Pollster ‘proved inaccurate’

Press, 7 December 1981, Page 13

Pollster ‘proved inaccurate’

PA Wellington The Heylen poll's theory on the number of people opposed to the Springbok rugby tour was almost certainly as inaccurate as its theory on who would win the General Election, the Auckland rugby administrator, Mr Ron Don, has said. Mr Don. speaking at a New Zealand Rugby Union council meeting, referred to Heylen’s “woefully inaccur-. ate” prediction of the election result. He said that the same organisation had “come out with the incredible theory that the majority of New Zealanders were opposed to the tour. "Inevitably this was seized on by the biased news media, churchmen, some politicians, and paid political protesters

and is still being quoted as fact as recently as the United Nations debate this week." he said. Among topics the council discussed on Friday was the Springbok tour and several commented on the need for active promotion of secondary school rugby next year because of the backlash towards the sport because of the tour. The council decided to wait until the new’ Minister of Recreation and Sport was appointed before seeking a meeting to find out whether the Government would continue to refuse coaching funds to rugby because of the tour. One councillor, Mr P. M. Wild, asked whether rugby’s “12 months in purgatory" were not at an end.