SPRINGBOK TOUR No interference by police proposed

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32869, 18 March 1972, Page 1

SPRINGBOK TOUR No interference by police proposed

The Police Department had no intention of asking the Government or any other body to call off a sporting tour of New Zealand such as that planned by the Springboks next year, the Commissioner of Police (Mr W. H. A. Sharp) said in Christchurch yesterday.

He would make no other comment on the proposed visit by the South Africans, other than to say that the police had already begun to prepare their plans for handling the tour. Mr Sharp was in Christchurch as part of his tour to the three main police stations

in the South Island. He had a two-hour meeting with a cross-section of the police

(Mr Allen) and any further comment on the demonstration would be made by the Minister.

force in the city, similar to those held in Invercargill and Dunedin earlier in the week.

Mr Sharp said that during his tour he had found that the morale of policemen was very good, in spite of the determined efforts by a minority trying to crack this morale.

Domestic matters were discussed at the meetings. When asked about any further action regarding the Mount John demonstration last week-end, Mr Sharp said he had discussed the matter with the Minister of Police

“The action of this minority is part of a world-wide move on the part of some people who want to destroy the so-called Establishment,” he said.

Mr Sharp said he was confident that the great majority of people strongly supported the actions taken by the police in dealing with the demonstrators. The general feeling expressed in letters to editors indicated this, he said.