P.M. “DISAPPOINTED”

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33382, 14 November 1973, Page 1

P.M. “DISAPPOINTED”

(From

PAUL KAVANAGH.

N.Z.P.A. staff correspondent.)

CANBERRA, November 13. Wellington’s Petone Rugby Club will be told of the Government’s disappointment at its decision to send a team to South Africa next March. The Prime Minister (Mr Kirk) said on the first day of his Australian visit today that the Government’s attitude to sporting ties with South Africa would be made clear to the club. Mr Kirk told a press conference soon after his arrival in Sydney that he had had no contact with Petone club officials and was going only on newspaper reports of the proposed tour. “The Petone Rugby Club will be asked to confirm that the newspaper reports are true in every detail, and we shall tell the club that the Government is very disappointed that it has taken this action. “We can’t prevent the tour, but I wish people wouldn’t do these things,” Mr Kirk said. “One would hope that sports bodies would look at the effect of their decisions on the reputation of their country,” he said. Monetary donations of

more than $lOO and offers ofi spare-time work have been' received by the Petone clubi since details of its planned i tour of South Africa nextj year were made known on I Sunday, says a Press Associ-j ation message from Welling-: ton. Most of the gifts and offers j are being sent to the Petone j menswear shop of the former All Black full-back, Mr R. W.' H. (Bob) Scott, one of the organisers of the tour. “People have been bring-i itig in varying amounts ofi money,” Mr Scott said this afternoon. “We have also received a few offers from people wanting work done, for which they will pay. Two persons have wanted their roof painted for $50." The donations, said Mr Scott, were from men and women. Three of the donors were known not to be Petone supporters. “This sort of thing will snowball,” Mr Scott said, “although we are not really seeking any financial help.” The Petone Rugby Club will probably supply Mr; Kirk with details of its pro-j posed tour to South Africa if it is asked to.

The president of the club (Mr G. L. Eamey) said today: “If the Prime Minister asked us to contact him it would be discourteous on our part if we did not do so. But we can tell

| him no more than what has I been in the newspapers. I “What has been published has been factually correct,” | he said.