as a whole, and which would have attracted subsidiary industries here, has been abandoned.

At the time this issue went to press, work on the £350,000 building was continuing. To what use this building is to be put {it now belongs to the Government) is still in the melting pot. The Nelson City Council has invited the Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr Marshall) to visit Nelson to discuss industrial prospects and Mr Marshall has indicated that he would come.

But no matter to what use the building is eventually put, Nelsonians will remember it as the cotton mill. But we should not feel too gloomy at the loss of both the railway and cotton mill projects. After all, what other city in New Zealand can boast that it has a couple of monuments worth £17½ million, even if they're not complete.

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The cotton mill - abandoned.

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The railway - abandoned.

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Former mill officials, John Wheeler and manager Geoff Bradshaw, were interested newspaper readers on the Monday morning before flying up to Wellington.

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To return to England in April, mill manager Geoff Bradshaw, with wife Hilary, and son Simon, enjoy Nelson sunshine and will be sorry to leave.

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Happy workmen on the Friday - what their faces were I like on the Monday morning we wouldn't like to say.

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As we said earlier, feeling ran high: a shot taken during the protest meeting

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Work on the building still continues. In the foreground men lay the foundations for the boiler house and in background is part of the building which was about one-third completed before announcement.

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Mr W. Jefferson, clerk of works, looks ruefully at the building

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Roofing is going on apace

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A protest meeting at the church steps drew about 3000 people. The meeting called upon the public to adopt a five-point resolution protesting at the abandonment of the mill and calling upon the Government to advise its plans for the industrial development of New Zealand and Nelson in particular. The meeting was a quiet one, although all of the eight speakers were warmly applauded. The Nelson Garrison Band played suitable music - before the meeting "In the Mood" and afterwards "God Defend New Zealand".

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A view of the meeting showing a section of the crowd

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Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Mr C. F. Skinner, who pulled no punches.

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The Rev. W. B. Watt, Presbyterian Minister, Tahuna, an unscheduled speaker, was disturbed by moral issues.

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National Party interest in meeting - Messrs. E. W. King (candidate for Buller) C. W. Martin (candidate for Nelson), and S. L. Thawley, Mapua branch president. With them (second from right) is Mr M. H. McGlashen, chairman of Harbour Board.

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Stan Whitehead, Nelson M.P, also spoke his mind