Nordy Agrees On Test Protest

When a Students Association delegation questioned him on the proposed French nuclear testing, Mr. Nordmeyer agreed with the view that the New Zealand Government has not protested strongly enough to France.

"The French Government apparently regards New Zealand's protest as purely a matter of form, and has treated it as such." he said.

He thought the time had come to make our concern much more clear to the French.

"The Government should endeavour to persuade all South Pacific countries to put forward a united protest against France's programme." he said.

Nordmeyer felt that those who despaired of what New Zealand could do did not realise that many countries would welcome a lead on this matter.

He felt that the United Nations could be used as a forum in which to bring pressure to bear on France. This would be particularly important if the Three-Power Moscow talks produced test ban agreement. There was a danger that unless such pressure was given high priority. France might spend so much on preparations that there would be no chance of her turning back.

It was also possible that France could jeopardise such an agreement if she continued testing when other countries had agreed to stop.

Asked what students could do to help, Nordmeyer said that they had a part to play in mobilising public opinion. The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament had already done a great deal towards this, but he felt there was a need for a much stronger lead to public opinion. This could be the responsibility of students.

In reply to President Peter Blizard's suggestion that the Opposition table a motion in Parliament calling on the Government to make immediate representations to France, Nordmeyer said that owing to Parliamentary procedure, such a motion would have no chance of being debated this session. However, since there was a petition before the House on this subject the Opposition would raise the matter when this was discussed.