Angry scene as Govt announces Vietnam aid

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33815, 11 April 1975, Page 1

Angry scene as Govt announces Vietnam aid

(Aeu> Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON. April 10. The Government loda\ approved the provision of Sim from its aid programme to assist the Vietnamese. This was announced by the Prime Minister (Mr Rowling) in Parliament tonight, amid angry scenes as i he reacted to goading from the Leader of the Opposition * (Mr Muldoon ) about Vietnamese orphans.

Mr Rowling said the aid would be used on the advice ol such organisations as U.N.LC.E.F.

Mr Rowling accused Mr Muldoon of attempting to make a political issue out of the misery, (suffering and starvation of the Vietnamese. Mr Muldoon had urged Mr Rowling to follow Australia’s lead and admit Vietnamese orphans, particularly those of American parentage. “Our Prime Minister still says 'I am waiting till someone asks me’,” Mr Muldoon said. “Mr Whitlam didn’t wait to be asked.” Mr Rowling reacted by saying that the country had seen the real measure of a leader who was so "personlally hungry for political i power that lie will attempt in i every way possible to make (a political issue out of the 'misery, starvation and suffering of the Vietnamese rather | than come forward with | something worth while in (the interests of those people.” Mr Rowling’s remarks ( were greeted with a barrage' (of rowdy interjections from ; (the Opposition. Mr T. F. Gill (Nat., East J (Coast Bays) said: “We need > some decisions from the! i Prime Minister. What’s ( (happened to your guts?” i The Speaker (Mr S. A. (Whitehead) had to intervene several times to call for order. He threatened to i name the worst offenders forb interjecting. This could have ■i led to their suspension. II

. • The clash between the two leaders came in the Address-' in-Reply debate. Although I they spoke last week, the I House is now considering an amendment,. and this( allowed them a second i speech. Mr Rowling said a great deal of emotion had been; stirred up over the orphans.; “I think our people are to; be applauded for the way;, they feel,” he said. But con-1, ditions were so deplorable in ■ Vietnam that it was not pos-' sible to determine who was or was not an orphan. He < asked people to contemplate the possibility of a child, adopted by New Zealanders, who later came to be claimed by its real parents. “This is the kind of exercise that must be con-: sidered,” he said. Help was most needed( within Vietnam, and this was! where New Zealand was; directing her attentions. ‘"Deplorable” ( “It is a deplorable state of I affairs that something of this’ 'kind is dragged into the! | political arena,” Mr Rowling; said. ( Mr Muldoon began hisL (speech by urging the Primeij Minister to reply to some oft the questions he had posed; in his opening Address-in-Reply speech. Mr Muldoon said Vietnam- j ( ese of mixed blood had no i ■ future in a country which i (had such strong family ties. I