Bomb Threat Made To Team At Perth

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32323, 15 June 1970, Page 1

Bomb Threat Made To Team At Perth

(Front

T. P. McLEAN)

PERTH, June 14.

The All Blacks had one bomb scare before they left Rongotai on Saturday morning and another when their Ansett plane arrived in Perth early today.

No notice was taken by the authorities of the New Zealand alarm. The preliminary precautions had been much too comprehensive.

But at Perth the 727 [ plane, after taxi-ing to within 200 yards of the ! airport building, stopped still for some minutes with its engines roaring. Everything quietened and the All Blacks disembarked for a long walk through a cold westerly gale. An official explained: “We have a certain difficulty over this plane. 1 am sorry for the walk.” Before the plane’s arrival 'an anonymous caller told the ! Mayor of Perth, the police iand a television station that the plane had a bomb aboard. ISo after 23 hours of excitement of one sort or : another and very little, sleep I indeed, the All Blacks went :to bed. It is possible the anti-tour protesters have gained their point without, so to speak, a shot being fired. It happened in 1960 after protesters streamed across the field at Whenuapai in an attempt to hinder the team going to South Africa that within a few weeks a meeting ' of various world Rugby administrators in Johannesburg was bluntly told by the New ’ ■Zealand representatives: “We ' will never send to South : Africa another All Black t I team.” I j Team “Escaping” i It is possible that some similar meeting within the , [next few weeks will hear a ' message bearing the import that no New Zealand team of the future will be allowed to depart from its country in circumstances suggesting that iit is “escaping.” That was the point put by | a senior All Black after the ; “kerfuffle” of police guards at their hotel, a detailed search both of their suitcases and hand luggage and a police escorted bus journey to the back entrance of Rongotai. After this the players had a short walk to the plane which took off within a few minutes. Flying Tackles As the plane reached the runway proper a mass of ' I spectators was seen far in the : distance by the fire station on I the airfield. As the plane began its run a spectator was seen running toward the runway. Even from several hundred yards the flying tackles; of the police looked to be copybook in execution. I Other precautions werei taken at Sydney—the All | Blacks leaving by a back entrance of the new airport ; building, a couple of policemen on hand with them all | day, a direct approach by a 'back gate to the Ansett plane bearing them an hour or so after nightfall to Perth.

’ | upon the South African J women’s netball team. It may also have been be- ! cause no-one in Sydney could I care less about the All Blacks, . anyway. Only the manager, Mr R. L. ' Burk and the coach, Mr I. Vodanovich, emerged from customs at the international terminal, according to the N.Z.P.A. Sydney correspondent They held a brief press conference before rejoining the team behind barred customs doors. No Politics Mr Burk sidestepped questions of a political nature saying: “I am a Rugby team manager not a politician.” He said he did not think the demonstration at Wellington airport this morning would have any effect on the team. But he allowed: “1 suppose the union officials felt a measure of relief at our departure.” When the bus brought the AU Blacks to the Ansett airlines terminal It parked down a side lane 100 yards away. All other passengers, their luggage searched, had boarded the Perth jet before the All Blacks’ bus moved. Preceded and followed by security vehicles, it drove to the steps of the Boeing 727 and the All Blacks quickly boarded. The Qantas security chief,

Not Necessary ■ These precautions were taken at the instance of the Sydney police, but in the event were totally unnecessary.’This may have been because anti-apartheid demonstrations were concentrated

The other pilot, Captain A. Lawson, also of Auckland, addressed passengers over the intercoip system and thanked them for their co-operation. > The complete flight crew i was flown from Auckland and' 5 confined to a Wellington hotel ■ on Friday night Their bag- - gage was scrutinised and kept under guard. None of the 28 private passengers appeared concerned . about the flight. I Mr Fraser, a 20st former i New South Wales policeman, praised the efficiency of the ! New Zealand police through i the entire exercise. “They did , a wonderful job,” he said. t The All Blacks won two ■ matches in Perth today, beatt ing the state side, 50-3, and : the President’s XV, 52-3. 1 (Report on Back Page).

i Mr G. Fraser, who flew to Sydney with the All Blacks • announced that an airlines I security man would accom- < > pany the team to Johannes-, burg. Two Captains [ The flight to Sydney car- 1 , ried two captains, the second , ; directing the take-off from ’ Wellington, and a co-pilot ' J Captain A. Williams, of J Auckland, told reporters on 1 board: “I spent some years in 1 the Air Force and this is just like an Air Force, operation.” 1 It is believed that at least 1 ■ one other hoax bomb call at 1 > Wellington was conveyed to i the cockpit during the flight.