Two Games That Must Not Be Played

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32127, 24 October 1969, Page 10

Two Games That Must Not Be Played

The only surprise in the voting on the latest resolution before the United Nations criticising South Africa for its assumption of jurisdiction in South-West Africa was that the United States and New Zealand cast affirmative votes. The resolution of the Trusteeship Committee calling on the Security Council to note the “ deteriorating situation ” in South-West Africa was passed by 96 votes to two. The two contrary votes were, as usual, those of South Africa and Portugal; the six abstainers included, as usual, Australia and the United Kingdom.

New Zealand has also voted in the United Nations —both in the General Assembly and in the SecurityCouncil—in favour of sanctions against Rhodesia. The New Zealand Government does not recognise the present regimes in either South-West Africa or Rhodesia; yet it proposes to allow the AR Blacks to play against South-West Africa and Rhodesia. The All Blacks’ 1970 itinerary, which provides for matches in Windhoek and in Salisbury, has been widely published; no politician or public servant can pretend ignorance of the Rugby tourists’ plans. The conflict between what New Zealand’s representatives say at the United Nations and what the New Zealand Government authorises its nationals to do is aR too apparent. Before New Zealand acquires an international reputation for hypocrisy the Government should tell the New Zealand Rugby Union unequivocaßy that it will not issue passports to the 1970 AR Blacks unless the matches in Salisbury and Windhoek are deleted from the itinerary.