Vexing time for party

Press, 26 July 1984, Page 1

Vexing time for party

By PATRICIA HERBERT in Wellington These are embarrassing times indeed for the National Party. Already red-faced at the Labour landslide and wriggling under the divisions caused by Sir Robert Muldoon’s continued leadership, it is now confronted with a fresh indignity. The booklet for the party’s forty-eighth annual conference, to begin in Wellington tomorrow, was released yesterday. It was clearly printed before Sir Robert’s decision to go to the polls early and is full of morale-boosting optimism — bitter reading in the wake of the July 14 results. Sir Robert sets the tone in his leader’s message on page one which begins, “The National Government goes

into this year’s election campaign with a great deal of confidence." He repeats this at the end; then it is the turn of the party president, Mrs Sue Wood. “These are exciting times,” she says. “Let us not forget why we are here. The strength of our party lies in the fact that it is the most broadly-based political party in New Zealand.” Her annual report from the party’s Dominion council begins, “The National Party goes into this year’s General Election with a record of achievement that all New Zealanders can be proud of." But she later sounds a note of caution, mentioning the difficulties involved in winning for the fourth consecutive time.