Time Is Running Out, Says Smith

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31761, 19 August 1968, Page 17

Time Is Running Out, Says Smith

(N.Z.P. A.-Reuter—Copyright)

SALISBURY, August 18.

The Rhodesian Prime Minister (Mr lan Smith) said tonight that his breakaway Government had won the war against sanctions, but he warned his fellow-countrymen that they would now have to “ensure that the peace is right”

Opening a fete here in Salisbury, Mr Smith said: “For a short time the economy was very ill, but the most recent facts prove we are doing better than ever my colleagues or I expected. “But the pace of our economic growth is not sufficient to keep pace with the growth of our population. The only way we will be able to do that is to ensure that the peace is right. "This is absolutely vital. We have got to get things moving more quickly than they are doing. “To win the peace, Rhodesians will have to keep cool

and maintain their unity. We must not split over small unimportant details. What matters is the ultimate goal.”

Mr Smith stressed that time was running out for a settlement with Britain.

“We negotiated for three years before declaring our own independence and we have tried to talk for nearly three years since then,” he said.

“We belived all along that a settlement offered the best means of solving our problems, but time is running out If we waited until after our new Constitution is adopted, we would be showing vacillation and weakness.”