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Overview
This handbook of information was given to former police officer Steve Mitchell who travelled to Napier to work during the controversial Springbok rugby tour of New Zealand which took place from July to September 1981. He worked on 25 August, match day for the Springboks vs Māori All Blacks game.
The booklet details accommodation, health services (medical, dental, welfare), and other amenities available to police officers stationed in Napier between 23-26 August 1981. The Napier District Commander wrote a message at the beginning of the booklet:
'By now, with the tour so far advanced, the pattern may have emerged and experience gained elsewhere will have aided us in the policing of our operation ... it is the Police members themselves who will be under scrutiny, and every person involved in any way with the tour, or taking an interest in it, will be closely observing the way we do our duty. Especially noticed will be our impartiality, our firmness and above all, our good humour, and so also will our behaviour in general, both on and off duty.'
The Springbok tour was a seminal event in New Zealand's political and social history - exposing deep rifts in society. Many New Zealanders objected to the tour because of South Africa's policy of racial apartheid, and many questioned racism at home. Protests caused obstruction and the cancellation of games, and violence escalated between protesters, supporters and police during the tour.
Steve Mitchell was one of thousands of regular police who were mobilised around New Zealand for Operation Rugby (the police code name for the tour), demonstrating the government’s huge commitment to ensuring the tour proceeded.