Govt’s deputy move soon?

Press, 2 March 1984, Page 1

Govt’s deputy move soon?

By

MICHAEL HANNAH,

Parliamentary reporter

The New Zealand Party spokesman, Mr Bob Jones, has suggested that the Government may announce the retirement of the Deputy Prime Minister. Mr MacIntyre, to distract attention from the New Zealand Party’s first national conference at the week-end. On the eve of the conference, Mr Jones predicted the Government would endeavour to steal the New Zealand Party’s thunder with a contrived news item during the conference, which will start today.

Mr Jones was confident, however, that the conference would show that the New Zealand Party “is rolling with such a momentum that announcements of Duncan Maclntyre’s retirement, or whatever, will be largely ignored.” Mr Maclntyre has steadfastly declined to tell journalists of his attitude to retirement. Barely two weeks ago, after speculation that he would announce his retirement when the Prime Minister, Sir Robert Muldoon, returns from overseas next week, Mr Maclntyre indicated he had decided what he would do, but that he would tell his electorate first.

Although he has spent much of this week in his electorate, this is an annual occurrence, as he attends annual meetings of National Party branches. The round of meetings would certainly present him with an opportunity to inform the electorate of his intentions, but this still remains speculation. Mr Jones said that almost 700 delegates had registered from throughout New Zealand for the conference. ■ However, this contrasts with a statement by a conference organiser, who told “The Press”. on Wednesday that the party hoped to have 360 delegates, or their proxies, representing each electorate.