The Sydney Morning Herald from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia • Page 1

1 lATE EDITION TUESDAY, MAY 16, 1978 Protest at car parts inquiry Pag 3 26 PAGES 14 CENTS UtfgONE 20944 FIRST PUBLISHED 1831 gave his country strength and inspiration' COLIOJ aanafEfv naaao MENZIE DIE By PETER BOWERS, Political Correspondent Sir Robert Menzies, Prime Minister for a record term and father figure of post-war Australia, died at his Melbourne home yesterday, aged 83. He died about 4 30 pm after suffering a coronary attack while reading in his study. AT 83 I fifs Present when he died were his wife Dame Pattic, and his doctor and life-long friend, Dr George Morrison. Dr Morrison, Sir Robert's next door neighbour for the last 14 years, had. been called to the house.

The Queen was one of the first to learn of Sir Robert's death. She was told by her private secretary, Sir Philip Moore, who received a 9 am (London time) call from Mr David Smith, the Governor-General's private secretary. Sir Robert will receive a State funeral in Melbourne on Thursday or Friday. A member of the Royal Family, possibly Prince Charles, is expected to represent the Queen. He changed his country.

He took most of the ideology out of its politics. With great skill and with some stealth, he brought his parly to the centre of the road and kept it there, retaining and developing, however imperfectly, a welfare State within a free enterprise economy. He did more for Australia's standing abroad than any other statesman. He was the least party man in his party. For his natural gifts, his record of success, his moral courage, and the extraordinarv contradictions surrounding him, he will be remembered as the most remarkable leader we have seen.

Editorial, 8 trtfi Last appeared at The Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, speaks to reporters last night after the news of Sir 'Robert Menzies' death. Immensely distinguished, Sir Robert Menzies. This picture was taken in a Sydney political rally. says Queen The Queen described Sir Robert as "an immensely distinguished Australian." Building industry next for unrest Industrial unrest involving challenges to the arbitration system spread yesterday from the metal industry to ttie building industry. THE LIBERAL Party has taken to the telephones in the Eariwoud Slate by-election campaign.

But perhaps the phone-around has been slightly indiscriminate. The Labor candidate, Ken Gabb, received a phone call this week which began: "We were wondering if you would like to help the Liberal Party campaign in Earlwood THE TEARFUL little fellow depicted below is not from a comic or children's book. He was found on an unpaid bill. More companies are softening the message on reminder notices with cartoons and statements such as: "Just a friendly reminder your account is overdue!" ETHNIC. Marrickville council doesn't like the word.

It has written to the Federal Government to say that most migrant groups find the term meaningless and insulting and that it has fallen from use overseas. The council has asked for suggestions for a new term to describe Australian migrants. THE Concise Oxford Die-lionary defines ethnic as "pertaining to race, ethnological gentile heathen." AT LAST! We now have an excuse for Australia's decline as a world tennis power. Cfcoicc magazine reveals that in tests on the 26 brands of tennis balls sold here, less than half bounced high enough to meet the requirements set down by the Lawn Tennis Association of Australia. Only five of the brands were Australian made, but two of them failed.

THE SLOGAN on Queensland number plates. "Queensland The Sunshine State," is being changed by some disgruntled Queenslandcrs. They arc covering the word sunshine with a sticker saying "Police." TELEPHONE vandalism. Yes-tcrday we asked for suggestions on how to combat the problem. One of the best ideas we have received comes from Derek Davidson, of Cammeray.

He suggests Telecom might examine the successful advertising campaign conducted in some parts of Canada which warned people that certain public telephone booths were under surveillance by hidden television cameras. The scheme caused a drop in vandalism, he said. Arts 10 Births, Deaths, etc 18 Comics, Crosswords 24 Computers 17, 18 Finance 15-17 Law Notices 12 Look! 14 Lotteries (1308, 7138) 21 Mails 12 Radio 17 Shipping 13 Snort 24-26 Television 13 Weather 12 READERS' LETTERS: Crime and punishment (Mr Don Wcatherbnrn); Down's Syndrome (Mrs -Irene Alexander); Paddington Town Hall Centre (Mr Jack Fernuson) Page S. FORT DENISON: High 2.30 am (1.5 metres), 3.36 pm (1.3 metres). Low 9.14 am (0.5 metres).

