Mrs Rowling wants clean fight

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33963, 2 October 1975, Page 6

Mrs Rowling wants clean fight

Recent “distasteful incidents around Parliaiment” had caused Mrs j Glen Rowling, the wife of the Prime Minister, jto agree that politics was sometimes a dirty game. Referring to the General Election, she said: “Politics in New Zealand has generally been a worth-while career for decent men. And I hope that parties of all persuasions will make the fight a clean one, and put their ideas and ideals before the public in an objective and responsible way.” Mrs Rowling told about 350 women attending a luncheon organised by the Christchurch branch of the Labour Party, yesterday,

that perhaps politics could do with some more humour. Like last night, she said, referring to Mr Rowling’s appearance on television in a comedy sequence on the Fred Dagg show. Mrs Rowling confessed that she would prefer to stand up before a microphone to sing rather than speak. Her first year as a Prime Minister’s wife had not been easy and to fee swept up into such a job was frightening. The belief that she could carry on as always was soon shattered, she said.

“I wasn’t ready for the publicity and the lack of privacy, and every so often this still irks me. Like Greta Garbo, 1 often like to be alone.” She said that mental:

fatigue was often as bad as the physical fatigue in the constant round of social engagements. Mrs Rowling said that the accomplishments of the women’s movement had succeeded in removing many of the silly strictures which were once imposed on politicians’ wives and that now they could behave as ordinary human beings. However, they soon found that it was wise to think and think again before uttering on any subject. Honest answer “To be oneself is most important and one should speak out according to one’s ability and knowledge.” Mrs Rowling later practised what she had preached when asked a question from the

floor on an immigration matter. An honest answer was forthcoming from Mrs Rowling who said she was sorry she could not answer the question as she did not know enough about the immigration laws. Mrs Rowling said that the climate for women today was such that she could sing on television without harming her husband or his office. "Censure should only come because of bad or antisocial behaviour, not because we don’t agree with someone’s views or actions.” Asked how she had adjusted to the role of the Prime Minister’s wife, Mrs Rowling answered that she had had 14 years as a politician’s wife in which to adjust. However, she added, there were two types of people that perhaps should not marry. They were priests and politicians.

Relating some of the happier moments in her life as the Prime Minister’s wife, Mrs Rowling told of visits to interesting countries, meeting with Heads of State, and sharing a joke with the Queen over lunch at Buckingham Palace. Mrs Rowling singled out President Tito of Yugoslavia on whom to comment. She thought he was a very kind, genuine person and a man of great vigour for his age. At the conference of Commonwealth Heads of Government in Jamaica this year, Mrs Rowling attended a smaller conference held by the wives of the leaders. “While agreeing that there was a great difference in women’s needs between developed and underdeveloped countries, everyone said that they wanted a fulfilling life and the right to be themselves and not an extension of a man.”