Laidlaw assistance

Press, 22 September 1980, Page 11

Laidlaw assistance

pA Auckland A former All Black, Chris Laidlaw, helped to write the statement by the Commonwealth Secretary-Gen-eral, Sir Shridath Ramphal, which this week criticised Zealand’s attitude to the proposed Springbok tour. In a telephone interview from London, Mr Laidlaw' siad it was "quite natural” that he and Sir Shridath should collaborate, especially in view of his own backpound. Mr Laidlaw, who has been Sir.Shridath’s special assistant in London for two years, toured South Africa with the All Blacks in 1970. He played 19. tests as half-back for New Zealand between

1964 and 1970, but announced his opposition to rugby contacts with South Africa after he toured there. “My views .on South Africa are no secret and it is quite natural I would discuss them with the Secre-tary-General,” Mr Laidlaw said yesterday. The statement, which accused the New Zealand Government of making a “ritual bow” on its commitments to the Gleneagles Agreement, was designed to show other Commonwealth Govern-

ments’ feelings, he said. “It is our hope that the rugby union will see the light and realise the stupidity of their actions.” But Mr Laidlaw said it

was "up to New Zealand” to decide how the tour should be stopped. “The Secretary-general is merely reminding the Government of its commitments and making known the feelings of other Commonwealth leaders.” Sir Shridath’s statement angered some Government members of Parliament this week. They said New Zealand had been singled out Mr T. V. Hunt, member for Pakuranga, said it was “utter hypocrisy” after Sir

Shridath did not take action against Britain after the Lions tour of South Africa. However, Mr Laidlaw said that statements had been issued regularly, and to all countries which had sports contacts with South Africa. I The British Government had been reminded of its obligations.

About 500 chanting demonstrators marched through central Auckland last evening to protest against the proposed tour. The hour-long march was without incident and the protesters were asked by organisers to picket the Auckland v. North Auckland match at Eden Park today. The chairman of the Auckland Rugby Union, Mr Ron Don, has said that the Senior Opposition Whip, Mr J. L. Hunt was hardly in a position to comment on an incident at Eden Park during last Saturday’s New Zealand v. Fiji match. Mr Hunt was reported to have said in Parliament that a scuffle between Mr Don and a television cameraman was “little better than a display of common assault” Mr Don said that because Mr Hunt was not present, he knew as much about what happened as his leader (Mr Rowling) knew about South Africa.