9.22 pm metres). SUN: Rises 6.40, sets 5.02. MOON: Rises 1.02 pm. Turn behind the Financial news for Personal notices: P18 Classified index: PI 8 ADVERTISING: 20944 The Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, learned of Sir Robert's death at Esscndon Airport, Melbourne, while on his way to Canberra from his property in western Victoria. Mr Fraser usually impassive demeanour failed him at a hastily arranged news conference in Canberra last night.

His voice faltered as he began to read from notes scrawled on the back of an envelope. "Australia owes Sir Robert a very great debt," Mr Fraser said. "I doubt if as much is owed to any other single political figure. "It is not only in terms of growth, development and stability in this country that we owe a debt to his achievements because, in the international environment, he earned Australia a reputation which, I believe, we hadn't had before his time and a weight in world affairs out of proportion to the size of Australia." In a formal statement issued later, Mr Fraser said: "It is with the deepest regret that I record tonight the death of Sir Robert Menzies. "All Australians will mourn his passing.

"Sir Robert leaves an enduring mark on Australian history. "His time as Prime Minister, from 1949-1966, was a time of stability and growth. "He was the founder of the Liberal Party. He gave his party and his country strength and inspiration. "I valued greatly his counsel and support, and his friendship.

"Like all other Australians I held Sir Robert in great respect and affection. "On behalf of all of us, I extend my deepest sympathy to Dame Pattic and to the other members of Sir Robert's family." Sir Robert and Dame Pat-tie Menzies retired to the quiet of thcirhome in Haver-brack Avenue, Malvern, when Sir Robert resigned as Prime Minister in January, 1966, after serving a record term of 16 years. He suffered two strokes after his retirement a mild PAGE 6: How he rebuilt his career from disaster. PAGE 7: An appreciation of Menzies the great master of the art of politics. PAGE 8: Editorial.

PAGE 2: The tributes pour in. one in 1968, then another in 1971 which left him paralysed down his left side and confined mostly to a wheelchair. With failing health, his public appearances became rare in recent years but his counsel was always available to those who sought it as Mr Fraser often did and as recently as three or four weeks ago. Sir Robert's pubic appearance, in March last year combined, his two abiding affections the Queen and cricket. He went to Melbourne Cricket Ground in a wheelchair to see the Centenary Test match between Australia and England, and to be invested by the Queen as a Knight of the Order of Australia the first to receive the Order.

He made one of his rare IN FINANCE 65,000 carpenters, joiners, painters, plasterers, crane drivers and stonemasons. The Builders Labourers' Federation was not a party to the application, but under an earlier agreement with master builders, its 15,000 members arc entitled to a flow-on from whatever the seven other unions, covering tradesmen, can obtain. Mr Steve Rothman, national research officer of the Building Workers' Industrial Union largest of the building unions said yesterday that there were now prospects of a substantial period of industrial dispute in the building industry. Talks fail to stop strike "The unions arc determined to win this allowance irrespective of how long it will be necessary to campaign throughout the industry," he said. "Building sites will be encouraged to demand it of their individual employers and to take whatever industrial action they consider necessary.

"Decisions of this nature are increasingly developing a revolt among unions against wage indexation with its unjust guidelines." The density executive director of the NSW Master welded together a cohesive coalition which he dominated during a record term as Prime Minister of this country for 17 vcars." The Premier of Mr Wran, said from Austin, Texas: "Australia has lost one of its best known sons, a man who Mr Wran was one of Australia's leaders for nearly two generations. "It' is a great loss to the nation." In London the Prime Minister, Mr Callaghan, sent a telegram to Mr Fraser which said: I have learned of Sir Robert Menzies' death with great sorrow. He was a truly great Australian and a special friend of Britain. "His courage, his devotion to duty and his wisdom have ensured him an honoured place in the history of our time. We all mourn the loss of a great Commonwealth leader and statesman." The Conservative Parly Leader.

Mrs Thatcher, said that to her, Sir Robert Menzies was immortal. "He had a fierce, burning faith in freedom and democracy and a warm and deep understanding of human nature. He married these two things together in shaping his vision for the future." Further tributes, Page 2 Zaire cricket political interventions in March last year to oppose two of the four referendum proposals a compulsory retiring age of 70 for Federal judges and simultaneous elections for both Houses of Parliament. The judges proposal was resoundingly endorsed but simultanenous elections was narrowly defeated. The Menzies career is the Australian version of the log cabin to White House legend.

