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Minto walkway controversy

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Thu, 04 Mar 2010 7:58a.m.

A walkway may be named after protester John Minto in Auckland

A walkway may be named after protester John Minto in Auckland

Veteran Springbok tour protestor John Minto is at the centre of another controversy over a decision to name a public walkway after him near Eden Park.

The Eden Albert community board wants a lane being built for next year's Rugby World Cup named either Minto, Mandela or Porangi (crazy) Walkway.

The board said it was opposed to the link and chose the names Minto and former South African President Nelson Mandela because of their connection to the 1981 Springbok Tour. Porangi is Maori for 'crazy' and was included because of the amount of money being spent on the project.

Councillor Glenda Fryer said they did not want to name it after a rugby hero "because we think it's a foolhardy measure."

The lane connects Sandringham and Walters roads and would cost $3 million, the New Zealand Herald reported today. It would be open to vehicles and pedestrians, but traffic would be restricted during games.

It was part of an $18m upgrade around Eden Park, including work on Kingsland Station, Sandringham Rd, the gas network and footpaths.

Phillip Chase of the Eden Albert community board said they wanted a name that would leave a mark but councillor Ken Baguley said the names were a joke.

Former MP Ian Revell, a policeman during the 1981 tour, said the Minto connection was "outrageous".

Mr Minto said it was nice of the board to think of him, but he would not support the proposal because it "was poking a bit of fun at the council for spending all this money."

NZPA

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Comments

04 Mar 2010 08:37p.m.

RobertM wrote:

I follow and worship beautiful women terrorists the way some men follow race horses. Minto however leaves me cold. He's too old and should be home with a warm milo.Ive never been impressed with the anti aparthied movement. When conservative British politicians like Harold MacMillan, Iian McLeod and Enoch Powell decided to end British colonialism in Africa they did it not because of any hopes for African rule, they fully expected the likes of Jacob Zuma and Mugabe to emerge but because the hard line military rule that had been needed to straighten out Kenya for 40 years was to damaging and dehumanizing to the British soldiers, police and society. Frankly I always cheer for the Boks. The l981 tour saw no winners, not the All Blacks, not the springboks, not the police, not the demonstrators who didn't stop the tour or the boks.Actually I think the police should have driven the demonstrators of the Hamilton rugby field and that Minto and Penny Bright should have been much more forcefully treated when they interferrred with the Israeli tennis player. Minto backs the enemies of freedom and womens rights. The truth is African women would benefit immensely from intelligent, supervised and selective trafficing. They would give relief in hard core provincial and rugby areas.We could even import black gigilos from Africa for middle aged women academics.

04 Mar 2010 04:29p.m.

john e wrote:

how about Dickhead Drive? or, Wanker way or toodamn Close? or even minto minefield?

04 Mar 2010 04:25p.m.

Russ F wrote:

How stupid can the EACB be, they may as well consider calling it 'Flour Bomb Alley' in memory of the flight path that toppled Gary Knight. As a spectator who was jostled, spat on and abused on that infamous day any attempt by counsellors to historically legitimise the protest should lead to an immediate call for their mass resignation. We have had some famous non player Kiwi's associated with the park like the late great commentator Winston McCarthy whose name would be far far more deserving of a sign. 'Winston McCarthy Walk'... now there's a name.

04 Mar 2010 04:24p.m.

Russ F wrote:

How stupid can the EACB be, they may as well consider calling it 'Flour Bomb Alley' in memory of the flight path that toppled Gary Knight. As a spectator who was jostled, spat on and abused on that infamous day any attempt by counsellors to historically legitimise the protest should lead to an immediate call for their mass resignation. We have had some famous non player Kiwi's associated with the park like the late great commentator Winston McCarthy whose name would be far far more deserving of a sign.

04 Mar 2010 02:19p.m.

Paul H wrote:

Only if he is used as part of the foundations he is a no good loud mouthed waste of space.

04 Mar 2010 01:15p.m.

Paul wrote:

It is inconceivable anyone can consider naming anything after Minto, even as a joke or to make a point. There is no-one less worthy in my opinion to have this obscene 'Recognition' regardless of the intention. If the walk is to assist with structure and presentation of Auckland to World Cup visitors, then I don't see a problem naming it after something meaningful to the occasion. Even 'All Blacks Walk' would seen appropriate.

04 Mar 2010 10:35a.m.

katrina wrote:

Are those the best names they can com e up with?

04 Mar 2010 09:57a.m.

Dave wrote:

Crazy Minto has a nice ring to it? Seriously I agree with Colin. Mr Minto just makes trouble for the locals in a Pacific island setting but never goes where the actual disputes lie. NZ was the poorer for his actions during the tour. He protests in a safe environment well away from the actual problem areas.

It would be an outrage to name something after a citizen who regularly flouts the law to support his own perceptions at the cost of people going about their lawful business. It is not that his causes do not have merit on occassion but it is the way he goes about "protesting" which ultimately often cause a negative reaction to the very cause.

04 Mar 2010 09:30a.m.

JD wrote:

Will be a great little lane to take the dog to do his business on..

04 Mar 2010 08:41a.m.

colin wrote:

To compare Nelson Mandela and John Minto in the same sentence is a joke. What did Minto do to end apartheid Disrupt a rugby tour which made things worse at home for the average black. His disruption did nothing to end apartheid. Did he stand in line with the anti apartheid leaders and average folk and face the SA Police armed to the teath. Did he face their bullets. No, he sat safely in New Zealand.

Please Aucklanders, Nelson Mandela and many others went to prison, were murder by the state or just simply shot like dogs. Jiohn Minto is a joke in South Africa - the real hero's of the anti apartheid movement are the ones who stayed in SA and faced the fiercest opposition since the Nazis.

Name your lane after Mandela, but PLEASE, don't put those two names together as it is an insult to Mandela and all those who died, exiled or simply disappeared.