Bush gets money and job promise

Press, 2 September 1977, Page 1

Bush gets money and job promise

Bill Bush, the All Black forward who is playing in South Africa, received a gift of about $lOOO yesterday from an Orange Free State businessman who thought Bush had lost his job. But there is no doubt that there will be a job for him at the Belfast meat works when he returns. The Belfast sub-branch secretary of the Meat Workers’ Union (Mr C. E. Knowles) said yesterday that the South African issue did not arise because Bush was away from Canterbury Frozen Meat Company’s works in the off season.

Mr Knowles said that the matter involving senioritv concerned the possibility of Bush’s selection to tour France with the All He said that Bush had sought a vear's leave from the works so that he could plav for the Biarritz Club in France after the tour.

Mr Knowles said that the French club was arranging a job for Bush while he was there.

If Bush wanted his job back when he returned to Christchurch he would have to apply to his union delegate and the delegate would raise the matter with Bush’s workmates, who number about 250, in the slaughtermen’s department.

It would be they who would decide whether a place should be available on seniority when Bush returned. There is a seniority clause in the union award.

A spokesman for C.F.M. said that it was entirely a union matter.

“If they make him available to us then we will employ him,” he said. In South Africa, Mr William Klopper was prompted to give Bush 1000 rands by newspaper reports that the New Zealander had lost his

job at home for coming to South Africa, reports the Press Association.

Mr klopper said in a telephone interview from his Bloemfontein business: “I just felt he might welcome some financial assistance.

“He lost his job to play rugby here. He is our friend, and I think it is our duty to look after him. It was nothing to put a hand in my pocket to help him.” Although Bush was-ex-tremely grateful for the money, he said he could probably make a living from the sea when he returned to New Zealand. He is a keen fisherman and diver of some repute.