Hanan Praises Truth Slates Salient Grumbles

In our last issue we reported a demonstration against apartheid in sport which took place outside the Parliamentary Reception for the South African European Cricket XI.

Reaction to this has varied from that of shocked old gentlemen to an under-standai)ly more radical viewpoint amongst some students.

For the benefit of our readers we print points of view held by men who occupy important positions in the community.

Hanan Says:

Minister of Justice, Mr. Hanan, told a meeting of Dunedin Jaycees that if it had been thirty years previously, he could well have joined the group of demonstrators outside the Parliamentary welcome for the South African sportsmen.

He added that young people should respect the freedoms which allow them to make such a protest, but noted that it was healthy for young people to be rebels.

Truth Says:

In an editorial comment on the back page of Truth, February 25th appears:

That

• The South African cricketers gave the correct answer to those irresponsible student picketers.

• On Sunday night they went on stage to link arms with their Maori entertainers and sing songs.

Salient Says:

That

• We still stand by the facts which were printed in our story, admittedly colourfully written.

• We deprecate the fact that Wellington papers saw fit to virtually ignore demonstrations which took place in Wellington at the Railway Station, the St. George Hotel and Parliament.

(It could be noted that more objective newspapers in Auckland and Christchurch gave the demonstrations fair coverage.)

That

• We noted with interest suggestions in the Sunday News (Auckland) from their columnist "Henry Logan".

"If it was the anti-Apartheid boys who dug up the cricket pitch ... I say it is a pity they didn't make a better job of it.

"I love cricket. I know it may ruin the pitch. I know it could have caused the postponement of the game. What is this compared to the misery and the suffering of the coloured people in South Africa.

"If anything can be done to draw attention to the colour-bar situation and subjugation of the natives by a near-Nazi government then we should dig up every cricket pitch in New Zealand as a means of protest.

"I do not agree with sitting on the fence, enjoying our game of bat and ball, carrying on [unclear: o] friendly game trying to pretend that nothing is happening.

Thank heaven somebody made a protest."

That

Salient wonders what sort of newspapers we have in this capital city.