‘Secret’ Hart proposals

Press, 8 May 1985, Page 4

‘Secret’ Hart proposals

PA Wellington The anti-apartheid movement, Hart, has written confidentially to the Government with three specific proposals to prevent the proposed All Black tour of South Africa.

Hart’s chairman, Mr John Minto, confirmed that a letter was sent to the Prime Minister, Mr Lange, about 12 days ago, after a national meeting of the organisation to map out a 12-week antitour campaign.

“In our letter we pointed out three specific areas where we wanted the Government to take strong action against the New Zealand Rugby Union,” Mr Minto said. ’ He declined to be more specific.

He said Hart was still awaiting Mr Lange’s response to the letter. Mr Minto said the approach to the Government was just one of several strategies Hart would im-

plement during the next 10 weeks to put pressure on the Rugby Union to call off its South African tour.

A concerted campaign to persuade rugby sponsors to withdraw financial support was well under way. Hart hoped to have enough information within the next few weeks to publish a list of such sponsors and the products they produced.

The list would be circulated widely nationally and internationally to help a boycott of the companies and their products. Hart was also optimistic that the English Rugby Union would agree with its request to meet 10 players out of the squad of 23 who played in South Africa last year.

Although Hart had not yet heard back from the union. Mr Minto said, he was hopeful a meeting could take place either in Auckland or Whangarei after the English players arrived in New Zealand later this week.