Protesters paid to march?

Press, 19 August 1981, Page 3

Protesters paid to march?

PA Hamilton Anti-Springbok tour protest organisers offered to pay people to march with them in Invercargill, Dunedin, and Christchurch, said the chairman of the Auckland Rugby Union, Mr R. M. Don, yesterday. However, this was dismissed as “rubbish, and lies with no foundation” by HART’s national organiser, Mr John Minto. Mr Don said in an interview: “The anti-tour group’s leaders are moving round the country, but who is paying for them nobody knows. “It is a fact, however, that in Christchurch, Dunedin,and Invercargill, in particular, they were going round pubs offering money to get people to join marches to swell their numbers. “This wa§ reported to me from people in each of those cities.” Mr Don said it was also significant that “roughly 75 per cent” of those in most marches were teen-agers; and he found it disturbing that anti-tour pamphlets were openly displayed in Auckland secondary schools. “Masters, mistresses, and one headmistress are encouraging their pupils to partici-

pate in these marches. This is very sad when they have not got permission for these marches — and that is the case in Auckland — because they are merely breaking the law by being in marches,” he said. Both Mr Minto and HART’s deputy chairman, Mr Michael Law, denied rumours that they were receiving funds from overseas or the trade union movement. Mr Minto said the Mobilisation to Stop the Springbok Tour (M.0.5.T.) had spent about $40,000 since April in its campaign and this had come entirely from New Zealanders’ — mostly Aucklanders’ — donations.

Protesters would pay their own way to cross Cook Strait at the week-end to get to the Nelson Bays match, in two Air New Zealand Friendships chartered at a cost of $7OOO. Mr Minto said individuals had paid their fares when M.O.S.T. organised transport to the Hamilton and Gisborne matches.

Mr Law said: “People who raise questions of ‘Moscow gold’ or trade union movement funds are generally people who are so selfish that they would never give a brass razoo to anyone.”