DEMONSTRATION ON SATURDAY Protesters to march on life-saving

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32543, 1 March 1971, Page 14

DEMONSTRATION ON SATURDAY Protesters to march on life-saving

An anti-apartheid demonstration, which will include a march through the centre of New Brighton to die Waimairi Beach surf carnival —in which a South African team will compete—has been planned for Saturday.

The traffic authorities would be informed of the plans for the march, which would probably include Seaview Road in its route, Mr G. Wells, one of the organisers, said last evening.

The demonstration would be held whether permission for it was given or not—and it probably would not be given, he said.

Mr Wells issued a statement on behalf of the Canterbury University Students’ Association, the Citizens’ Association for Racial Equality, the Progressive Youth Movement, the Bacchantian Society, and the Canterbury Union of Secondary School Students. Asked if a march through the main street of New Brighton on a Saturday, when the shops in the area were open, would not cause con-: siderable disruption, Mr MJ Horton, a spokesman for the| P.Y.M., said the area and: time had been chosen because it would lead to maximum publicity. Mr Wells and Mr Horton said they expected about 300 persons would take part in the march, although they hoped for more. Speeches At 2 pun. protesters will gather at the New Brighton soundsheli, where the main speaker will be the chairman of the Halt All Racist Tours organisation (Mr T. Richards). After speeches, the march from the soundshell to the

Waimairi Beach carnival site will be held. The New Zealand Surf Life-savers Association had denied it was condoning apartheid by inviting the South African team to New Zealand, the statement issued by Mr Wells said. But the issue was that New Zealand was being placed on trial by many emerging nations which had “voiced disgust” at New Zealand’s sporting exchanges with South Africa. Sports contacts with South

Africa perpetuated apartheid, and in order to be consistent in their stand again apartheid, the P.Y.M., the Union of Secondary School Students and the Socialist Action League had to oppose the life-savers’ tour, said the statement issued by Mr Horton. “Out on limb” New Zealand continued to stay out on a limb in its policy towards South Africa in spite of repeated condemnations from the vast majority of the world’s nations, the statement alleged. The organisations bore no grudge against surf life-sav-ing, the statment said. But sporting contacts emphasised the deep levels of sympathy in New Zealand official circles for the South African regime. “How many black lives have been saved by these lifesavers, who come from a country where beaches are segregated and physical contact between the races forbidden by law? “We trust the competitors, audience and police will take it (the march) in the proper carnival spirit,” the statement said.