Portuguese Men Of War?

Portugal's trade mission to New Zealand, scheduled for September, will only visit Auckland and Wellington, official sources in Wellington disclosed on July 8.

The trade mission, the sources state, will be comprised of 40 members and their wives. The mission, which will come to New Zealand from Australia, will be led by Dr A.S. Pinto, special assistant to the President of the Portugal Exports Promotions Board. Dr Pinto was in Wellington in April to prepare for the visit, and held discussions with the Department of Industries and Commerce. Special commodities discussed included wine and furniture.

The mission will arrive in Wellington from Sydney on Monday, September 24, and will be staying at the James Cook Hotel on the Terrace. They will remain in Wellington until late Wednesday, when they will fly to Auckland. They will remain in Auckland until Saturday, September 29 staying at the Intercontinental Hotel.

Opposition to the visit has been voiced by the National Anti-Apartheid Committee, whose sponsors include the National Council of Churches, the United Nations Association of New Zealand, the New Zealand Race Relations Council, the Young Christian Workers, Care. Hart and the NZ University Students' Association.

A spokesman for the National AntiApartheid Council stated that actions opposing the mission are being planned for before and during the visit. Any extension of Portuguese—New Zealand relations at the present time, the Committee felt, would be seen internationally as a token of New Zealand's support for Portugal in its wars of oppression in the African colonies of Mozambique, Angola and Guinea-Bissau.

Already, the Committee noted, there had been reports in overseas anti-apartheid papers concerning the proposed visit to New Zealand. Any reports of improving relations between New Zealand and Portugal were seen abroad as countering the increasing international opposition to Portugal's wars in Africa.