Future of tour in doubt after Hamilton hostility

Press, 27 July 1981, Page 1

Future of tour in doubt after Hamilton hostility

PA

Wellington

The future of the Springbok rugby tour remained in doubt last evening after meetings between Government ministers, the Commissioner of Police (Mr R. J. Walton), and the chairman of the New Zealand Rugby Football Union, Mr C. A. Blazey.

The Springboks, who were reported to be disconsolate, remained in Hamilton yesterday, abandoning plans to fly on to New Plymouth for the scheduled third match of their tour, against Taranaki, on Wednesday. The Rugby Union’s liaison officer with the Springboks. Mr Bob Stuart, said that no decision had been made for the Springboks to travel to New Plymouth today. He said, “I would expect there will be a decision on the side’s travel arrangements within the next 24 hours.”

The Acting Prime Minister (Mr Maclntyre) said that the Attorney-General (Mr McLay) 'had been called in for advice on the legality of withdrawing the Springboks’ visas. ■■ ; .

The ' police had been authorised to seek further logistical support from the Ministry of Defence.

At a news conference after an hour-long meeting of Cabinet Ministers involved in various aspects of the tour, Mr Maclntyre ruled out the use of the Army to support the police in controlling demonstrators.

He said it was his opinion that HART had lost control of the protesters and that “other forces," which he declined to identify, were at work in organising the demonstrations. Events at Hamilton had shown that there were forces at work which no longer respected the law and it had become quite clear that protesters were prepared for pitched battle. Mr-Walton had been asked to reconsider his Saturday

statement that even if all members of the police had been on hand it would have been impossible to contain the situation that had developed at Hamilton. Mr Maclntyre said that he would receive a report from Mr Walton today. He would refer it to the Cabinet for consideration and subsequently to the Government caucus.

He wanted to have the views of the caucus before he made any decision on a future course of action.

Mr Maclntyre said that he had no regret that the Government had refused to withhold visas from the Springboks. He appealed to rugby followers and anti-tour demonstrators to refrain from violence.

He said that if his appeal was unsuccessful it was over to Mr Walton to say whether the police could handle the situation.

Nothing could excuse the demonstrators at Hamilton.

Mr Maclntyre said, “they went w’ell beyond the edge of the law and their actions were clearly seen to be beyond the edge of the law.”

Mr Walton, who had met Mr Blazey before meeting Mr Maclntyre, declined to comment on the substance of his talks with the Acting Prime Minister. He was referred to criticism that the police had not acted strongly enough to contain demonstrators at Hamilton and said, “some of the policemen are concerned about the way it was wound up yesterday, that is the problem. There is no lack of communication. Some of our men consider more force

should have been used

Questioner: You obviously don't agree with them, Commissioner?

Mr Walton: I’ve got to handle the situation the way I see it. . . I’ve got to accept the responsibility for what happened. Parliamentary sources said later that in his meeting with Mr Blazey, Mr Walton had given a fairly bleak view of the likely trend of events if the tour continued.

Mr Blazey said that no decision had been made to cancel the tour. He said. “I have seen the Commissioner (of Police) and discussed the tour. I shall report to my council on the discussions with the Commissioner.”

Mr Blazey said that the council would meet before the scheduled Taranaki match.

The Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) said in Washington yesterday that the Government caucus would meet tomorrow to decide “what,, if any, action the Government takes" on the tour.

He emphasised that he was not saying that the caucus would meet to decide whether the tour was called off.

But he said, “Any Government decision will be made by the full Government caucus, not by just the Cabinet or by the Acting Prime Minister."

He had had a full report on Saturday’s incidents from the Acting Prime Minister (Mr Maclntyre) and from the head of the Prime Minister's Department, Mr Gerald Hensley.

"I will be briefed further. In the meantime, the matter is in the hands of the police, who will talk to the Government and the Rugby Union."

Mr Muldoon said that in his contacts with Wellington he had asked one or two questions. “The most immediate question is whether people who organise such things can evade their responsibility by merely saying, as they have at this point, that they have asked their people to go to the edge of the law. “Obviously a lot of their people have gone well beyond that and there is the appearance of planning in what transpired yesterday and that is a matter that has got to be taken up and that question answered immediately. “There are other questions which I would not wish to make public at this moment.” Asked to elaborate on his comments, Mr Muldoon said, “I would just like you to use the words I have used and just report it as I said." Told that the public might not understand what he was getting at, Mr Muldoon said. “Just try and see if they do.” He was “disturbed” by aspects of Saturday’s demonstrations.

“People coming along armed with gas: that is premeditated, it is organised, and it is a breach of the law. This is not what we normally regard as protest or demonstration. This is violent action."

Further reports, pages 3, 6