Opposition Mounting

Despite the insistence of the NZRFU that the tour will proceed and the apparent insistence of the Government that it will not exercise its power to effectively call the tour off, the issue has, rather than lain down, reached a new prominance with more and more groups and individuals coming out against it and the polls giving every indication of a further shift in public opinion against the tour.

But it is the very fact that both the NZRFU and the Government refuse to alter their positions in the face of such public-opposition that the May 1 Mobilisation, which will see mass marches in all main provincial cities, attains such importance.

Marching is about the only alternative left to New Zealanders who are strongly opposed to playing sport with racist South Africa. If the Government is confronted with massive marches on a nationwide scale similar to those in 1973 and 1976, it may yet be convinced that the stakes are too high for a variety of reasons - international repercussions, law and order or the closeness of the general elections. Unfortunately, the Anti-apartheid movement have learnt that it can't expect the Government to act out of concern for the situation in South Africa.