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Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32661, 17 July 1971, Page 18

An invitation to “come along” on a demonstration if he wanted to judge the sincerity of persons who opposed apartheid has been extended to the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Kirk) by the Maori Organisation on Human Rights. The organisation’s suggestion follows comments made by Mr Kirk on this subject on television on Tuesday evening. Members of the organisation were surprised to hear Mr Kirk’s questioning the sincerity of persons who took the trouble to demonstrate their opposition to apartheid, said the secretary (Mr T. T. K. Poata, of Wellington), in a statement.

“We have never seen Mr Kirk join such open opposition, but we advise him to come along if he wants to pass public judgment on people’s sincerity,” said Mr Poata.

The organisation was surprised also to hear Mr Kirk openly following the lead of Mrs R. M. Stevenson, member of Parliament for Taupo, who recently was reported as telling Australians to “get their own house in order” before they criticised South Africa’s apartheid. “We think Mr Kirk would do better to follow the lead of the Australian Labour Party which has promised legislation in support of Aborigines’ rights and is supporting the Aborigines’ struggle. “Mr Kirk has, to our knowledge, given no public support to the unanimous views of two Labour Party Maori policy conferences—in 1968 and 1970—putting forward specific remits which still await public endorsement by his party,” Mr Poata said.