Protests to be ‘noisy and visible’

Press, 20 July 1979, Page 1

Protests to be ‘noisy and visible’

Systematic demonstrations and pickets—described by their organisers as “noisy, visible, but peaceful" — have been planned in opposition to the National Party and its annual conference at the Christchurch Town Hall next week.

A group known as the People’s Coalition has been set up specificially to co-ordinate protests during the conference, which will begin on July 27 and will continue over the week-end.

Circulars seeking support for the protests have been distributed by the coalition’s publicity officer, Mr P. Conway. Apparently these were responsible, at least in part, for the police request to the Town Hall board for steel and mesh barriers at the Town Hall during the conference. The board approved the purchase of 40 barriers, at a cost of $4500, at its meeting on Wednesday. According to Mr Conway, who is organiser of the Canterbury Clothing Trades Union, the coalition is supported by antiapartheid groups, the Campaign Against Foreign Control in New Zealand, the Aged Beneficiaries Association, the University Progressive Club, the Labour Youth Council, and the Canterbury Trades Council. The coalition strongly criticised the expenditure of $4500 on the “needless’’ barriers, Mr Conway said. “Surely the erection of these wire barriers is a testament to the unpopularity of this Prime Minister and all that he represents. The provocative statements by the police and city councillors are designed to intimidate people from exercising their basic civil rights,” he said. The coalition plans a rally in Cathedral Square

at 6.30 p.m. on July 27 followed by a march on the Town Hall where the Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) is scheduled to speak at 8 p.m. Protesters will picket the Town Hall throughout the conference. "The rally in the Square and the protest at the Town Hall are planned as noisy, visible, but peaceful,” said Mr Conway. “We are upholding and expressing the basic civil liberties all New Zealanders should continue to employ in spite of the ugly attempts by this Government to curb the use of basic civil rights to protest their policies,” he said. Mr Conway said he was unable to say how many demonstrators might be involved, and that a lot would “depend on the weather.” The coalition was taking a lead in organising the demonstrations but, since anyone could join in, could not be responsible for the actions of “extreme elements,” “drunks.” or others who “took things too far,” he said. The National Party should foot the bill for erecting steel-and-mesh protection barriers at the Christchurch Town Hall during the National Party conference, according to Mrs Mary Batchelor, the Labour member of Parliament for Avon. “If an organisation is going to bring such a degree of public disruption to Christchurch, it should be that organisation which pays for the protection, not the ratepayers,” Mrs Batchelor said. “I fail to see why the Town Hall should be stuck with barriers that might not be needed Just because it has to house the National Party for a few days,” she said.