The son of a grocer in the Victorian town of Jeparit, Robert Gordon Menzies became a brilliant constitutional barrister. After six years in the Victorian Parliament, he entered Federal Parliament in 1934. Five years later he became Australia's second-youngest Prime Minister at the age of 44. But his first term as Prime Minister ended in failure in 1941 and three months later Labor was swept into power to direct Australia's war effort. lii 1944 Sir Robert began his comeback by forming the Liberal Party out of the shattered remnants of the United Australia Party and a dozen other splinter parties.

In 1949 he began his second term as Prime Minister. It ended 16 years later only because he chose to end it by resigning. To most Liberals, Sir Robert was not merely the founder of the Liberal Party, he was the very embodiment of Liberalism. Sir Robert presided over a period of unprecedented growth and prosperity in Australia which created an innocent sort of confidence that good times would last forever. 22 per cent rise in profits for the half year to March 31.

A new natural gas field has been discovered in the Roma area, west of Brisbane. Leonora Nickel NL has been placed under investigation by the NSW Corporate Affairs Commission. Details, front page Section 2. agency, AZAP, claims the insurgents came from Angola but crossed the border from the Congo in civilian clothes on Thursday night. The news agency claimed earlier that the rebels had been driven back from Mutshatsha.

In Washington, the New York Times said the Carter Administration officials had expressed concern at the fighting, particularly the reports that Cubans were involved. In an interview released on Saturday, President Carter criticised the Cubans for their military involvement in Africa. PAGE 5: Year of doubt In Zaire. PAGE 9: Target) South Africa. 1965 as he addressed Builders' Association, Mr John Elder, last night describ ed Mr Rothman's statements as "irresponsible." He said the building indus try could not afford a cam paign of strikes in its present depressed state.

The buildinc unions already received a fares allowance of SI 0.50 a week. Talks in the Arbitration Commission yesterday before Mr Justice Williams failed to halt next Friday's stoppage of metalworkers. At yesterday's hearing Mr Jim Baird, a national organiser of the Amalgamated Metal Workers and Shipwrights' Union largest of the metal unions said the stoppage was caused by frustration over delays in negotiations on the metal industry award rather than in protest against wage indexation. Mr Justice Williams said later that in the interests of industrial peace the commission would hold further talks next Monday on the unions' claim, providing there was no further industrial action after Friday's strike. Last week at the national wage hearing, the commission President, Sir John Moore, said that if the strike went ahead, "serious consideration" would have to be given to the future of the wage case.

and is the heaviest laden this year. The police spokesman said the pilot who sighted the wrecked boat landed on the beach and spoke to the refugees, four of whom were children. They apparently beached their battered vessel on Saturday and broke into a nearby unoccupied lighthouse to raid food stores. The refugee boat was a long way off course for Darwin almost 500 km. It finished up on the northernmost tip of the Wessel Islands, about 125 kilometres north of the Gove Peninsula.

Seas north and west of Darwin had been rough and choppy for the previous three days, and it is thought the small refugee boat was pushed eastwards. In a message to the Governor-General, the Queen said: "I was distressed to hear of the death of Sir Robert Menzies. He was an immensely distinguished Australian, whose contribution to his country and to the development of the Commonwealth will long be remembered. "Prince Philip and I join with all Australians in saluting a man whose life of public service we recall with such affection and admiration." A Buckingham Palace spokesman said the Queen also sent a personal message- of condolence to Dame Pattic Menzies. The Leader of the Federal Opposition, Mr Haydcn, said Sir Robert was one of the most significant and successful political leaders of recent Australian history.

"A master parliamentarian and political tactician, he created the Liberal Party from the fragmented conservative forces of the mid-1940s and US TODAY'S WEATHER Metropolitan: Sunny periods. Max temps: City 19, Liverpool 20. NSW: Isolated showers North Coast. Generally dry, cool to mild remainder. Details, Page 12.

