Sir Robert’s use of letter angers P.M.

Press, 13 June 1986, Page 4

Sir Robert’s use of letter angers P.M.

PA Auckland The Prime Minister, Mr Lange, yesterday arrived back from an overseas trip angry with his predecessor, Sir Robert Muldoon.

Mr Lange attacked Sir Robert for exposing his children to “public humiliation” by releasing a copy of a letter they inadvertently sold during a roadside stall at Mangere. At a press conference at Auckland Airport, Mr Lange told reporters Sir Robert was intent on becoming Prime Minister again. To achieve that goal, the member for Tamaki was prepared to use dirty tactics and stoop to “politics of the pit.” The New Zealand public must take heed, he said. “It shows what sort of person was Prime Minister," he said, “and it shows what sort of person wants to be Prime Minister again.” The letter, written by Mr Lange to his bank manager, Mr John Nicholson, in 1984, described Sir Robert as a “mere toad in slime of the lowest order.” It also accused Sir Robert of “vindictive, dishonourable behaviour.”

Mr Lange recounted the events which prompted the letter. He stood by its contents and said it was one of the best letters he had ever written. However, Mr Lange was clearly annoyed with Sir Robert for releasing a copy of the letter to the weekly newspaper, “Truth.” “Truth” subsequently ran a report this week on the letter under the headline, “Lange kids pot Dad.”

Life as a politician was full of “whirling currents,” Mr Lange said, “but why bring a nine-year-old girl into it?”

To use the letter, and therefore expose his children to public humiliation, was inexcusable, Mr Lange said.

Sir Robert said last evening that a woman found the letter tucked inside a children’s book she bought at a roadside stall in Mangere run by the Lange children.

“It refers to me in scathing terms and the woman thought I should know about it,” Sir Robert said.

The letter was written to the Onehunga branch of the Bank of New Zealand after Mr Lange, who was then Leader of the Opposition, made a world trip accompanied by his wife, Naomi. The document refers to Mr Lange’s “considerable indebtedness,” which it says arose because Sir Robert, who was then Prime Minister, reneged on a deal for the Government to pay for the trip.

Seeking “assistance,” the letter says that although Mr Lange was expecting prompt payment he also expected to “run up to about $4750 within one month because of commitments entered into abroad.”

The letter said Sir Robert refused to approve payment of Mr Lange’s trip and that Sir Robert “didn’t have the guts to tell me.”

“He is a mere toad in slime of the lowest order,” the letter said. "I didn’t calculate on such vindictive, dishonourable behaviour, even from a shyster such as the Prime Minister.” Sir Robert last evening described the letter as most extraordinary. “It is exactly what we have seen when the pressure is on him,” he said.

Sir Robert said Mr Lange got the normal allowance to which a member of Parliament was entitled.

It is believed that Mr Lange received a travelling allowance of $l3O a day while away.