‘l00 new members a day’

Press, 5 June 1978, Page 2

‘l00 new members a day’

PA Hastings The Social Credit League is attracting ,100 new members a day, according to its president (Mr G. Bryant).

He said the new members were coming from all sources — the labour Party, the National Party, previous non-voters, and new voters.

Mr Bryant, speaking at the league’s eastern and youth convention in Hastings on Saturday, said the league’s membership was 50 per cent up on the previous record.

“We have a rapidly growing membership of 100 new members a day; they are pouring into headquarters,” he said. “This year we have a full-time staff of 12, but at the last election we had only two full-time staff,” he said.

The leader of the party and member of Parliament for Rangitikei (Mr B. C. Beetham) said that Socred’s popularity had risen from 7 per cent to 22 per cent in the last three to four months. “There has never been anything like it in New Zealand,” Mr Beetham said. “We cannot realistically expect that rate to be sustained, but it is important it holds up to 25 per cent. At 25 per cent, under the electorate system, we have a breakdown point of the Labour Party. “We are very, very close to a major electoral breakthrough. At 25 per cent plus, we will get a basketful of seats,” Mr Beetham said.