Last match of tour in doubt after summit

Press, 5 August 1981, Page 1

Last match of tour in doubt after summit

The last match of the Springbok tour might be cancelled if a proposal made at a summit meeting at Parliament yesterday is acted on.

The meeting involved representatives of the Rugby Union, pro-tour and anti-tour groups, and the police. The chairman was the Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon). The secretary of the Police Association. Dr R. A. Moodie. said he hoped anti-tour groups would embrace the proposal— to reduce protests in return for the cancellation of the final match of the tour, the third test on September 12 — and that the Government and the Rugby Union would endorse it.

The proposal was put to the meeting by the Race Relations Conciliator. Mr Hiwi Tauroa. who said after visiting South Africa six weeks ago that he opposed the tour. Mr Muldoon said the meeting had explored the tour issue “carefully and calmly." but had made "only limited progress."

He emphasised that neither the Rugby Union nor the protesters were in a position to make firm commitments on suggestions. The Rugby Union’s council agreed to consider the proposal to cancel the final test and protest groups agreed to go back to their members. A spokesman for HART. Mr David Cuthbert, said that Mr Tauroa was regarded with some respect by the anti-tour movement and his proposals would go to HART branches.

The Rugby Union’s council is expected to meet this week to hear the views of its men at yesterday’s meeting

— the chairman. Mr C. A. Blazey. and the Wellingtonbased councillors. Messrs Ivan Vodanovich. Tom Cunningham. and Pat Gill.

Dr Moodie said the antitour movement faced a dilemma concerning the distinction between anti-tour and anti-apartheid.

The Society for the Protection of Individual Freedom (5.P.1.R.) was represented at the meeting by Mrs Elizabeth Sutherland and Mrs Yvonne Willcox. Mr Muldoon said the two women opposed all the suggestions and wanted the tour to go ahead as planned. They told reporters before the meeting that they wanted the abandoned Waikato match to be rescheduled. "I feel that because a lot of people are opposed to apartheid, they are identified with the anti-tour groups." said Dr Moodie.

But he said protest movement representatives wanted to slop the tour - to restrict the freedom of the Rugby Union.

He said HART. C.A.R.E.. and C.O.S.T. should consider whether they would represent the wider view, or the view of stopping the tour. "If it is the former. they represent tens of hundreds of people: if it is the latter, they represent only hundreds." Dr Moodie said.

He said he had spoken to people opposed to apartheid but who had not wanted a level of protest involing violence and conflict. "We will be watching HART. C.A.R.E. and C.O.S.T. to see whether they are representing the wider view and. if they are, there will be

substantial de-escalation in violence and conflict." said Dr Moodie. "I think we need to convey to the world an unequivocal position of total opposition to apartheid." said Dr Moodie.

The Commissioner of Police (Mr R. J. Walton) who also attended the conference at Parliament, had no comment.

Mr Cuthbert said Dr Moodie should "stop playing a role of a Dr Kissinger." Replying to Dr Moodies statement that anti-tour groups found themsleves in a dilemma. Mr Cuthbert said HART was not of that opinion. HART would not back off. he said. As long as the Springboks were in New Zealand it would protest. The only person talking about appealing to the middle ground was the Police Association, said Mr Cuthbert. But the anti-apart-heid protest movement covered a broad cross-sec-tion of societv.

"There are people who will voice protest by staying away from matches, people who will voice protest by writing letters, people who will telephone us and offer their support and funds, and another group who will go on to the streets and march.

"Among them (the latter) is a group of people who will act with civil disobedience — sit-ins and that sort of thing." Mr Cuthbert challenged Dr Moodie to prove that his "dilemma statement" was right. There was no role in New Zealand society for a Dr Kissinger, he said.

Mr R. M. Don. chairman of the Auckland Rugby Union, last evening suggested an anti-apartheid rally at Mount Smart Stadium to be held simultaneously with the third Springbok test al Eden Park.

Mount Smart is about Bkm from Eden Park.

"I am not opposed to nonviolent. lawful protests." said Mr Don. "On the day of the third Springbok test al Eden Park, the Mayor of Auckland the chairman of the Auckland Regional Authority together with Church leaders and the self-styled prominent citizens of Auckland could all lead a • big anti-apartheid rally at Mount Smart Stadium to be held at the verv same time as the test.

Further report. Page 3