SOCIAL CREDIT LEAGUE

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27924, 22 March 1956, Page 6

SOCIAL CREDIT LEAGUE

“PROTEST VOTES” AT ELECTION WARNING TO NATIONAL PARTY (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON. March 21. If further protest votes were to go to Social Credit at the 1957 election, that party might, with as few as two seats in the House, be able to dictate policy to the other parties, said the Minister of Social Welfare (Dame Hilda Rossi last night. Dame Hilda Ross told members of the National Party’s Hataitai branch: "You might easily put the party out. This is the year you must bother, this is the year you want to think about your party.” x Most of Social Credit’s votes at the last election came from former National Party supporters, she said. She felt these persons had wanted to indicate some dissatisfaction with the Government. but had not wanted to vote Labour. That should not occur again, she Said. If Social Credit were to obtain two seats, and the other parties were fairly evenly balanced, the Social Credit members would be able to tell each party that they would not vote with them in the House unless that party consented to do specific things. ‘‘l don't know much about Social Credit, and I don’t think anybody else does, not even the people who preach it,” she said.

She asked members to reject resolutely any rumours suggesting that the Prime Minister (Mr Holland) was unpopular. “When you hear a whisper saying the Prime Minister is not very popular. ancUso and so is going to be Prime Minister, don’t believe it,” she said. Mr Holland' had led his party for 16 years when it was in Opposition, and for six years when it governed. There had been no split in the Cabinet, and that was a big thing—‘‘such a man has something to comment him.”

Dame Hilda Ross said that apathy among the rank and file of the part? could mean an advantage to Labour People often did not remember wha. difficulties there had been under Labour. They should. They would then remember shortages, queueing, “a strike every 'month,” and ‘‘appease, apnease, appease.” ‘‘lf you are not careful,” Dame Hilda Ross'said, ‘‘you may put another government in.”