LATE NEWS Mrs Gandhi accused "NPW nri.HT, Mocday The Indian Govern merit liKlav accented thi limlinus of a indicia incwirv Mionqlv critical of the last I months of Mrl Indira Gandhi's rule af Prime Minister. The report said she abused her auihoi rily and imposed a state (meigcncy lor ncr ends. The Prime Minister, Mi Dcai, cave no indic.iat.iorf today any prosecution against Mrs Gandhi Hei supporters fear she may antAtxa. AAt-xeuur. knd euhllthed bv John FlIrflR no aani tin, o.

Raaliterrri for nnitlna it "Pun. nnt Ikatton" Category B. Recommendtd nn maximum prlct only. Intcntata. bv lr More capital spending The building industry, which employs about 80,000 workers, faces a campaign of stoppages following a decision by the Full Bench of the Conciliation and Arbitration Commission to disallow a travelling allowance of S6.30 a week for tradesmen.

Metal unions decided yesterday to go ahead on Friday with a national 24-hour stoppage of more than 500,000 metalworkers, which threatens the current national wage case. The Full Bench's ruling in Melbourne yesterday upheld an appeal by employer organisations against a decision by Mr Justice Alley on January 27. Mr Justice Alley granted a 15-minute a day travelling allowance to building tradesmen in money terms a wage rise of S6.30 a week in major capital cities and similar amounts throughout Australia. The Full Bench, comprising Mr Justice Williams. Deputy President Taylor and Commissioner Taylor, upheld an appeal by Master Builders' Associations in all States, the Victorian Government and the Victorian Chamber of Manufactures.

The Full Bench held that the allowance a flow-on of an allowance already erantcd to plumbers working under a different award in Victoria and South Australia breached the wage indexation guidelines laid down by the Commission in 1975. The application for the travelling allowance was mac by seven unions covering Eadie out The Rugby League judiciary committee suspended the Sydney and Manly fullback, Graham Eadie, last night until June 4. He will be replaced by Allan McMahon for next Saturday's Sydney-Country clash and will miss three premiership matches. The committee took no action against John Gibbs. Full report back page, Section 2.

Award list The Herald will publish tomorrow a list of scholarships and prizes for 1977 awarded in all faculties at the University of Sydney. Refugee boat found wrecked rebels claim victories The revival in new private capital spending gathered pace in the March quarter with a 7.7 per cent seasonally adjusted gain over the December quarter. Also in Finance: The ANZ Banking Group Ltd has increased its interim dividend after announcing a troops. French Air Force planes were used then to fly in Moroccan soldiers who joined President Mobutu's forces. An FNLC statement issued in Brussels today said that its forces had taken seven French soldiers prisoner in the latest fighting in Shaba.

Officially, there are no French forces in Zaire. The FNLC alleged last year that French Air Force fighters were flying combat missions for the Zaire Government. The FNLC said its troops had destroyed 13 military aircraft and helicopters and "inflicted heavy losses in manpower on the Mobutu forces, composed mainlv of mercenaries and foreign soldiers." The official Zaire news 11 si mui- i LiinumniiM i. DARWIN. A Vietnamese refugee boat carrying 25 people was found yesterday wrecked on Cape Wesscl, off the north-cast of Arnhcm Land.

A police spokesman in Darwin said the boat was seen by a light aircraft searching for a fishing party missing in rough seas in the area. Another Vietnamese refugee boat, the 20-mctre Con Duo 3, reached Darwin yesterday morning with 122 refugees aboard 72 men, 22 women and 28 children. It was commandeered by its crew about three weeks ago, and the Vietnamese Government is expected to demand its return. The Con Dao 3 is the 4 1st refugee boat to reach Darwin, PARIS, Monday. Zaire rebels said today they had captured the towns of Kol-wezi and Mutshatsha in an uprising in Zaire's south-cast province, Shaba, formerly Katanga.

The National Liberation Front of the Congo (FNLC) said the two mining towns were "liberated" in fighting on Saturday and Sunday. A spokesman denied charges by Zaire's President Mobutu that th insurgents were sup-porwlyAlgcria, Libya, Cuba rfflflhwjVict Union. TheTnWgcnts had not entered" Zaire from another country, but had been living in the province. Kolwczi is the centre of Shaba's copper industry which provides 65 per cent of Zaire's foreign currency, President Mobutu has appealed to Western envoys in the capital, Kinshasa, for aid. Foreign aid helped to put down a similar rebellion last year when former Katangan gendarmes fought Government 3.