General Election

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31223, 22 November 1966, Page 16

General Election

Sir,—Mr Lake has repeated his charge that Thich Nhat Hanh is an “impostor.” It would seem likely, however, that the monk represents, at least to some extent, an important group in Vietnam today. Professor Bernard Fall, in an extraordinarily lucid article in the October, 1966, issue of the American periodical, “Foreign Affairs,” asserts that “many of the Buddhists are known to be in favour of a negotiated solution to the war, but under existing legislation any utterance to that effect is likely to earn its maker a prison term of up to five years.” Professor Fall, who is one of the few academic authorities on Vietnam, is no advocate of a sudden American withdrawal. But a conclusion of his article is that the Saigon Government must be told in no uncertain terms to prepare for a political, rather than a military, contest with “a well-organised native left-wing minority which can neither be evacuated nor exterminated.”— Yours, etc., I. J. CATTANACH. November 21, 1966.

Sir,—“P.J.A.” says that New Zealand and Au. erica are escalating a war against China on South Asian territory and that the Chinese are “naturally indignant.” “P.J.A.” conveniently overlooks that the Chinese started the war by blatant aggression, and they have publicly stated that they will impose Communist philosophy throughout the world and use any method to achieve this goal. I, for one, am proud New Zealand is opposing China by military force in Asia. It shows the world that we are at least not forgetting the lesson learnt in Korea. However, “P.J.A.” has made a notable contribution through his letter to the Chinese propaganda department. —Yours, etc., G. R. YARDLEY. November 19,1966. Sir,—Mr Lake has twice stated categoricallv that the Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hanh, was an impostor. An impostor is “one who assumes a false character or passes himself off for some-one else.” The pamphlet advertising the monk’s Christchurch meeting stated clearly what was claimed on his behalf. In neither of Mr Lake's two statements did he make any attempt to show that the statement made by the sponsors of the meeting was false or that the monk had assumed a ‘Talse character” or passed himself off for some one else. Either, therefore, Mr Lake’s charge is irresponsible or he is using the word “impostor” with some private meaning of his own. Would Mr Lake perhaps clarify his use of the word impostor?—Yours, etc., RICHARD THOMPSON. November 21, 1966.

Sir,—“To welsh” means “to decamp without paying,” usually applied to gambling. The new meaning of "cutting the ground from under,” with the suggestion conveyed in the nationalistic nursery rhyme about Taffy the Welshman, already fits some recent elec-

tioneering. Mr Holyoake has cut the ground from under the N.Z.B.C. by extending the YD hours, piling a Pelion of “pop” on the Ossa of offal from the ZB stations, contrary to research findings. But what could be more flagrant welshing than half-promising the pirate broadcasters a licence before the “independent” licensing authority is even set up? Whatever the court’s convenient finding, there was a riot when the Tiri made its dangerous dash. Television clearly showed us policemen being attacked, one being thumped on the back by a woman supporter of Mr Holyoake’s new-found friends, whose “initiative and enterprise” is to be rewarded. Yours, etc., VARIAN J. WILSON. November 21. 1966.

