‘Special Problem Fully Recognised’

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31226, 25 November 1966, Page 14

‘Special Problem Fully Recognised’

Copies of cables he had just received confirmed that New Zealand’s special problem involved in Britain’s application to join the European Economic Community was fully recognised by the British Government and the House of Commons, said the Minister of Finance (Mr Lake) at an election meeting in Christchurch this week.

The Minister quoted the following statement, which, he said, was made by the British Prime Minister (Mr Wilson) in the House of Commons on November 10: “I think we fully discussed the special problem of New Zealand when we last debated these things. It was recognised by everyone in the House, i That is a very obvious one. . . .”

Later, on November 16 in opening the foreign affairs debate, the British Foreign Secretary (Mr Brown) said:— “New Zealand, whose economy is in some ways an extension of our own, would be particularly hard hit, and therefore some special arrangement will have to be made for her.” Mr Lake said these were extremely important statements. They emphasised that Britain had no intention of abandoning New Zealand in its search for entry under a mutually acceptable arrangement to membership of the 'E.E.C.

“There is no certainty as yet about the likely outcome of Britain’s further approach to the E.E.C.,” he added. “We recall that French attitudes caused the failure of' the previous application.”