N.R.B. poll

Press, 2 July 1979, Page 16

N.R.B. poll

Sir, — Mr Muldoon and his minority Government should note well the latest N.R.B. poll results. Any plans he may have had to engineer a union confrontation and hold a 1951style election would now be unsuccessful. The emotion and unreason of the anti-

union bogy would be insufficient to recapture the huge loss of support the National Party has suffered under his incompetent leadership. Resignation is the only fitting response to this massive vote of no confidence in his bankrupt administration. — Yours, etc.,

JOHN BALNEAVES. June 29, 1979.

Sir, —- How does a 6 per cent swing to Social Credit since last November compared with just 3 per cent to Labour, become a “huge swing to Labour”? The May N.R.B. poll gives Social Credit electoral support of 22 per cent, just 3 per cent short of our take-off point. Considering the Prime Minister’s latest bank credit squeeze Social Credit’s support must mushroom. Private borrowers must still obtain loan finance — if not from the banks at 15 per cent, then from finance companies at rates of 19-24 per cent interest. Credit replacement, not Mr Muldoon’s economically disastrous credit creation then retrenchment policy, is the essence of Social Credit’s policy. It should have been Mr Muldoon’s if he cares for the survival of private capital in New Zealand. Only inflation indexing of savings deposits, attracting investments away from loan companies, and replacement with low interest investment in production from State sources and savings will save private enterprise now. —- Yours, etc.,

G. A. CLOVER. June 29, 1979.

Sir, — Surely your reporting of the May N.R.B. poll should have read, “Huge swing to Social Credit.” A close look at the poll shows clearly that Social Credit gained 6 per cent more of the total vote while Labour only managed 3 per cent. In fact Social Credit gained two votes for every one to Labour. How then can you approve the heading given? Looking at it another way, Social Credit increased its vote by 37 per cent while Labour’s 3-40ths represents only 7 per cent. When we remember that Social Credit was second in 11 electorates at the last election, what a difference one would have seen, with National down 13 per cent all to Social Credit. Our voters would be well represented in Parliament. One thing is obvious: Social Credit is the only party with a steadily increasing sup-. port. — Yours etc., R. M. GYDE, June 29, 1979.