No special ’Bok buses

Press, 25 February 1981, Page 1

No special ’Bok buses

The Christchurch Transport Board will provide no special buses to carry spectators to Lancaster Park when the Springboks meet New Zealand on August 15. The board decided resterday to ban all ser-• vices and facilities associ- ■ ated with the tour; All charter services and special buses to parkswhere the South Africans are scheduled to play. vVill • be banned. Regular bus services, including-..those that travel along '-Ferry Road, will not be.-affected. Besides banning services. the motion:; also recorded its support . for Government and; Opposition statements opposing the Snrinf’bok tour. The motion proposed by ' M- T. N. D. Anderson, will- also ban the? board’s social club from-Jmannmg , a carpark on -*pro«. • : rrty at the corner of Moorhouse Avenue and .Fals7rave.Street.il ' ' Mr P. V. Near.', who : | seconded the motion, said 1 he. had strong .views on

the subject as he, had lived in places where coloured people “were' treated like dogs?.’. ‘ .“This matter should be out of order?* said Mr C. L. Sugden? “It is not the concern of'the board to express an opinion on the South African tour. The board has a duty to administer the public transport of Christchurch City. Services within the scope of normal operations should not be withheld on any ' selective' , basis, or for selective reaons, as a result of the personal conviction -of : any: board members,” he said.

The chairman, Mr.-; J. Mathison, said there was nothing in the orders to say the motion coujd not be heard.' -■ “I don’t think we have the right to decide such an issue,” Mrs H. Bonisch said. “Our perona}. beliefs are irrelevant” '

. Mr Mathison believed all local bodies, should support the Government, especially on such a serious social issue. “I would not like to see any of our machinery or drivers at risk if there were any violence.” “We are acting on our own initiative and not on a Government directive, but we should back it on something that is morally wrong,” he said. Mr Sugden believed the board has its head in the sand if it banned services to the ground, but allowed buses to carry on with the Ferry Road run. “If we pass this resolution we are backing a sectional part of the community,” Mr P. G. Sha,rpe said.

“I believe the majority of New Zealanders are in favour’ of the tour and only when I can be assured that the majority is against the South Africans’ coming will I support this recommendation,” he said.

A poll taken by the University' of Canterbury showed a majority in favour of the tour.

Mr T. G. Smith said the risks that the staff and buses might be under far outweighed the financial returns charter work involved with the rugby tour would realise. It was estimated that 4 per cent of the . board’s revenue came from this sector.

The motion was adopted by a majority of six votes to three, Mr Sugden having his vote recorded against it.