Mr Kirk On Racial Discrimination

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30977, 5 February 1966, Page 16

Mr Kirk On Racial Discrimination

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, February 4.

The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Kirk, said today that he hoped no attempt would be made to select a Rugby football team to tour South Africa next year other than on “truly representative lines.”

“It ought to be everywhere that all New Zealanders are equal and that we cannot accept less than equal treatment,” he said. Mr Kirk said that the Labour Party had consistently and strongly opposed racial discrimination within and outside New Zealand and would continue to do so.

Last night, the Prime Minister. Mr Holyoake, made a policy statement on racial discrimination because, he said, he understood the invitation to New Zealand to send a Rugby football team to South Africa next year did not allow the inclusion of Maoris in the team.

Mr Kirk said today: “I am very pleased indeed to see that the Prime Minister’s statement fundamentally supports the Labour policy.”

The principles of racial equality were too important to be set aside for any temporary consideration, he said. “Speaking as one who has not attended a Rugby football match in New Zealand since 1960, I am strongly of the view that no team leaving New Zealand can be regarded as representative of our community if it is chosen on racial lines. “Our Party and thousands of New Zealanders hope and urge that nothing will be done to select a team other than on truly representative lines,” he said.

Mr Kirk arrived back in Wellington last night after being stranded in the Chatham Islands—part of his Lyttelton electorate —by bad weather. Later today he will fly to Christchurch for the weekend