Mr Beetham predicts Socred Govt in 1984

Press, 20 February 1980, Page 12

Mr Beetham predicts Socred Govt in 1984

PA Hamilton A Social Credit Government for New Zealand by 1984 was predicted at Te Awamutu by the league’s leader and member for Rangitikei (Mr B. C. Beetham). He told the annual meeting of the Waipa branch that the latest public opinion poll taken at the end of last year gave Social Credit 21 per cent of public support, 5 per cent more than at the time of the 1978 General Elections. This was approaching the “crucial and critical” threshold level of 25 per

cent which could “collapse” a dozen or more seats in favour of the league, he said. But he warned supporters that “the closer you get, the harder it gets” because of an irreducible minimum level of support for the other parties, which could be lowered only by “very hard pushing.” “Morale is high in the league, membership is at an all-tim record, and We are operating at maximum efficiency,, but the beginnings'of complacency ■ are showing.” Referring to the “spoilt

chances” in the 1966-69 period when the league was repiesented in Parliament by Mr V. F. Cracknell, he said Social Credit had “sat down and taken a holiday” then. If the era was repeated now, the league would miss the greatest opportunity it ever had of becoming a political force to be reckoned with. Mr Beetham said that although it had no big business interests pouring money into its coffers, through careful budgeting it was in its strongest ever financial position. A $1 million target had been set for 1981 and already more than $lOO,OOO was assured through cash guarantees and pledges. The league proposed to use $J million on the 1981 General Elections, reserving the other half; for use as a sound financial basis on which to fight the 1984 election. “If we collect 12 seats in 1981 and are given a continuation, of the present economic and political trends, a Social Credit Government in 1984 is definitely on,” Mr Beetham said.