MR HOLYOAKE SAID TO BELITTLE CRITICS

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31332, 31 March 1967, Page 3

MR HOLYOAKE SAID TO BELITTLE CRITICS

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, March 30.

The Combined State Services Organisation tonight accused the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) of seeking to counter critical comment by belittling his critics or impugning their motives.

The organisation was replying to an earlier statement by Mr Holyoake commenting on his reaction to the Federation of Labour’s stop - work meetings last week.

Mr Holyoake had accused the organisation of being singularly lacking in the qualities of dignity and fair play. He was commenting on a claim by the organisation that he was dismayed at the success of the stop-work meetings. “Mr Holyoake’s reaction to the statement issued by the C.S.S.O. follows a familiar pattern of avoiding the real issue and seeking to counter critical comment by belittling the critic or impuning his motives,” the statement said. Credibility Theory

“This practice must make many wonder how much reliance can be placed on many Government statements. But perhaps the Prime Minister does not believe in the credibility gap theory. “In his statement, Mr Holyoake attempted to show that

the Government did not mislead the country over the state of the economy before the election.

“Whatever Mr Holyoake says now, members of the public can make their own assessment as to whether the view of the economy we have had from the Government since January differs materially from that painted only last November. “Accusation Not New”

“The accusation that the C.S.S.O. seems determined to involve their members in purely political matters is not new.

“This is merely the latest occasion on which a Government Minister has trailed this particular red herring to mask the substance of justifiable criticism of Government actions.

“It is perhaps hardly for the employee representatives to answer Mr Holyoake’s claim that they have not shown the dignity and fair

play expected of them,” said the statement.

“This is two-edged. Mr Holyoake should remember that dignity and fair play are considered by many to be attributes also of the office of Prime Minister.”