S.A. sport contacts and passport rights

Press, 14 October 1985, Page 2

S.A. sport contacts and passport rights

Parliamentary reporter Could the Gleneagles Agreement on sporting contacts with South Africa be enforced without violating individual rights, asked Mr Ken Shirley (Lab., Tasman). The Government had not been able, under New Zealand law, consistent with international obligations, to refuse to issue passports to any New Zealand citizen or prevent them from leaving the country. That would certainly have been a violation of individual rights. He said the good will felt towards New Zealand from the African continent followed the esteem engendered by the Prime Minister, Mr Lange, on his visit there earlier this year. Sheep values It used to be the law in Britain that people could be hanged for stealing a sheep, said Mr Doug Kidd (Nat.,

Marlborough). Given, as a result of the Government’s crazy economic policies, that sheep were now worth only a dollar each in New Zealand, it would hardly be worth hanging anyone for stealing a sheep, he said. Rustling and stealing other kinds of stock, too, had used to be a hanging offence, but the value of the stock had been greatly depleted in New Zealand since those days, Mr Kidd said. School staff

Primary schools in southwestern Christchurch would get extra staff in 1986 as a result of Government policies, said Mrs Margaret • Austin (Lab., Yaldhurst).

The Gilberthorpe, Russley, and Sockburn primary schools would benefit this year from moves to implement the policy for a 1:20 teacher-pupil ratio.

The first schools to benefit were those identified as having special needs, or with high junior class rolls, she said. S.I. tourism

South Islanders were conscious that the great potential of the South Island had not always been recognised by other New Zealanders, said Mr Philip Woollaston (Lab., Nelson).

New Zealand’s tourist numbers were projected to double from the present 519,000 by the turn of the century, and a high percentage of them would continue to be in-bound tourists visiting the South Island.

A big drawcard for the South Island was the opportunity it offered for people to escape from the pressure of high population densities, he said.