N.Z. POLICY ON BOMB

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30147, 3 June 1963, Page 13

N.Z. POLICY ON BOMB

Comment By C.N.D.

The statement on Friday bv the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) that the Government had no intention of buying nuclear weapons or plans for nuclear bases is welcomed bv the New Zealand Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. according to a statement by the movement’s national secretary (Mrs M Woodward.)

"But is it wrong to call upon our neighbours in this hemisphere to take a similar stand'” Mrs Woodward asked

Many African nations, as well as Indonesia and Brazil, had already supported nuclear-free zones in their parts of the world, she said. "There is nothing ‘unilateral’ about such proposals." she said. The petition now circularising for a nuclear-free zone in the Southern Hemisphere was not askmg for a declaration. but for an agreement among all nations with territory in the region. Mrs Woodward said

“Mr Holvoake himself emphasises the danger of the spread- of nuclear weapons The creation of nuclear-free zones is one way to prevent

this. If some limited agreement can be reached surely the task of world disarmament is made easier.” she Said

The campaign supported the Prime Minister's final aim of a “world nuclearfree zone by means of an allembracing agreement.” she said

"New Zealand can back up this genera! statement with a practical step appropriate to the energies of our small country," added Mrs Woodward.