Muldoonism

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34130, 17 April 1976, Page 14

Muldoonism

Sir. — May I ask why the Russians should be at all interested in New Zealand? Do they have desires to colonise the South Pacific? It seems to be stretching the imagination a bit far to think that they have sud-.

denly become a menace to. the security of New Zealand. I Surely the only reason for these outbursts from Mr) Muldoon are to justify the i decision he has already! made to allow the United: States for its nuclear v/arships in New Zealand, and to make his forthcoming trip to China a success. His statements may please the Americans arid Chinese, but he is supposed to be our representative on the world stage, not then a. — Yours, etc., C. W. LEE. April 14, 1976. . Sir — No surprise at the I silence from the Kremlin. In (all likelihood its tenants have yet to recover from choking on their vodka. — :Yours, etc., ROGER J. PEEK. I April 14, 1976. Sir, — Mr Muldoon is 'absolutely right in saying (that he had no reason .to believe that any of Russia’s 11600 land-based interIcontinental ballistic missiles (were, in fact, targeted on New Zealand. “Nor do I see (any reason why they should be . . ”: therefore his state[meht that New Zealand (could be a target for Soviet [missiles is gratuitously and [provocatively inflammatory, (deliberately designed to foul ,New Zealand’s relations with the Soviet Union. Amid the (intricate negotiations pro(ceeding to achieve detente [his remarks are criminally (irresponsible. If their injterition is to convince his (United States patrons of his (zeal, he could have overj reached himself. In United (States political parlance, Mr (Muldoon is a “hawk,” but in [the tense atmosphere sur■rounding the precarious baltance of United States-Soviet (armaments Mr Muldoon’s (hawkishiiess is of a degree ■ to make even the American [eagle quail. — Yours, etc., M. CREEL. I April 14, 1976. Sir, — Saturday, Novem[ber 29, 1975, was indeed (New Zealand’s Black SaturI day. That day we turned (around and went backwards. (Daily applications from local! 'bodies and community or-1 [ganisations to complete pro-'

jeers such as swimming pools, irrigation schemes, road construction, etc., are rejected. The policies of this

“One-Man Band Government” can only stagnate the economy and this is unrealistic. The social needs of the community generally must come before this fanatical determination to balance the books. Decisions made are aimed simply to create a false depression. Mr Muldoon is like the father who too' his son’s bike from him and then gave it back to him later so that the son would think he was a nice kind father. This will be the Muldoon approach in 1978 when he hands out all the goodies. Will he fool the people again? — Yours, etc., ROGER BLAIR. April 14, 1976.

Sir, — Your Wednesday heading “Russia silent in face of Prime Minister’s attacks” is surely one more move in preparing us for war. The Russians would be as foolish as any other nation to give away’ classified information any time someone made a provocative statement. But we must remember that it was Hitler who. to justify his attack on Russia, said he had decided to rid the world once and for all of the menace of Bolshevism and it was the American President. Truman, who spoke of containing and rolling back communism before Hitler’s funeral pyre had ceased smouldering. It was the United States which spoke of keeping war from America’s shores and set up N.A.T.0., C.E.N.T.O. and S.E.A.T.O. so other countries would do the fighting in carrying out the above policy. It was the United States which called the monopolyheld atom bomb the great deterrent. — Yours, etc., H. COX. April 14, 1976. [This correspondence is now closed. — Editor]