“INFAMOUS ACT OF TERRORISM”

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26409, 1 May 1951, Page 6

“INFAMOUS ACT OF TERRORISM”

PRIME MINISTER’S COMMENT (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, April 30. 4 “This diabolical act of sabotage will bring home to the people of New Zealand, perhaps better than any warning I can give, what dangers beset our country and the depth to which its enemies will descend to achieve their ends." This comment was ma’de by the Prime Minister (Mr Holland) this afternoon after news of the attempt to blow up a railway bridge near Huntly had reached him. Mr Holland added: "I can think of nothing more fiendish and hideous than to endeavour to blow up a bridge so that workmen and others might be hurled to their deaths.

“This is part and parcel of a desperate cold war that has come to our shores in which life and limb are constantly in danger. “I have issued instructions. that all the resources at our disposal are to be marshalled in an all-out effort to track down the criminals responsible for this infamous act of terrorism. Measures will be taken to ensure that those who wish to get on with the job and live in peace are adequately protected. . . , “This terrible happening must be a warning to us all. The enemy is already within the gate, and I call upon every citizen to co-operate with tha authorities in helping to detect this or anv other act of violence. “A week or two ago I issued a warning that acts of intimidation would not be tolerated, and I want to repeat that warning now,” he said. Anyone who may have taken the Government’s tolerance and patience in the present trouble as weakness has made the biggest mistake in his life. I repeat what I have said several times before, that if people will not themselves do work that is available to them they will not be allowed to stop others doing it.”

ACT CONDEMNED BY MR NASH

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, April 30. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr Nash) said to-night that no thinking person could do other than condemn the act of sabotage as reported from Huntly. No sane person, he added, could have been responsible for such an act, and all law-abiding citizens would co-operate with the authorities in whatever steps were necessary to apprehend those responsible ana to prevent any further acts of a like nature. ,