RETIREMENT OF MENZIES NIGH

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30962, 19 January 1966, Page 17

RETIREMENT OF MENZIES NIGH

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) CANBERRA, January 18. Sir Robert Menzies, once written off as a political has-been, but who fought back to become Prime Minister of Australia for a record term, is expected to announce his retirement from that office on Thursday.

There are few neutral about “Bob” Menzies.

To his admirers he is a statesman of influence in world affairs, a trusted friend of Royalty, of Presidents and Prime Ministers, and Australia’s moving spirit in its swift development of the 1950 s and 19605.

To his opponents he is “Ming the merciless,” an arrogant man with little regard for his inferiors. But even they do not deny that he is a man of stature, a great politician, a brilliant orator. Sir Robert Menzies has been Prime Minister continuously since 1949 and his 18J years of service in the office cover more than a quarter of Australia’s 65-year history as a federation. That record period does not

include his shorter term at the outbreak of the Second World War. Presence Felt Since 1949 he has dominated the Australian political scene, but for long before that he had made his presence felt. A brilliant young lawyer who became Australia’s youngest K.C. at 34, he was one of her youngest Prime Minister s at 44. It was the reaction to his early brilliance —and the touch of arrogance that sprang from it—which led his critics to forecast, after dissension I within his party forced him

jjo resign as Prime Minister lin 1941. that he was finished | as a political force. New Party But it was the same brilliance which enabled him to profit from defeat, to build a new political party, to control it with a ruthlessness that bordered on dictatorship and fight his way back to power. Sir Robert Menzies, now 71, the son of a small country storekeeper and state Parliamentarian, entered state politics in Victoria in 1928. He was at that time one of the country’s most soughtafter constitutional lawyers, clearly set to make a fortune at the bar had he not abandoned the certainty of his legal practice for the vagaries of politics. In 1934 he went into Federal Parliament, straight into the Ministry, and by 1939 was Prime Minister. In just over two years, internal dissension in his government forced him to resign; and soon afterwards the United Australia Party was in opposition. Majority Fell

Menzies formed the Liberal Party, largely from the remains of the old United Australia Party, in 1944, and saw to it that this time his leadership remained absolute and unassailable. In 1949 the Liberal and Country Parties swept Labour out of office. It has survived every election since. By 1961 Labour succeeded in whittling the Government's majority to one seat in a House of 122.

That narrow victory followed a too-severe credit squeeze which the government imposed in 1960 to check the booming economy. Menzies’s iron discipline enabled his government to remain in office with that narrow margin and by 1963 he was returned with a record majority. MR HOLT Mr Harold Holt the Treasurer, who is expected to succeed Sir Robert Menzies as Prime Minister, is 57 and has been a member of the Federal Parliament since 1935 and a Minister (except for the years 1941-1949. when his : party was in opposition) since 1939. It has been his misfortune that the man who has been 'his political mentor. Sir [ Robert Menzies, has had a record term as Prime Minister. But tbis blocked promotion means that Harold Holt would come to leadership with a breadth of political experience which few men have had when they first moved into the Prime Ministerial suite. Some critics believe that like Anthony Eden he might have been overshadowed for too long before reaching the ultimate political office. Friendly Manner

Harold Holt has most of the attributes of the successful politician—he is handsome, a fluent orator, a good rough-and4umble speaker, and has sound political sense; he has a talented, attractive wife, a good presence and a friendly manner. The friendly manner may be a handicap as leader. So far he has shown little of the political ruthlessness which i has given Sir Robert Menzies 'Supreme control of the Liberal Party. i Harold Holt is the son of t a theatrical manager, Tom Holt. His mother was a half-

sister of the English comedienne, Vera Pearce, and his younger brother is an executive of an Australian theatre chain. A.I.F. Gunner In his early years as a lawyer, Harold Holt had an association with show business as secretary of the Victorian Cinematograph Exhibitors’ Association. He became a Minister as the “baby” of the first Menzies Ministry in 1939, when he was only 31, but resigned to become a gunner in the Australian Imperial Forces in 1940. When three Ministers of the Menzies Government were killed in an air crash at Canberra later that year the Prime Minister asked him to leave the Army and to join the wartime Cabinet as Minister for Labour and National Service. He did so. Two Portfolios

The Government was defeated the following year, but when the Liberal and Country Party Coalition came to government in 1949 he was again given the labour and National Service portfolio. In addition, he was made Minister for Immigration, a ! post which was then specially

important because the post, war tide of migrants was at its peak. In those two portfolios he was one of Australia's most popular Ministers. But since 1948 he has had to bear the unpopularity] which the Australian tax, payer traditionally attaches to the Treasurer.

He has been deputy leader of the Liberal Party and leader of the House of Repre, sentatives since 1956. Good Contacts

At 57 Holt is remarkably, fit. He is still an active skin, diver and spear-fisherman, who takes every opportunity to indulge his passion fog under-water sport. His mask, snorkel and flip, pens are likely to be in his baggage on any overseas trip which offers a prospect of time off in a coastal area.

Harold Holt is widely trav, elled, with especially good contacts throughout the Brit, ish Commonwealth. He led many Australian delegations to Commonwealth Parliamentary Association conferences and in recent years has been a regular participant in Commonwealth Finance Ministers’ conferences and meetings of the Intel) (national Monetary Fund,