No Go For Apartheid Petition

A Delegation of students failed in an attempt to present letter of protest to the Consul-General at the South African Consulate on Friday, during a commemoration of Sharpeville Day.

According to one member of the delegation, the lift failed to stop at the selected floor and carried on to the sixth floor.

Attempting to use the stairs, the delegation found the door on to the required floor was locked.

The letter was pushed under the door.

The Consul-General, who had instructed his staff not to accept anything from the protesters, said later he would be prepared to accept a small delegation of "two or three" at some later stage.

Apart from students, representatives of Drivers, Clerical Workers, Electricians, Food Processing Workers, Storemen and Packes and Seamen's Unions were present.

Mr. Tom Potae, of the Maori Organisation on Human Rights, was present, together with the Research Officer, Mr. Darryl Cunningham.

He said workers were very angry about the lack of organisation.

He called the protest "an insult to the Maori people that there should be a protest about apartheid without consulting them."

The organisation, which was formed in February, 1968, had some 400 members, said Mr. Cunningham.

It was formed to oppose the passage of the Maori Land Amendment Bill.

He said the organisation strongly disagreed with the Maori Council which is not opposed to the projected All Black tour.