‘Prank’ disclaimer

Press, 7 May 1981, Page 1

‘Prank’ disclaimer

The New Zealand “H” Block Committee has dissociated itself from the paint “bombing” of the trade office of the British High Commission in Christchurch yesterday. A spokesman for the committee, Mr D. J. Leahy, of Christchurch, said that his group did not recognise such tactics, arid was “not associated with the attack in any way.” * ’ , Mr Leahy said that; he suspected the. attack might have been “some • sort of prank.”

“But if it was a political act we can understand the frustration of those concerned with the intransigence of the British Government’s handling of the issue of restoration of political status for Irish prisoners,” said Mr Leahy. He said that the Christchurch “H” Block Committee had been formed about two months ago. There were branches in the other main' centres, some of which had. been in existence longer. Mr Leahy declined to say how many members

the New Zealand committees had, or how they worked. “We’ have a reasonable number -— not as many as we would like,” he .said. Mr Leahy said that the New Zealand “H” Block Committee had been formed to lend support to its Irish counterpart. “Our main purpose here is to try to educate New Zealanders to our viewpoint, or another viewpoint, of what.»is happening in Ireland,” he said.