Rejection for fans

Press, 19 August 1981, Page 6

Rejection for fans

Objections by Mount Cook National Park staff closed part of the visitors’ centre to a coachload of South African rugby supporters yesterday afternoon.

The chief park ranger, Mr H. A. Youngman, said he had refused to show the supporters a special programme of displays and films in the interest of “staff harmony.” The coach had arrived, at short notice and some of his staff were not prepared to work during their visit. A school party was already using the special facilities and a temporary walk-out would have left the park headquarters understaffed. The Springbok supporters were not denied access to the

headquarters or other parts of the visitor’s centre, but the coach driver had misunderstood and the coach left.

Mr Youngman said that he had not been prepared to ask the school party to combine with the South Africans in, case the party was offended. Even if the school group had not booked the facilities, he doubted whether the special programme would have been available at short notice to the supporters.