Candidate Sees Cracks In Government ‘Facade’

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32145, 14 November 1969, Page 10

Candidate Sees Cracks In Government ‘Facade’

The cracks were beginning to appear in the facade of' good government New Zea-; landers had tolerated for nine [ years, the Labour candidate; for Papanui (Mr M. P.i Hobby) said in an election| address in Wairakei Road last evening. To support this Mr Hobby I quoted an extract from a lead[ing article in the “Otago: Daily Times” of October 6 on |the Government’s refusal to: 'authorise the establishment: [of another freezing works inj Central Otago. The extract read: “In some, respects the rejection of ap-( plications for new freezing works in Central Otago would! have done a lot of good. Itl would have confirmed any re-! maining doubters that a considered policy to deny expansion in this province is in fact being carried out and I will confirm the general opinion that the National Government has not had the guts to challenge the arrogance or check the dictatorial power of the Meat Board and the parasitic Conference Lines. . . .

“This province can no longer suffer a policy of government for and on behalf of big monopolies, marginal seats, supra-national bodies which have taken over the economic planning of New Zealand to their own advantage.” Mr Hobby said this was condemnation indeed from a metropolitan daily that nor-

nially would editorially at least follow a soft line or hold [most of its criticisms for the [Opposition. He said that he had noticed that certain candidates spent [more time attacking their opponents than explaining their policy lo the public. “I sincerely ask voters to look carefully at such men iland try to determine their motives to see whether they dare the candidates really [wanted,” he said. The election was not for the choice of a school committee but for 84 men who I would control the country for I the next three years. Voters ! should examine candidates to [see if they were suitable for [the task, whether their party had the policy that would cover all aspects of New Zealand life and whether the party had a leader capable and strong enough to lead New Zealand in the difficult years ahead “I am sure the policy of the Labour Party is excellent and that in Norman Kirk we have a man who has the qualities that will stamp him as one of the great Prime Ministers in the years ahead,” he said.

Mr Hobby said that when one stood on a . public platform one was not expected to praise the other side and when he criticised its shortcomings he might be thought to be following the party line. But when the “Otago Daily Times,” the oldest daily newspaper in New Zealand, attacked the Government there was some justification for! others doing likewise.