Rugby tour talk

Press, 15 May 1987, Page 16

Rugby tour talk

Sir, —I wish to express my disgust at the latest attempt by Mr Lange to discredit rugby and players. This, to me and many of my friends, is typjcal of Mr Lange and his Government, to put up a smokescreen and divert; attention from issues and the record of his Government; matters such as unemployment, crime, a planned attack on rural areas, high interest rates, overseas debt, postal rates, power increases, increases in taxation plus GST, and increases in A.C.C. levies. I would back the

credibility of Mr Thomas and the N.Z.R.F.U. against Mr Lange and his Government on the record of the last two and a half years plus their last election promises. Continually bringing up the issue of South Africa and choosing to ignore other countries’ problems is unbalanced. I wish our Government would address New Zealand’s problems first. — Yours, etc., RUSSELL J. ARTHUR. s . Kaikoura, May .12, 1987.

Sir,—So, the Prime Minister has inside information on a tour to South Africa after the rugby World Cup series. In challenging the N.Z.R.F.U. to either deny, or say it has no knowledge of it; he says he would not believe anything it said anyway. What blatant hypocrisy. Who said in no uncertain terms that there would be no interference with national superannuation? None but t ' the said Mr Lange, and others,'and' he has the colossal gall to say he would not believe anything the Rugby Union told him. Who can believe what the Prime Minister says? Before casting. doubts on the credibility of the Rugby Union he should have been sure of liis own. — Yours,- etc., : G. JOHNSON. ( May 12, 1987. ; Sir,—Our country is indeed fortunate when our Prime Minister has so few worries that he can jump up and down oVer a few men running around a field kicking a leather bag of wind, and over a tour to South Africa that might never take place. Would a member of the Royal family really need Mr Lange’s permission to come to New Zealand to watch a game of rugby? — Yours, etc., ■ : J. B. MITCHELL. I May 13, 1987. i .. , Sir,—Whichever team wins the World Cup rugby will have a hollow victory. It will be able to say that, at least, it was second, but will certainly not be ■able to claim to be the premier world team if it has not beaten South Africa. In the meantime, .our Prime Minister, who seems to have an obsession regarding South Africa, is vocal about “possible” planned tours to South Africa after the contest when, it appears, there is nothing at all planned in this respect I have not heard any outburst from Mr Lange with regard to! Russian sports teams visiting New Zea- ''; i '

land, despite the Afghanistan invasion, and spying by Russian diplomats. Nor have I heard him speak against visiting French sports teams, even though two “French terrorists” (his words) were caught in New Zealand. However, these were “sold” back to France, so perhaps that makes everything all right. — Yours, etc L. R. WILKINSON. May 13, 1987.