Govt says it will not refuse visas to Diggers

Press, 14 August 1976, Page 1

Govt says it will not refuse visas to Diggers

PA Wellington The Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr Taiboys) said yesterdav that he hoped sports bodies would consider the impact any decision to bring all-white South African teams to New Zealand might have on the well-being of other sportsmen.

He would be much happier — and he thought most New Zealanders would be happier — if teams touring the country were selected without racial discrimination.

He was commenting on an unconfirmed report that the Petone Rugby Club is arranging a New Zealand tour by the Diggers Rugby Club of Johannesburg. However, the National Government would definitely not refuse visas for the team, as the Labour Government did more than a year ago. said Mr Talbovs. Because of the Government’s policy of noninterference in sport, sports organisations had the responsibility to weigh the factors, and to make their own decision. “If any sporting body, Petone, for example, wanted to discuss the question with the Government, we would be happy to talk. Certainly we will not be making any approach to Petone.” The Minister of Sport and Recreation (Mr

Highet) said last night that the Government would not interfere in any sports tour of New Zealand. The decision was up to the sports bodies concerned —in this case the New Zealand Rugby Union — although it was hoped they would consider other sports bodies. “We hope they bear in mind people like John Walker and the New Zealand Games, as we all want them to go ahead,” said Mr Highet. Diggers, of Johannesburg, traditionally one of the strongest rugby clubs in South Africa, were host to the Petone tour of that country two years ago. Diggers were invited by Petone to tour New Zealand in return and were to have come last season. However, the Labour Government refused to issue the South Africans with visas, stopping the tour. The New Zealand Rugbv Union is maintaining an official ignorance of any possible tour by Diggers. The union chairman (Mr J. L. Sullivan) said last evening: “We have no application before us to consider.”

The deputy chairman (Mr C. A. Blazey) qualified this a little. Some how, some time, an application could be made with the union, he said. Moreover, the chairman of the Petone club (Mr Norman Haddy) said that the Petone and All Blacks captain (Andy Leslie) was not acting on behalf of the Petone club during the South African tour. A Radio New Zealand report yesterday said that Leslie was arranging a Diggers tour next year. The All Black and Petone captain, Andy Leslie, denied in Bloemfontein any knowledge of a tour by the Diggers. He also denied that he had been negotiating such a tour with the club’s officials. “I know a lot of them, and I had a few beers with several when we were in Johannesburg, but I have had nothing to do with any arrangements for a tour,” Leslie said. The Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) would say only, when asked to comme “This is entirely a matt - for them” (the Rugby Union).

Meanwhile, Mr Taiboys has had a telegran from the Halt All Racial Tours o. t isation, urging the Government to take decisive action to at least strongly discourage the Diggers tour. In his telegram, the H.A.R.T. chairman (Mr Trevor Richards) said that the reported tour would give the Government a further “king-sized headache.” “The international community has been looking for a sign from New Zealand for several months now. indicating that we do not support sports contact with South Africa. “Unless the Government intervenes, what the the world is going to get is a further indication that New Zealand’s official .olicy is support for apartheid sport.” He said that it seemed as if the Rugby Union was about to accept three South African tours next year.

In addition to the proposed Diggers tour, the Maori All Blacks and the Auckland provincial union had been invited to tour South Africa.