Shareholders’ call to end Quills’ S.A. link fails again

Press, 17 January 1986, Page 5

Shareholders’ call to end Quills’ S.A. link fails again

A resolution by antiapartheid shareholders of Quill Humphreys, Ltd, for the company to end its contract to import South African wines was rejected yesterday. About 80 anti-apartheid shareholders attended a meeting at the Horticultural Hall in Christchurch to hear the resolution. They wanted Quill Humphreys to end its contract with Stellenbosch Wines.

The company’s contract expires in about 18 months. Quill Humphreys’ chairman of directors, Mr Frank Crothall, said after the meeting that the company would have to decide whether to renew the contract in about 15 months. The co-ordinator of the wines campaign for Hart: Aotearoa, Mrs Bronwen McLachlan, said that the anti-apartheid shareholders

would seek another extraordinary meeting of the company in 40 days with another resolution. This would be the third extraordinary meeting called in as many months. Seventy-five per cent of the 3.6 million Quill Humphreys shares were held by Brierley Investments, Ltd, a company official said. “Quill Humphreys’ managing director, Mr Brian Vieceli, held 1.69 million proxy votes against the resolution. Mr Crothall held another 143,000, and the anti-apartheid shareholders held about 12,000 votes in favour of the resolution,” he said.

Mr Vieceli said after the meeting that Quill Humphreys’ role as an importing agency for South African wines was a big part of its business. Mr Crothall said the com-

pany would have to hold another extraordinary meeting in 40 days time by law if 100 shareholders called it.

A major reason for Hart’s targeting Quill Humphreys and another New Zealand alcohol beverage importer from South Africa, Hughes and Cossar, Ltd, in Auckland, was the conditions of black agricultural workers in South Africa, Mrs McLachlan said.

The two importers brought in about $470,000 worth of alcoholic beverages from South Africa each year, Mrs McLachlan said. Seven of the anti-apart-heid shareholders spoke during the meeting, and two asked the directors to comment on the resolution. They refused to do so.

Ms Marion Hobbs said that the majority of black people in South Africa had

asked other- countries to cease trade with South Africa in an effort to dismantle apartheid. Mr Luke Trainor said that black agricultural workers in South Africa did not have the same legal protection as black urban workers. A system of induced alcoholism among the vineyard workers, promoted by white farmers, helped prevent these workers from leaving the urban areas, he said.

After the seventh antiapartheid shareholder had spoken, Mr Crothall refused to allow any more shareholders to speak and called for a vote on the resolution. Mr Crothall said after the meeting that while the comC’’s contract with Stellenh Wines was under review, the company had good legal reasons to continue

with it in the meantime.

“We are also perturbed by what is happening in South Africa, and each board member has stated that he is not in favour of apartheid,” he said.

“However, we have a responsibility to the majority of our shareholders. It is true that if we get out of this contract someone else will take it up and become the new importing agency.” The company might discuss the matter with the Government after the recent Commonwealth Heads of Government resolution to apply more pressure for political change on South Africa, Mr Crothall said. Mr Vieceli said that Stellenbosch Wines was a leader in introducing more equal work opportunities for black people in South Africa.