Rhodesians Said To Be United

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31017, 24 March 1966, Page 1

Rhodesians Said To Be United

(New Zealand Press Association

HASTINGS, March 23.

Antipathy to the present British policy had so united Rhodesians today that the Government had the strong support of at least 90 per cent of the people, said Mr J. Russell King, general manager of the Overseas Farmers’ Co-operative Federations, Ltd., an agricultural selling group and buying organisation of member companies, based in

He said this in a report received by associates of his firm in Hastings today. He was in Rhodesia from February 28 to March 6.

Mr King said one must credit present British policy with consideration for the Rhodesian people, white and black, and not assume that it was just concerned with the downfall of the present Rhodesian Government.

“My visit persuades me that, if this assumption is correct, it has little or no chance of success. In fact, the more it succeeds, in my opinion, the more it will fail.

“Such is the spirit among Rhodesians today that 1 cannot see sanctions of themselves doing much to weaken it, nor to affect the power of the present government” Mr King said that if the sanctions were carried through to the point of attrition, then in due course unemployment would occur among black and white people. “There is no apparent depression about the course of events so far among Rhodesians in general. Among part of the commercial world there may be some concern, among part of the agricultural community there may be some euphoria, but the spirit of almost all the people is unquestionably one of determination to make U.D.I. succeed, even of those who were against it at the first.”

Mr King said one of the most unfortunate features of

the affair was a growing antipathy toward Britain and British goods. It was not so much the sanctions that were arousing these feelings, he said. They were expected.

“It is—to Rhodesians—the apparently petty and vindictive way the present British policy is being implemented which is so bitterly resented.” The only alternative—to maintain law and order, peace

and prosperity for all Rhodesians, white and black. —was a resumption of talks between Britain and Rhodesia, said Mr King. “I believe, as suggested openly by Mr Smith, that Rhodesia would be prepared to talk. I am equally sure that this willingness to talk should not be taken as a sign of weakness, but rather as one of common sense."