We publish this not in order to prove our broadmindedness to Mr Holyoake, but to prove Mr Holyoake has what might be termed a narrow mind, flattened out.

The statements include a few facts, and demonstrates a number of things about our Prime Minister.

They do not answer some important questions, asked elsewhere in this issue.

They do not effectively refute the fact that the expense of Omega is justified only by its military uses.

Mr Holyoake says less than the technical "briefing" held early last week, ostensibly to provide the likes of Salient with some facts. No news emanated from this gathering of departmental heads.

—ed

The Prime Minister has directed me to forward to you the attached statement which he has just issued, arising out of a special emergency edition of "CANTA" newspaper, together with the texts of two earlier press statements.

You will note that the Prime Minister expressed the hope that full coverage will be given to these statements in student newspapers.

Copies of these statements are being released generally to the press.

Statement by the Prime Minister:

Omega Navigation System

In view of the interest that "CANTA" newspaper has taken in the possibility of the establishment of an Omega navigation station in New Zealand I should like to draw its attention to two press statements I issued on this question on 24 and 26 June respectively.

There are perhaps one or two matters that I might deal with in more specific terms, although I cannot of course attempt to pick up all the points made in the length, though not always well informed, "special emergency edition" or other similar commentaries.

Information on the Omega navigation system is publicly available. It has been described in textbooks (for example "Radio Navigation Systems for Aviation and Maritime Use: A Comparative Study" edited by W. Bauss and published in 1963) and numerous articles in journals. The system is unclassified. It is not a communications system. It has no relationship to the station at North-West Cape in Australia. It is a navigation system designed to assist ships and aircraft anywhere in the world. It will be a most valuable improvement on existing, limited range navigation systems such as Loran and Decca. especially in the New Zealand area.

The Omega navigation system is not, however, a sophisticated system. It is not designed for use on nuclear ballistic missile submarines. A United States Polaris submarines. A United States Polaris submarine could, of course, use the system, as indeed could any vessel or aircraft, American, Soviet, Chinese Communist or other, that took the trouble to buy the readily available receivers. But Polaris submarines will not depend for their operational effectiveness upon the system. Moreover, the Omega system has no special advantages for military use.

Although some students, for instance those outside Parliament on 26 June, have referred to an "Omega base" the phrase is misleading. The system requires a large antenna, a transmitter and a helix. Operating staff—including maintenance staff—would probably be 8-12 people, only half of these technicans. Moreover, the system is designed in such a way that it can be operated by the host government and by civilian personnel. United States stations are operated by the United States Coast Guard, which is part of the Ministry of Transportation, not by the United Stales Navy or Department of Defence. Readers may have imagined a large United States military establishment; what is involved is a straightforward radio station that could be owned, operated and manned by New Zealand alone.

It is not correct to say that "without New Zealanders apparently being given any say in the matter the United Slates Navy has decided to build an Omega radio station in the Southern Alps". The actual position is quite different. I announced on 27 November last that a United Stales Navy team would explore the feasibility of establishing a station and survey possible sites. I described the system and said that the visit was entirely exploratory. New Zealand officials were fully associated with the survey team in its work. The survey team has completed its investigations but I do not know whether it has recommended to the United States Government that it seek our agreement to a site here Indeed our information was that a decision on this question was unlikely to be taken for some months. If the United States Government does approach us we shall consider the question. Until then, however. there is no question of a decision having been taken and therefore no question of a decision having been taken in secret negotiations. When interest in the question revived, following the publication of an article in the Christchurch "Press" on 14 June, I issued my press statement of 24 June setting out the situation in full. By then grossly inaccurate assertions were being made and I was obliged to make my further statement of 26 June.

Since "CANTA" newspaper has contributed to the publication of inaccurate assertions on this question, I would hope that it would publish this statement and my earlier statements of 24 and 26 June. I would hope there will also be full coverage in other student newspapers before misconceptions spread even further.

I would hope that an attempt will be made to get the facts straight and to see this question in its true light without—if I might say—the somewhat hysterical distortion evident in statements which I have seen.

Omega Navigation System

The Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Keith Holyoake, commented today on recent press reports to the effect that an Omega navigational station may be established in New Zealand. "You will recall", the Prime Minister said, "that on 27 November last year I announced that a preliminary survey was to be carried out. This has recently been completed and a first assessment has been made of sites in the Lake Sumner and Lake Pearson areas, the Omarama district of North Otago an din the Marlborough Sounds. This survey has however permitted no more than an initial examination of the feasibility of establishing a station in New Zealand as part of the proposed world-wide Omega navigation system. More information must be gathered and assessed before it can be decided whether it would be advantageous to have the station in New Zealand or the United States Governments to establish an Omega station in this country. Should a New Zealand site prove suitable, the United States authorities will approach the New Zealand Government to seek approval for the establishment of a station and full consideration will then be given to the matter. It will be some time before a final decision can be taken, and if it is then agreed that construction should go ahead, it would take a great deal more time before a station became operational."

24 June 1968.

Omega Navigation System and Operation "Deep Freeze"

"Before some people get too far out into the twilight world of science fiction and political mumbo-jumb I might recall a few of the basic facts" said the Prime Minister, the Right Hon. Keith Holyoake, today commenting on various reports relating to the investigation of the possibility of establishing an Omega navigation station in Canterbury and to Operation "Deep Freeze".

"First, the Omega navigation system is not established to assist in the operations of Polaris submarines. It is designed to provide the first world wide aid to navigation. As such it is a valuable refinement of existing navigation system already well established throughout the world such as Loran and Decca which, however, do not give comparable coverage, particularly in our area.

"Secondly, this is not a classified military project. All civil departments with an interest have geen kept in touch and will continue to be consulted.

"Thirdly, there is no basis for the assertion that the operations of Polaris submarines depend upon the establishment of the Omega navigation system. Polaris submarines have been in operation with the United States Navy for about ten years, and it would be ridiculous to think that a reliable navigation system is only now being investigated.

"Fourthly, Operation "Deep Freeze" is not a military project. It is the name for the United States Antarctic Research Programme. The United States military authorities provide support for the programme, just as our own military authorities support the New Zealand programme. Antarctic research will benefit New Zealand and other countries, and we have therefore long supported it without anyone discovering siniister implications.

"Fifthly, the Government has not yet taken a decision about the establishment of an Omega navigation station because the project is still at the stage of investigation. If me investigation suggests to the United States authorities that they should proceed, they will doubtless approach the Government again and we shall then give it consideration. In doing so, I might say. the Government will not be deterred by the ill informed and emotional reaction we have seen from some in the last day or so and will, as always, be guided by the interests of New Zealand. While further study wil be needed it may be of interest to note that the Civil Aviation Department commented, the Omega system has considerable promise' and 'from the New Zealand point of view, we would strongly support the introduction of a satisfactory radio-navigation system for use by Air NZ, while the Marine Department saw the system removing the need for our own radio beacons, and the Lands and Survey Department suggested the system 'should result in safe navigation for air and sea transport services'. The suggestion that the Government has kept people uninformed about a decision to establish a base is pure fantasy.

"Both these issues have been distorted and thrown out of perspective although I have issued full statements on the Omega system and replied to correspondence on Operation "Deep Freeze". I suggest that before there are any more Luddite marches or hysterical discovery of nuclear bogeys those concerned should take some trouble to get the facts straight."

26 June 1968.