General Election

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31221, 19 November 1966, Page 14

General Election

Sir, —The opinions expressed in “The Press” in the election survey of the Rangiora electorate are misleading and fail to cover the recognised ability of Mr H. L. Pickering. He is always available for personal interviews; his interest in and service to both town and country electors have been outstanding. His contributions to Parliamentary debates and committees, while made in a quiet, sincere manner, have been intelligent, wellconstructed thoughts worthy of close consideration. If there was ever any anxiety within the National Party this has long been replaced by sincere confidence that Mr H. L. Pickering will be re-elected in recognition of a job well done and greater service opportunities ahead.—Yours, etc., A. E. HIATT. Amberley, November 17, 1966. Sir,—Mr Holyoake declares that he hates war more than anybody. In the Vietnam gunners’ resolution he has chosen a very strange way of proving this. It may be a man’s duty to fight when his nation wishes him to; but Mr Holyoake claims that it is the nation’s duty to let him fight when he wishes. A handful of troops in the field must be allowed to decide how long they should continue to fire their guns at unseen targets, whether these turn out to be the enemy or South Vietnamese women and babies, at the discretion of their allies. And then he asks us to elect him on his assurance that he hates war.—Yours etc. P. G. BURBY. Oxford, November 18, 1966.

Sir, —The Russian Communist Party has recently made world news by calling for an international conference on communism. An item which has not made world news is the recent international symposium on communism which was held in Pretoria from September 27 to September 30. Present at this symposium were university professors, missionaries, educators, members of Parliament, industrialists, and responsible men gathered from all over South Africa and the Rhodesias. All these people were vitally interested to learn why the Communist empire has grown from control of 200 million people in 1945 to its tyrannical control over 1200 million in 1966. I look forward to the day when a New Zealand Government will awake from its seemingly eternal slumber to the realities of modem life. A conference of this kind here is long overdue and New Zealanders jealous of their heritage and traditions should call for one.—Yours, etc., D. VICARS. November 17, 1966.

Sir, —At New Plymouth, Mr Holyoake said that Mr Kirk had resorted to “abuse and name-calling” when “faced with incontrovertible evidence that this was a unanimous resolution aimed

specifically at Labour Party policy.” Now we find that Mr Holyoake’s “incontrovertible evidence” refers to a resolution by “some of the gunners” and that the “unanimity” was merely “the word of an anonymous gunner.” The National Party and the powerful people behind it must be desperate in their need to control New Zealand if they would use such pathetically thin “evidence” to stay in power.—Yours, etc., VARIAN J. WILSON. November 18, 1966.

Sir, —What a farce! What a ridiculous state of affairs! The members of the Government, Mr Lake included, said, “They are breaking the law. There are more ways than one of killing a cat.” Now in this morning’s issue the Prime Minister congratulates them, and says “he likes pirates.” No doubt about it, this has become a political football. An election on these affairs just makes all the difference. —Yours, etc., R. DAVIS. November 17, 1966.

Sir, —Professor Sewell is quite right when he says that New Zealand has nothing to fear from any Chinese expansion. However, it is a different matter when New Zealanders together with the Americans are escalating a war against China on south Asian' territory. The Chinese are naturally indignant, and it will be too bad for our New Zealand way of life when the Chinese retaliate. That they will do so is beyond doubt. Their latest publication, “Sweep away all monsters,” refers not only to their internal troubles but also those from without. So the best thing for New Zealand to do is to withdraw her troops from Vietnam and take no part in the dirty American war.—Yours, etc., P.J.A. November 18, 1966.

Sir, —It is to be hoped that in the event of a Labour Government another great negotiator like Mr Marshall will be available to carry on the good work of pressing the claims of New Zealand for a fair deal with regard to the Common Market. This venture is alien to the general principles of the Commonwealth as a whole and the promises given by Britain will mean nothing to the other members once entry is made. Mr Kirk may be content to leave things to Harold Wilson and company, in which case New Zealand will be let down, for the odds are six to one against these promises being kept. Events of the past few months suggest that de Gaulle and Company will have the final say in this matter, but for my part, as a Commonwealth man, I sincerely hope that Britain will see the red light in time and keep out of this Communist market.— Yours, etc., REFORMIST. November 18, 1966. Sir,—A full-page advertisement in the “New York Times” on Tuesday by over a thousand professional men from 73 countries refers to “the inhuman and immoral quality of this war (Vietnam) outrageously violating the Geneva Conventions.” The illegality of the conflict is expounded in the Congressional Record of the 89th Congress. Our commitment was made by party policy, not Parliamentary decision, negating our obligations of collective security of commitments within the United Nations, and placing priority to a foreign unilateral action of itself in contravention of S.E.A.T.O.’s clause specifically “constitutional process”—after declaration of war by Congress. The illegality of intervention in the Dominican Republic, the ostracism of China from the United Nations, the Suez attitude, and especially the United States policy in rearming West Germany highlight the lack of historical experience in United States diplomacy. The best way to defeat your enemy is to become his friend by reducing the gulf between greed and need.—Yours, etc., WEST WINDS. November 17, 1966. *