Mr Rata accepts S.A. Consul’s explanation

Press, 2 September 1977, Page 7

Mr Rata accepts S.A. Consul’s explanation

PA Wellington The former Labour Minister of Maori Affairs, Mr M. Rata, said on Wednesday that he was prepared to accept an assurance by the South African Consul for information (Mr Henry Thom) that Mr Thom had not used his ’ name in statements on racial ! prejudice in New Zealand. i Earlier, Mr Rata formally ! called on the Minister of I Foreign Affairs (Mr Taiboys) i to demand that the Consul be I sent home for interfering in New Zealand’s affairs. Mr Rata accused the Consul of "a gross abuse of diplomatic privilege.” Mr Rata had been angered by a report in the “Evening Post,” Wellington, on Tuesday which quoted Mr Thom on racial prejudice and linked the remarks with comments on the subject by Mr Rata and the former Chief Ombudsman. Sir Guy Powles. Mr Thom was quoted in the “Evening Post” as saying that he had a number of press reports in his office stating. New Zealanders'

i opinions on race relations, in-, eluding statements by Mrl - Rata and Sir Guy. . I But Mr Thom, who is int formation officer at the South i! African Consulate in Well-1 t i ington, told NZPA on Wed- I - 1 nesday that he had at no time | t quoted Mr Rata as saying! s'there was racial prejudice in! .11 New Zealand. |! ! He telephoned Mr Rata'sj! ■ ! office in Parliament House!: f | on Wednesday morning to ex-1 ) I plain what he had said, but |i :•! was told Mr Rata was in a: i committee meeting. ri Mr Thom said the only? f;time he had mentioned the! t former Labour Minister was I ’ jwhen he was reading head1 ings on newspaper clippings 1 1 ; in a file when he was being I ! -' interviewed by a reporter. i “I wasn’t suggesting Mr!. 1 Rata was making any racial \ -! statements,” Mr Thom said, i 1 r “I simply mentioned his; t f name as I read through some, 1 headings on newspaper clip-J i pings in my file. > “Mr Rata’s statement, in! c f fact, dealt with the establish- i * ' ment of a Polynesian radio : ’ station at Auckland.” 1

, Mr Thom said the only; I statement he had quoted to the journalist who inter-! viewed him was in a letter to a Wellington newspaper in which a reader had said ithat “racial prejudice is! alive and well in New Zea-; ! land.” i “I never mentioned Mr| I Rata in the context of people: il was quoting as making! statements on racial preju--1 Mr Thom said he was v<» y i upset at reports that he had , linked Mr Rata with statements alleging racial prejudice. “The last thing in mv mind! was to compromise Mr Ratal in any way, and 1 am upset ! that he was compromised," hei said. Mr Rata said yesterday! that he had received a note! from his secretary with details of Mr Thom’s phone call and his explanation of what he had said in the interview’. “If Mr Thom says that he : did not mention my name in connection with statements! on racial prejudice I accept that unreservedly,” he said.