Police moves criticised

Press, 22 November 1978, Page 6

Police moves criticised

From front page

Some people at the meeting criticised the police for hot keeping the demonstrators well away from Mr) Muldoon’s car before he left the hall. The police had put some! barriers near the entrance, as they did during the National Party conference last year, but they did not insist that the demonstrators should stay on the opposite side of the street, and were powerless to prevent the crowd from surging around the car. Throughout the meeting Mr Muldoon said that the hecklers were Labour sup- ; porters, but one man stood up and said that he had nothing to do with the Labour Party.

Several times during the meeting a group of hecklers held up a banner reading, “I am not Bill Andersen.”

When he began speaking, to loud booing and jeering,! at the start of the meeting, Mr Muldoon said: "The leader of the Labour Party told the menagerie to stay

at home. They must have! broken out somewhere.” 1 It is believed that Labour! Party officials had urged their members not to attend the meeting, so they would not be blamed for any disruption. “This is an example of a totalitarian society,” Mr Muldoon said as the hecklers tried to drown him out. “Fortunately we haven’t! got one here. These are the people who talk about free speech. They are a great advertisement for the Labour Party, aren’t they?” When he tried to talk about trade relations there was a burst of slow clapping and 1 !stamping, to chants of “ex--port Muldoon.” More booing and cheering! erupted when he said: “It worries me that we are) spending millions of tax-; payers’ money on their education.” He later told the hecklers:! “Look, I was dealing with! crowds like you before you! were weaned. I am not sure you are weaned.” On forestry development, Mr Muldoon said: “Some of those yobs in the back will

get a job planting trees after) ithey fail their exams. I bet| they will plant every second! one upside down.” , To chants of “Muldoon Out” and National supporters’! cheers, Mr Muidoon said: “We have to take that lot] out of university and put) them in a technical institute,! where they can learn some) decent skills.” Mr Muldoon said that one) of the worst things the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Rowling) had done during the election campaign was to say that Labour members would! not have a conscience vote) on abortion. He expressed disappoint-! ment that Mr John Kennedy,! the editor of the Romani Catholic newspaper. “The Tablet,” had not come out! against the Labour Party for this. “I would not be surprised! if they commit mass suicide) at any moment,” Mr Mul-i doon said as a group ofj young hecklers stood chant-! ing in the gallery. His promise that National) would go ahead with scheme! F for the Clutha brought!

more cheering and booing, j The demonstrators shouted i “Seig Heil” and gave Nazi i salutes when Mr Muldoon said that the Government I would get West. German ex- ■ pertise for the coal industry. I “How about East Germany! ) — do you like that better?”! |he said. Loud cheering | greeted his reference to the! : Labour Party’s refusal to )have American nuclear ships! in New Zealand.’ Mr Muldoon said that Mr Rowling had secretly told the Americans in 1975 “Come . back after the electon and we will say yes.” The change of | government had revealed thej ) “duplicity of Rowling.” I Mr Muldoon said that) |$l44M had been spent on) capital development, in Otago; by the Government, and the' province had received S49M. in Rural Rank assistance. ! Regional development aid! came to SBM, and another) SBM had been spent on irrigation schemes. A total of 108 new fac-l tories had been opened in! Otago in the last three years) — more than the number that had closed.