Hobson's Choice

In a church hall 34 years ago political candidates gathered for an election meeting. Parties represented were Social Credit, Values, Labour and National. The hot issue was housing rents.

Mrs Harvey, the Social Credit candidate, said rent racketeering in the Hutt was very bad. She had had the experience of house hunting and soon found people were not there to make friends, but to make money. Social Credit would help by offering money for houses at only 3 percent interest.

Mr Colman, one of two Labour candidates, said his party would match that AND would impose rent control under a body of people who would serve at no cost.

Mr Overton, speaking on behalf of the Values Party said the problem was population growth. The more people you have, the more houses you will want. Half of the babies being born were unplanned. If people would just plan their families New Zealand could achieve zero population growth.

Finally Mr Fowler, the National nominee, said local and central government should acquire land and sell it, not to make a profit but to offer it cheaper. He said that speculators were the problem, purchasing land to their own advantage.

This was reported in the Hutt News on the eve of the 1972 general election.

Good God. What a choice. Where's Bob Jones when you need him?