New Zealand Squeeze Play Snares Queen : Speech Backing Nuclear Ban Was Prepared by Local Officials

Queen Elizabeth II stirred political controversy in a speech to Parliament today when she defended New Zealand’s ban on nuclear warships, contradicting the British government’s stand.

In a speech prepared by New Zealand officials, the queen said the government’s intention was not to weaken its security alliance with the United States and Australia.

“New Zealand wishes to retain and extend the longstanding friendship existing between the two countries,” the queen said, referring to the United States.

Thousands of office workers and schoolchildren turned out to greet the monarch as she arrived at Parliament House and stood before a navy guard of honor.

A native Maori women’s choir sang the hymn “How Great Thou Art” as police maintained a tight security cordon--strengthened since the queen was struck by an egg on the first day of her nine-day tour on Monday and “mooned” on Tuesday.

The queen’s traditional speech from the throne--speaking as Queen of New Zealand--stunned opposition leaders when it touched on the subject of the nuclear warship ban.

New Zealand’s National Party opposition leader Jim McLay, who opposes the ban, blasted the queen for making the remarks.

“It was insensitive and not appropriate to include such remarks in the speech from the throne,” he said. “Such comments were for the New Zealand government to say elsewhere.”

McLay said the queen’s speech implied the United States and Australia were not helping to solve the problems the nuclear ban posed to the alliance.

“Now that of course is a complete distortion of facts. It is the New Zealand government alone that has brought about the ANZUS row,” McLay said.

The prime minister said later that McLay is “a cringer and a whiner. That’s the sort of petty criticism that now passes for an opposition in this country.”