RANDOM REMINDER

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30146, 1 June 1963, Page 20

RANDOM REMINDER

SCREENING

If any more people come round with petitions protesting against the testing of nuclear devices in the South Pacific, Basutoland or Red Square, we are going to have a good look at them. And if they wear beards, we are not going to sign. Because we have been deeply impressed by the recent discussion on this topic by the South Canterbury federated Farmers.

Before the meeting was a remit which called. in part, for support of those organisations already opposing testing, but that was replaced by a, decision to support the Prime Minister in having g„rh fortinw hannprl ft

was thought, evidently, that the original wording might be construed as support for “Communistinspired” organisations protesting against French tests. One member said he had seen 800 bearded beatnik types in London recently in a ban-the-bomb march, and he felt South Canterbury Federated Farmers would get into bad company if they linked themselves with that kind of movement. Another speaker said New Zealand's produce was freer from nuclear fall-out than that of any other country, and the federation should aim to keep it that way; and he thought that apart from the danger to animal products, there was probphlv s»

the people of New Zealand. First things first, of course. One can appreciate the danger of having tests banned in the wrong company. Better, perhaps, to suffer the agonies of Hiroshima than the enforced sharing of a fall-out shelter with a bearded beatnik. There are some things which a self-respecting community and its fanners should not be expected to stand. Let’s keep New Zealand clean, by almost any means. Perhaps the Women's Division of South Canterbury Federated Farmers might be persuaded to start a ban-the-bomb movement. We feel it would then be safe tn ei«m