Best Birthday Present Possible For Churchill

Northern Advocate, 1 December 1949, Page 5

Best Birthday Present Possible For Churchill

LONDON PAPER'S COMMENT .. .

LONDON, Wed. (11 a.m.).— “The defeat of Labour in New Zealand is a sign of the times,” said Lord Woolton, chairman of the Conservative Party, today. . “Political issues in New Zealand are basically the same as those here. “When the time comes, the people of Britain will not lag behind their kinsmen in showing the world the right road to follow.”

The result of the elections was sent in to a private meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party Labour’s defeat had no immediaU effect on prices of New Zealand stocks quoted on the London Stock Exchange

British Government securities at today’s opening added further to the adavnces made in the past two days, but did not advance again when the Stock Exchange heard the result of the New Zealand poll The London Evening News and Evening Standard prominently announced on their front pages the defeat of the New Zealand Labour Government.

The Evening Standard in five-column banner headlines said: “Australia watches as Tories sweep to victory after 14 years. New Zealand leads the way, throws Socialists out.” SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME

The Evening Standard in a leading article, said: “The result of this election delineates the shape of things to come in other parts of the Empire. “It seems that the peoples of the Empire, having sampled the rigours and failures of Socialist -ule, are now turning back to the parties of freedom.

“What New Zealand has voted out today, Australia and Great Britain should defeat tomorrow.”

The Evening News gave the results of the election under the following double-column headings: “New Zealand Labour beaten after 14 years. Tories sweep the polls”. It said in a leading article: “The best birthday present possible to Mr Churchill (who was 75 yesterday) comes today from New Zealand with the news of the solid turnover in the genera] election there. “To those who believe that there are constitutional and democratic methods of pnding the dreariness and muddle of Socialist rule, and that there is a proper alternative to Socialism, the victory of the New Zealand Nationalists will come as encouragement. “Britain may show that what New Zealand can do is zestfully worthy of repetition in the Old Country ”