M.P. will not relent on Hart petition

Press, 11 June 1984, Page 8

M.P. will not relent on Hart petition

PA Auckland The Government member of Parliament for Pakuranga, Mr Pat Hunt, says he will not present a petition to Parliament opposing a tour of South Africa by the All Blacks even if the petitioners meet some of his objections. Mr Hunt recently refused to present the petition of Mrs Joyce Browne and 19 others calling on the Gov-

ernment to vigorously oppose such a tour. He said that if all the petitioners were in his electorate (10 were from outside Pakuranga), and more signatures were collected, he would present the petition. Mrs Browne said last evening that she and others would present the petition again after getting about 200 signatures from within Pakuranga.

Mr Hunt said last evening, however, that he would still not take the petition to Parliament because it was “politically motivated.” The anti-apartheid group, Hart, has organised such petitions in the other 91 electorates. He said he was not refusing to present the petition because he disagreed with its sentiments. He had presented petitions with which he did not agree.