P.M. Questioned On Nuclear Free Zone

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29897, 10 August 1962, Page 13

P.M. Questioned On Nuclear Free Zone

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, August 9. The only real answer to the problem of nuclear tests was world disarmament, governed by an effective international treaty, said the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) in the House of Representatives today. He was answering Mr W. W. Freer (Opposition. Mount Albert), who asked what action the Government was likely to take in regard to the reported promise of the Prime Minister to a deputation of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament that he would seriously consider the proposal of Mr Arthur Calwell for a nuclear free Southern Hemisphere, as has the Antarctic. Mr Holyoake replied: “Al-

though the proposal that the Southern Hemisphere should be declared nuclear free is interesting—and that is what I told the deputation—it suffers from the drawback that, unlike Antarctica, which is an uninhabited land mass that can be conveniently cut off for peaceful scientific research and development, the Southern Hemisphere is an inhabited area consisting of many nations that must look to the welfare and security of their peoples. Deterrent Effect “Although New Zealand has no nuclear weapons our security, and defence of the free world, depends on the deterrent effect arising from the possession of nuclear weapons by our allies, the major Western Powers. “The creation of a nuclear free zone in the Southern Hemisphere would not solve the problem of nuclear weapons It would not guarantee that nuclear weapons would never be used in the Southern Hemisphere.” The New Zealand Government had consistently and strongly supported all measures which it had believed capable of leading towards this goal, and would continue to do so in future. “In particular, the Government firmly believes that a first step in this direction should be the conclusion of a treaty banning all nuclear tests,” said Mr Holyoake.