'Sport And Race' Talks Planned

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30602, 19 November 1964, Page 1

'Sport And Race' Talks Planned

(From Our Own Reporter)

WELLINGTON, November 18. Representatives of New Zealand sports bodies which take part in international competition have been invited to discuss “sport and race” at a meeting with representatives of the National Council of Churches and the Roman Catholic Church.

The meeting is being convened by the Anglican Bishop of Wellington (the Rt. Rev. H. W. Baines) on behalf of the church organisations. It will be held on December 3.

Bishop Baines said yesterday the subject had been discussed at two previous meetings of the church bodies.

“Certain convictions arose which it was found were common to many of the people present. “As a result, it was decided to invite sports bodies to discuss the topic with us and get agreement to guide sports organisations over attitudes which would be consistent with Christian principles.” Bishop Baines said no cases of racial discrimination in sport in New Zealand had come to his notice and he felt

the churches had in mind the attitude sports organisations should adopt to tours and matches with other countries where there might be racial discrimination. The chairman of the New Zealand Rugby Union (Mr T. H. Morrison) said the union had received an invitation to the meeting and would send a representative to attend. “We’ll be going along to hear what the churches have got to say. I’m not quite sure what is on the agenda but as far as local Rugby is concerned we’ve got no racial discrimination.” He had certainly never heard of any Rugby administrator wanting to stop Maori matches played in New Zealand—“in fact I think most people look forward to them.”