H.A.R.T. alleges S.A. support

Press, 2 April 1979, Page 2

H.A.R.T. alleges S.A. support

PA Wellington The Halt All Racist tours movement has called on the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Mr Taiboys) to launch an investigation into the extent of South African funding of New Zealand sport. The chairman of H.A.R.T. (Mr Trevor Richards) said that evidence of extensive financial involvement in New Zealand sport by South African interests was “clear, well known, and amply documented.” He said money had come from both South African sports bodies and from the Committee for Fairness in Sport, a pro-apartheid organisation now implicated in the South African “slush fund” scandal.

However, Mr Richards said that only the Government had the resources to uncover the full nature and extent of this funding. “Foreign money is influencing the decisions of New Zealand sportsmen and sports bodies. These decisions are seriously undermining New Zealand’s commitment to the campaign against apartheid and are having a major and significant effect on New Zealand’s standing and image overseas,” Mr Richards said. “If the Government is as serious about making the Gleneagles Agreement work as Mr Taiboys maintains, it is incumbent upon it to investigate anv activity which has the effect 6f subverting the agreement.” Mr Richards suggested that the Ministry could begin such an investigation by inviting the manager of the international rugby team at present touring South Africa, Mr Winston MacDonald, to discuss such matters with them.

“Questions relating to the financing of the international team touring South Africa need to be investigated alongside and against the background of previous South African financial involvement in New Zealand sport,” Mr Richards said. “Money has always played a major part in New Zea-land-South African rugby relations. Those who doubt this need look no further than the $250,000 cash grant the South African Rugby Board gave the New Zealand union in 1975.