Protesters ’misinformed’

Press, 19 October 1976, Page 6

Protesters ’misinformed’

By JOHN COFFEY The intention of the Auck land branch of the Halt Al Racist Tours organisation tc stage protests during the world O.K. dinghy yachting championship in Aucklanc next February- has ap parentlv been sunk even be fore it was launched. The' regional conference oi the Auckland branch decidec to make the O.K. dinghy series the focus of its atten tion over the next few months because, it was al leged, invitations had beer sent to South African com pet i tors “It is believed thai H.A.R.T. was misinformer and that its incorrect in formation was provided by Mr Tom Newham, the secre tary of the Citizens Associa tion for Racial Equality,” the publicity officer for th (

I world championship (Mr Rod ' Pascoe) said from Auckland (yesterday. II No invitations had yet ,'been issued to any overseas !’ helmsmen, and the forms ;' were still being completed by lithe printers, Mr Pascoe said. .The rumours that South Afri[cans would be sailing in the fleet have persisted for some “time, in spite of frequent deli nials by the contest organi■isers. “I can only repeat that the “New Zealand O.K. Dinghy I Association knows nothing i about any South Africans bejing invited to New Zealand,” Mr Pascoe said. i "The only approaches so| I far made to yachtsmen from, [other countries were book-1 ’'lets handed out at the 1976 : world championship in Denimark bv our representatives. J These contained information Jon how applications could be;

I made to receive entry forms. I “Graeme Woodroffe, the president of the New Zealand O.K. Dinghy Associa- ; tion, has competed in three world series, and on none of those occasions were any South Africans present,” Mr Pascoe said. “It seems that there was ■ an O.K. dinghy organisation in South Africa a few years ago, but nothing has been heard of it in this country and we are not aware if it still exists,” he said. The “New Zealand Herald” yesterday quoted Mr Newham as having told the H.A.R.T. conference on Sun'day that an invitation to (South Africa to attend the I O.K. dinghy series about the : same time as the New Zealand Games would lead to boycotts similar to those which disrupted the Olympic [Games in Montreal.