Duck movements

Press, 28 May 1981, Page 16

Duck movements

Sir—That the black § offspring of the solitary ® melanised female duck, which arrived in autumn 1979, should have survived with such profli- > gacy is probably due to supplementary feeding by indulgent 7? humans. Gertrude, a confiding old duck of my acquaintance, ; raised two broods this' season (without loss) of which 60 per .. cent were black; Gregor Mendel rejoice. The coming duckshoving season will therefore be full of interest, a procedure requiring big breaths on the part of the half-drowned female. Melanised mallards aside, as any visitor to a duck farm will realise, the distinction between the mud and the duck’s movements if not arbi-

trary is certainly obscure. - Yours, etc., R. FRANCIS NAYLOR May 25, 1981.

Sir,—l would like to correct the impression given by . your correspondent G. M. Ed- $ inonds concerning my reaction to comments made by Sir John

Marshall on the recent “Eye Witness" programme. Where' I ■’ agree with Sir John, is in the fact that the Government has the responsibility and the means to ensure that the proposed Springbok tour does not proceed. I totally disagree with Sir John Marshall's comment that a way to solve the problem would be to have the All Blacks go to South Africa, in place of the proposed tour scheduled for New Zealand later- this year. HART of course opposes all sporting contact with South Africa, regardless of where that contact takes place. At the time of making my comments I was unaware of Sir John Marshall’s statement about the possibility of the All Blacks touring South Africa. — Yours, etc.. PAULINE F. McKAY, National chairperson, ’’ ■ HART. May 25, 1981. Springbok tour

Sir,—l would suggest that Mr Les Martyn should have had a closer look at Australia's sporting contacts with South Africa before trying to tell New Zealand how to run its own affairs. In April last while I was in Australia a Perth rugby club was away touring South Africa. In the eastern states South Africans took part in a surf carnival. The South African National Ensign was flown at the event alongside those of other competitors. So much for Australia’s claims of no sporting contacts with South Africa. — Yours, etc., F. B. CAMPBELL. May 26. 1981. ’

Sir—John Edmundson will probably have noticed that Hiwi Tauroa may be going to

South Africa to coach black

and Coloured players. Many

other citizens, like myself, find HART’s tactics entirely nega-

tive and sickening. They are

aiming to halt tours instead of encouraging them, engendering hate instead of brotherly love,

producing division and dissension instead of peace and unity and creating animosity among African nations towards New Zealand instead of understanding and trust. HART would have died a natural death long ago had it not been for antiGovernment elements in the media who have given it publicity far out of proportion to its size and worth. The churchmen ' who are now marching with HART should recognise that we look to them to lead us in humility, brotherly love, not judging others (Luke 6:37), first removing the beam from our own eyes (Luke 6:41.42) and above all in the power of prayer. — Yours, etc., ./ E. MULCOCK. g May 26, 1981. $ ■j'j. Sir,—Mr Hadlee's state- ■< ment ("The Press." May 25) ; that "in this country, whether ■ we, like it or not, sport is organised on the basis of race, colour or ethnic origin," leaves one stunned. “That is contrary to the Gleneagles Agreement." he continues. "I certainly don't want to see this enforced.” Were this sweeping statement correct, New Zealand as a whole could be blacklisted. He does not want Gleneagles enforced. Was that also Mr Muldoons attitude at Gleneagles? For a top sports administrator to fail to distinguish a voluntary association with people of like race, from segregation enforced by Government and law, shows how conditioned minds can be — and the long road yet ahead to enlightenment. Our law specifically forbids discrimination. An individ-

ual here, unlike one under South African law, may associate or play with whom' hehe likes, and even marry someone .of a different race. That is what apartheid and Gleneagles are about. — Yours, etc.. B. ROBERTS. May 26, 1981.

Sir.—HART supporters must applaud S. M. Wells for giving them their clinching argument in the last sentence (May 26) which I quote with one small change — “all nations" becomes “the many nations": "To dissociate ourselves from the many nations whose policies are distasteful to us is to isolate ourselves from most of the world." Exactly what the green light for the tour implies. Almost the whole civilised world supports policies — at least at the cultural and sporting level — which demonstrate abhorrence of the ruling South African arrogance and suppression of the majority’s freedoms. But New Zealand is about to demonstrate its distaste for these policies — to condemn itself to isolation more ignominious than splendid. — Yours, etc., B. P. LILBURN. May 26. 1981.

Sir,—Six months ago I could not have cared less whether the Springboks came here or not. Then when it became fashionable to take a stand I was of the anti-persua-sion, being neither d rugby fan nor a New. Zealander keen to encourage internal disorder. Then I read of our growing trade with South Africa and I also began to wonder at why people were in opposition to a tour which was open to South Africans of all colours. How could it be. a racist team? However, it is only in the last few weeks that I have become firmly pro-tour. If a subversive organisation like HART is able by fear and intimidation to shape the attitudes of so many people then it will be a sorry day for this country if HART is ever able to claim a victory. — Yours, etc.. EDNA THOMAS. May 26, 1981.