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Politics and sport - 1981 Springbok tour

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

‘Politics and sport don’t mix’

In South Africa before 1948 the white minority enjoyed a privileged position, reinforced by a number of laws and practices that ensured there was extensive segregation of the races. When Daniel Malan’s Nationalist Party came to power that year, this separation was intensified with a policy known as ‘apartheid’ (‘apartness’ in Afrikaans) that aimed to strictly divide the races.

Gleneagles Agreement - 1981 Springbok tour

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

From Montreal to Gleneagles

The All Blacks accepted an invitation to tour South Africa in 1976 – a time when world attention was firmly fixed on the republic because of the Soweto riots. Hundreds were killed as the authorities ruthlessly suppressed protests. An All Blacks’ tour under such conditions was not only intolerable to many New Zealanders but also attracted international condemnation. Black African nations boycotted the 1976 Montreal Olympics in protest, firmly putting sports and politics back onto the same stage.

Poll tax imposed on Chinese

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

The Chinese Immigrants Act was passed by Parliament, introducing a ‘poll tax’ of £10 (equivalent to $1560 in 2010). Ships arriving in New Zealand could land only one Chinese passenger for each 10 tons of cargo. In 1896 the ratio was reduced to one passenger to 200 tons of cargo, and the poll tax was increased to £100 ($17,600).

Old-Age Pensions Act passes into law

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

A world first, the act gave a small means-tested pension to destitute older people 'deemed to be of good character'; Chinese were specifically excluded. It is considered one of the major achievements of Richard Seddon's Liberal government.

Race killing in Haining St, Wellington

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

Lionel Terry killed Joe Kum Yung to draw attention to his crusade to rid New Zealand of Chinese people. His death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment on the grounds of insanity.

Anti-Chinese hysteria in Dunedin

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

A meeting in Dunedin presided over by the mayor unanimously called for a ban on further Chinese migrants.

Poll tax on Chinese immigrants abolished

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

The Finance Act (No. 3) abolishes the poll tax, introduced in 1881, which is described by Minister of Finance Walter Nash as a 'blot on our legislation'.

All-white All Blacks leave for South Africa

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

The slogan ‘No Maoris − No Tour’ fell on deaf ears as this controversial rugby tour went ahead. The issue of sporting ties with South Africa was eventually to split the country in devastating fashion in 1981.