The Press SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1966. Straws In The Winds

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31256, 31 December 1966, Page 10

The Press SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1966. Straws In The Winds

For many years the patterns of world affairs, political divisions, and the alliances among nations have seemed fixed and familiar. Events of 1966, more than those in any recent year, have lessened the rigidity of long-drawn lines. What once seemed settled and unchangeable has been disturbed, and long-standing trends have been reversed. Yet few of the fundamental problems of the world have been resolved. If one can be thankful for anything that has happened in world affairs during 1966 it is that in human relations few new difficulties have been exposed. Indonesia ended its confrontation policy against Malaysia and re-entered the United Nations. Chinese influence dwindled in Indonesia—a fact of vital importance for the future of the Pacific and South-east Asia. At home, China was engrossed in efforts to maintain the momentum of revolution and in cultivating hostility towards Russia. Disputes among leaders of the Arab League virtually dissolved the unity of countries of North Africa and the Middle East. Rumania’s Communist Party leader spoke out in the Warsaw Treaty Organisation and during talks with the Russian leaders in favour of “ national ” communism and against the presence of Russian troops in East Europe and the interference of the Communist International in national affairs. France announced that it intended to withdraw progressively from the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. Russia signalled overtures of friendship towards the United States. In Ghana, President Nkrumah was dislodged from power, and political and military coups in other African countries impeded Africa’s progress towards stability and order. A strengthened Government redrew Britain’s global defence plans.

For all the straws that blew in the winds of international change, the problems of Rhodesia and Vietnam preoccupied people and the leaders throughout the world. These two sore spots in the world tended to obscure the pain being felt in one of the world’s largest and poorest countries—lndia. For India the year began with tragedy and ended with the prospect of disaster which would almost certainly claim more lives than would battlefields. Successful talks between India and Pakistan at Tashkent in January led to 12 months of delicate truce over the disputed territory of Kashmir. On January 11 the Indian Prime Minister, Mr Shastri, died in Tashkent. Mrs Indira Gandhi succeeded him and immediately faced the crisis of terrible famine. In spite of political strife elsewhere the unequal struggle of man against nature in India exemplified the immense problem of world hunger that survives unchanged for 1967. New Zealand played its small part in some of these events. Its aid for the needy abroad seemed pitifully small when compared with the bounty enjoyed at home. New Zealand soldiers fought against the aggressive seizure of political power in Vietnam and an almost-forgotten force of policemen carried on their valuable peace-keeping work in Cyprus. In New Zealand a General Election, protests and much talk about Rhodesia, Vietnam, radio pirates, the economy, the control of broadcasting, Rugby football, and the design of decimal coins still left our way of life unaltered. Several foreordained events in 1967 will affect many or most New Zealanders. From July 10 the Dominion will have a decimal currency. From April, motorists who err can expect to accumulate points for court convictions and, if they gather too many points, they will have their driving licences cancelled. The Government has promised to hold a referendum during the year to determine whether hours for the sale of liquor in bars shall be altered. After 1 p.m. on April 25 Anzac Day will cease to be a public holiday reserved to remember and honour those who died in war. During the afternoon everyone will be free to promote or enjoy the pursuit of leisure or profit as on any other public holiday. Early next year contractors will begin to build New Zealand’s big new industrial plant, the works for New Zealand Steel, Ltd., near Pukekohe, creating, as all will hope, an enterprise of great importance to the economy. Two inquiries into the use of transport equipment—containers for shipping and large jet aircraft for overseas cargoes—may point towards ways of overcoming some of the disadvantage New Zealand suffers by being so far from the main markets for its produce. How well, during the coming year, the returns from these markets will reward New Zealanders for their impressive expansion of farm production and for their promotion of secondary industry can only be guessed at. Although New Zealand faces a period of economic restraint, this should impose no intolerable hardship, even if the discipline seems irksome after many years of uninterrupted growth and rising incomes. Neither at home nor abroad can one confidently predict a happy new year—only that the events and decisions of 1966 foretell a - period in which old attitudes, accustomed ways, and familiar patterns of world affairs will continue to be overthrown.