Ron Don reacts strongly to Taiboys letter

Press, 19 April 1980, Page 60

Ron Don reacts strongly to Taiboys letter

PA Wellington! The newly re-elected New Zealand Rugby Union councillor, Mr Ron Don, reacted strongly to a letter from the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mi Taiboys, to the N.Z.R.F.U. at yesterday’s council meeting. In the letter Mr Taiboys urg r ’ the N.Z;R.F-U. council tc carefully consider its responsibilities under the Gleneagles Agreement before deciding to issue an invitation for a South African te»m to tour New Zealand next year. Shortly before the council

I chairman Mr Ces Blazey took, the meeting, into committee Mr Don raised the issue. ' ' : r ' ■ “I strongly object to Mr Taiboys’ veiled threat concerning the Commonwealth Games,” he said. : f . “The Lions team that will arrive in South Africa in three weeks time, is drawn from four Commonwealth countries.” Mr Don said that many of the black Commonwealth nations depended for their very existence on food and supplies from South Africa and trade with South Africa.

“If Mr Taiboys is so worried by ■ apartheid in South Africa, why does he not express similar concern for the rampant facial discrimination in the United States and Australia — just to name two countries*with which we are closely associated. “Let us forget the humbug and hypocrisy of the politicians and stick-to our'job of promoting rugby.” Mr Don said that the letter from Mr Taiboys was simplv saying on behalf of the Government what the Government was required to

do under the Gleneagles Agreement. Just as Mr Taiboys had a job to .do on behalf of the Government so too the N.Z.R.F.U. council had a duty to-perform’on behalf of the people who elected it. “The rugby people of New Zealand want the South African tour here in 1981 ’.as scheduled for the past 20 years or more,” he said. Mr Bob Stuart said that the council should not make a hasty decision on the (four. ‘‘The recommendation passed at the annual general meeting yesterday indicates

We should ; take, some little time to. think about this issue,’* he .said.." In Johannesburg, meanwhile, South African rugby officials have welcomed the call by Mr Fraser for a multi-racial South African team to- be invited to tour next year. “This is very welcome news,” said the South African Rugby Board (5.A.R.8.) president, Dr Danie Craven. He added thal it showed his New Zealand counterpart, Jim Fraser, was “essentially a rugby mar who has the game at heart.”

e ' Fritz Eloff, S.A.R.B.’s vices 1 resident, said he hoped that a full international Springi- bok team would be invited / to New Zealand. e “Calling for a multia racial line-up with the New a Zealanders would force us to r select a Barbarians-type team,” he said. e “A Springbok side must h be chosen on merit and we d can’t guarantee that a tourr ing party would definitely it contain Coloured (mixed d race) and black plavers. s Professor Eloff said. “Hown iever, it’s good news and -! something we can work on.”