HART’s telex ‘contemptible’

Press, 10 March 1982, Page 2

HART’s telex ‘contemptible’

HART’s controversial telex to the Organisation of African Unity and the Supreme Council of Sport in Africa has been described as “contemptible” by the Christchurch group, the Society for the Protection of Individual Rights for Sporting Freedom. The groups’ leader, Mrs Elizabeth Sutherland, said in a letter to the chairman of HART, Mr John Minto, that it was clear that HART was calling for a boycott of the Commonwealth Games at Brisbane in spite of any denials it had made. “On behalf of the overwhelming majority of New Zealanders who reject any boycott of the Commonwealth Games, we express our total disgust at the selfish attitude being shown by you and your organisation. You are clearly prepared to put HART’s interests before those of New Zealand and New Zealanders,” she said. HART appeared willing to sacrifice New Zealand’s par-

ticipation in the Games by urging the nations of the O.A.U. to take the hard line predicted by Mr Minto. “I am sure (HART) will get very little support from even those who opposed the 1981 Springbok tour,” Mrs Sutherland said. She said her group intended to write to the Foreign Ministers of those countries involved in any possibly boycott, urging that their nations attend the Games, and pointing out how little support and credibility HART had in New Zealand. “HART’s connections with Marxism will also be made clear together with our opinion of HART’s true objectives,” she said. In another letter to New Zealand’s Minister of Foreign Affairs (Mr Cooper), Mrs Sutherland said that in view of the tour of South Africa by English circketers, “these Commonwealth countries can no longer single out New Zealand, and may now be more reasonable in their attitude to freedom in sport.”