Sir, —Within a few days the people of New Zealand will be electing thfe Government to mould their affairs for the next three years or perhaps their entire future. One can hardly commend a form of Government that has commited us to a debt of over £lOOO million over a period of 100 years. Next year we are to have a change in our type of currency. Let us also have a change in our type of monetary system. Are there no men of concern in the National and Labour Parties who are aware of this cancerous system and are men enough to put New Zealand before their party? £1,000,000 interest a week is a terrible price to pay for ignorance and party bigotry. Are they prepared to do something about it or is it to be left to Hobson’s choice?—Yours, etc. PAT T. SHEEHAN. November 19, 1966. Sir, —Rangiora National Party supporters must indeed be dismayed when a leading official betrays anxiety by writing to “The Press” to try to counter the paper’s election survey of the Rangiora electorate, which forecast a “close” election. The tremendous impact on the electorate of Mr Rlno Tirikatene, the enthusiastic and hardworking Labour candidate, has lifted the hopes of Labour Party supporters in town and country areas. They are working enthusiastically to tip the balance in favour of the Labour candidate.—Yours, etc. W. T. RICE. November 21,1966. Sir, —Rangiora elector?'?--has certainly progresses under Mr Pickering’s active and intelligent representation: rural telephone communications updated, new schools, post offices, halls, and sports facilities. Because of Mr Pickering’s continued active representation, the new bridge over the Waimakariri river is nearing completion. He is readily available for personal interview. Rangiora has a proven record of reliable National representation. With an excellent record of service and work, Mr Pickering’s Parliamentary future is assured.— Yours, etc., GUITAR. November 19,1966. [Discussion of Mr Pickering’s record may now cease. —Ed., “The Press.”] Sir,—Politically, “P.J.A.” might be regarded as an independent Communist. In New Zealand communism is more or less democratic. China, however, stands for a one-world, one-party-line policy. As indicated in Tibet and elsewhere, progress is based on bullets, not ballots. America stands for democracy. If the principle of Magna Carta is to be preserved violent overthrow of free government in the name of Marxist ideology must be resisted so that freedom and Christianity may survive.— Yours, etc., T.M.S. November 21,1966. Sir,—The Rev. Dr. M. A. McDowell, chairman of the Joint Council on Vietnam, and his colleagues assert that the visit of the Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hanh, is in no way intended to influence the New Zealand election. They further claim that

the sponsors of the monk’s lecture tour have no political connexions. However, in replying to criticism by Mr H. R. Lake, they neglected to mention, when naming" the sponsoring groups, that the F.O.L. is also a sponsor of the monk’s tour. Perhaps they are rather embarrassed to have the F.O.L. associated with their activities, for need they be reminded that the F.O.L. dictated Labour’s policy in Vietnam? And perhaps it is just coincidental that Thich Nhat Hanh “happened" to be in this country during the election campaign?— Yours, etc., MONKEY BUSINESS. November 20, 1966.

Sir, —By describing Thich Nhat Hanh as an impostor, Mr Lake merely proves his own mental poverty. The Buddhist monk did not claim to be representing anyone. In his lecture, which Mr Lake obviously did not attend, Thich Nhat Hanh gave an eyewitness account of the effect of the American bombing on the peasant population and their reaction to it. Surely the fact that this dedicated monk is strongly anti-Commu-nist adds weight to his criticism of American policy on the grounds that it is converting the Vietnamese nationalism to communism. Mr Lake knows very well that the recent elections tn South Vietnam were not truly representative since only extreme Rightists were allowed registration as candidates and voters. Remembering his earlier unreasoning opposition to teach-ins, it seems that the Minister of Finance holds to the theory that, a little knowledge being a dangerous thing, no knowledge at all is much safer!—Yours, etc., REALIST 11. November 19, 1966. Sir, —The main points in the policy of the Labour Party when first elected to power in 1935 were to abolish the sales tax, to progressively reduce taxation, and to take control of the issue of currency and credit. These promises were ignored and sales tax was increased to 2s 6d in the pound. Taxation was increased to the highest ever; and the workers’ wages were the only control taken over. How can the Labour Party expect the public to believe that their promises will not be treated with the same contempt this time?—Yours, etc., X LABOUR. November 21, 1966. Sir, —If anything should put the Government out of office at the coming election it is the passing of legislation removing price control from practically everything. The way prices of goods are constantly rising is appalling and .the racketeering that is going on in the business world is nothing short of scandalous, especially in foodstuffs. Meat prices are an outstanding example of the way that the cost of living is constantly rising. Under the present Government New Zealand has become an exploiters’ and a racketeers’ paradise.—Yours, etc., TIME FOR A CHANGE. November 21, 1966. Sir,—lf “R.P.” could show us people rushing jobs because they carried Government superannuation his arguments would be more impressive. He bases his opposition to the revision of superannuation allowances on the case of a second-grade clerk, ignoring all else. What of such cases as those of a stipendiary magistrate, a specialist teacher in a medical school, or a professor of applied physics at a university? Such men would be unlikely to be appointed much before the age of 40, and length of service, for superannuation assessment, would therefore be limited to some 25 years. If they reached retiring age about seven years ago, before salaries were substantially increased, their present allowances, based on the old salary scales, will be totally inadequate. The real enemv is inflation, which is eroding the incomes of superannuitants and others who saved for retirement.—Yours, etc., ENZEDDER. November 21, 1966.