‘National spent overseas funds on TV ads’

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 34000, 14 November 1975, Page 2

‘National spent overseas funds on TV ads’

fK Z Press Association) WHANGAREI, November 13. The Prime Minister (Mr Rowling) has called the National Party’s $200,000 television advertising campaign a •"sell-out.” Speaking in Whangarei.) Mr Rowling said much of the Opposition’s $200,000 television campaign spending had gone overseas, as the commercials had not been made in New Zealand. "They’ve spent overseas funds that they talk so much" about, getting a collection of. very dubious material to snow on television.” he said. "If there was ever a sellout of New Zealand policy let me assure you. that’s it.” In Auckland Mr Rowling returned to National’s ’ television cartoon campaign. "If they aimed a little bit higher they’d be in danger of shooting themselves in the foot.” he told cheering watersiders. The president of the Auckland Waterside Workers’ Union (Mr J. Clare) presented Mr Rowling with a $2870

cheque for Labour’s campaign. .Mr Rowling’s attack on National’s television commercials drew a sharp rejoinder from the chairman of National’s publicity committee (Mr George Gair) today "This criticism only draws attention to Labour's present deceptive efforts featuring the Prime Minister and ih>s overseas borrowing policies.” he said. Labour’s advertising now appearing in newspapers throughout New Zealand featuring the Prime Minister’s nortrait and saying. “Trust; Labour, it’s working.” seriously understated the measure of overseas indebtedness. “It is not slooom borrowing as claimed, hut s2loom arranged and $!800m already uplifted.” said Mr Gair. “Mr Rowling cannot run away from the borrowing by his own Reserve Bank, the credit arrangements to his own Government’s special agencies, or to the overseas borrowing specifically approved bv his Government for the private sector.” Labour’s assertion that full employment had been main-

tained was false, said Mr[ Gair. Unemployment and relief work figures now were; higher than three years ago.; "To claim that New Zealand has one of the lowest inflation rates in the world is a barefaced lie. New Zealand now has one of the six worst inflation records among O.E.C.D. countries,” said Mr Gair. National’s ‘error’ National had made a serious tactical error in fighting, the election campaign on I personalities. the deputy leader of Social Credit (Mrs Les Hunter) said in Auckland ■ today. Mr Hunter claimed that! National was “foundering very fast” judging by in-; formation given to Social Credit and recent opinion polls. He told a press conference to mark the start of an intensive tour of the Auckland; area, that one such private; poll in Tauranga had shown; that of the traditional’ National supporters, about; 10 to 12 per cent were not; happy with Mr Muldoon. The survey had found a; similar percentage of unhappy voters in the Labour camp. These voters were not’ disenchanted because of the 1 , leadership of Mr Rowling,;, but were upset that in 1972; Labour had promised “some-: thing better” in social change and had delivered:’ "something worse,” he said.; Mr Hunter claimed that! personality attacks were; backfiring harshly on National, but added it was still too early to predict who would win the election. He said that Social Credit had clearly gained support in the rural areas. He predicted that Social Credit would win Hobson and Rangitikei. The Values Party today charged Mr Rowling with insulting mothers and ignoring his own Government's select committee on human rights. The party’s deputy leader (Ms Cathy Wilson) said "the select committee devoted one-fifth of its report to; women in the home, and recommended that they be[ paid a fair wage for caring l for dependants. This has, been Values Party policy; since last April. “The Prime Minister pro-; poses that a mother be paid; at the rate of $23 a year for! caring for her first child overt 15 years. $lO a year for her l second child, and nothing for any subsequent children J Presumably, subsequent I children are regarded as! worthless by the Labour; Government, or do they! imagine that they involve:

[less work on the mother’s! part?” The practice of allowing! ’prison inmates to send complaints would be stopped immediately by a National Government, the party’s spokesman on law and order (Mr D. S. Thomson) said at Stratford today. Mr Thomson said the practice, which was introduced by the Minister of Justice (Dr Finlay) had placed warders under pressure from inmates. ! Prisoners were now Threatening officers with a 'letter to the Minister when [they tried to enforce penal 1 regulations. ! Formerly, inmates’ complaints had been channelled through the prison superintendent or visiting Justices of 'the Peace or members of Parliament, but now these avenues were being bypassed. Mr Thomson said the widely-publicised “Dear Les” I letter to an inmate was a! [direct result of the provision: i and. by embarrassing Dr; [Finlay, should have con-,' vinced him of the folly of the] ■practice. Condition satisfactory.— The five children injured in a ,school-bus accident at Pi-! [rongia on Tuesday were all: in a satisfactory condition in' Waikato Hospital yesterday.! —(P.A.) |