The New Zealand Superannuation Scheme introduced by Norman Kirk of the Kirk-Rowling Labour Government (1972-75) compelled Superannuation savings by employees and contributions from employers at 2%, rising to 4%.  It only ran from April 1975 to Feb 1977. 

If you were earning (say) $25 a week back then, that’s $1.00 a week of superannuation saving or $52 per year or nearly $100 that you would have contributed to the scheme.  Your Employer will have also contributed twice your amount, so thats $300 earning compounding interest for nearly 45 years, especially during the period in the '80s when interest rates were 19~20%.

Your savings could be now be worth over $1,000.   This figure may be larger if you were doing shift work or worked extended hours in the mid 1970's.  

Some clients have got back more than $3,000 into their bank accounts from their claim on the NPF due to the 45 years of compound interest and their solid work history.

In 1976, The National Party however saw the Kirk scheme as socialist, and claimed that the Labour government, through the Superannuation Scheme, would eventually end up controlling a large proportion of the country's property and shares. The Norman Kirk compulsory superannuation scheme subsequently became a major issue approaching the 29 November 1976 General Election.

The National party ran a TV Advert for the general Election, The advert was highly critical of the governing Labour Party's recently introduced Compulsory Superannuation scheme, implying the scheme would eventually turn New Zealand into a Soviet-style communist state, and urged people to vote for National in the General election.

Below is the link to the TV advert

http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/media/video/dancing-cossacks

It did the trick too, helping sweep Robert Muldoon's National Party into power in a landslide victory.

If only voters hadn’t been seduced by Muldoon then we would now have a sovereign wealth fund that would be in advance of Australia’s, instead of being light years behind. Our savings and investment would be top of the world.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/money/9916584/Compulsory-super-would-be-worth-278b