Royal Visit

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31908, 8 February 1969, Page 12

Royal Visit

Sir,—l wholeheartedly support Mr Hill in his opposition to a Royal visit to New Zealand. The Commonwealth Society defends the principle of a Royal visit which would provide real live-stage characters for our “schoolchildren’s history lessons.” I trust my son would prefer to see his own grandparents reap the benefit of any surplus Government funds (for surely we are not going to use borrowed money to finance the visit) and ideologically, to remain a realistic New Zealander and to disregard the pleas of the royalists.—Yours, ete., LAURELLE MARTIN. February 6, 1969. Sir.—l was amazed to hear Mr Hill, of the Canterbury Trades Council, suggest that the country could not afford to waste money by providing a tour for the monarchy while we allegedly have old age pensioners living in poor conditions. Surely Mr Hill should think of these people before he and his associates call out the general strikes which cost this country millions of dollars every year. These should be of more concern to Mr Hill, as they only bring a few extra dollars to a few people, certainly not the old age pensioners. With Britain contemplating joining the E.E.C. surely it is to our advantage to remind Britain that we are still very loyal members of her Commonwealth, thus strengthening our chances of avoiding the economic disadvantages such a move would cause to the whole country.—Yours, etc., CONCERNED. February 6, 1969.