An attempt to rattle some very old bones

Press, 4 August 1976, Page 19

An attempt to rattle some very old bones

By

R. T. BRITTENDEN

Criticism of the Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) has become a public pastime, ranking just below the finding of flaws in the selection of All Black test teams.

No doubt Mr Muldoon has invited the attentions of columnists and cartoonists, through his personality as well as his performance. But it sometimes seems that criticisms are made of habit; and (he repetition is becoming wearisome.

Television One tried to get into the arena on Monday’s “Tonight” programme. but its spear missed its mark. This was during an interview w'ith Mr Henry Lang, the Secretary of the Treasury, about, his impending retirement.

The early stages of the piece suggested what was to come — the interviewer recalled how well Mr Lang had got along with Mr Rowling, how’ happy he had been in his job. Then there was reference to Mr Lang’s unexpected decision to resign. The interviewer asked

Mr Lang about his rela tionship with Mr Muldoon.

“Entirely satisfactory,” said Mr Lang. The interviewer leapt into action. “No more than satisfactory?" he asked, meaningfully. “I said ‘entirely satisfactory’.” replied Mr Lang, firmly. Mr Lang further stated that he had said on many occasions he had never intended to work out the full term of his possible employment in the position. It was all quite brief, and in retrospect, a little trivial. But there was another hint of danger in the performance. The quaint idea that assertive interviewing demands the discovery of skeletons in empty cupboards seems to persist, even when Dr Edwards has apparently ceased the practice. And it is dangerous: the spoken word cannot be recalled, it cannot be mulled over.

A suggestion can be left hanging in the air, to mislead. Surely it is not the business of television interviewers to find

trouble, even if there is none. It may be, o'f course, that Mr Lang was simply being loyal-to the government, and that beneath his calm exterior he hides a deep dislike of Mr Muldoon and all his works. He certainly did not give any such impression, and what he said should have been accepted. The extremely good coverage of the Olympic Games ended with the sort of Hollywood extravaganza of the closing ceremony. One could not but admire the organisation, the magnificence of the colour, the splendour of the singing and music, especially during the final flag-taising ceremony. And as it ended, there seemed-to be the strange impression that international sport might, after all, retain some value, notwithstanding politics and prejudices, racism and records. The genuinely warm applause of the crowd fot the competitors, the appreciation and affection it showed, must surely mean something.