Map showing opinion around New Zealand on the Springbok tour
Opinion on social and political issues often differed sharply between the cities and the rest of New Zealand. From the 1960s new social patterns and attitudes developed in the main cities and amongst the university-educated, but not necessarily in small towns and rural New Zealand.
The South African rugby tour of 1981 revealed deep rifts within New Zealand society. Opinion polls indicated that a majority of those questioned in the four main centres (and in some other cities, such as Palmerston North and Nelson) opposed the tour.
In stark contrast, public opinion strongly favoured the tour in provincial centres such as Hamilton, Tauranga, New Plymouth, Whanganui, Timaru and Invercargill.
Data from which this map is derived
This data is from a poll carried out by the New Zealand Herald between 25 and 30 July 1981. The question asked was 'Should a Springbok rugby team have come to New Zealand?'.
| Town/city | Yes (%) | No (%) | Don’t know (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whangārei | 44 | 52 | 4 |
| Auckland | 41 | 50 | 9 |
| Hamilton | 54 | 37 | 9 |
| Tauranga | 54 | 38 | 8 |
| Gisborne | 44 | 54 | 2 |
| Rotorua | 52 | 36 | 12 |
| New Plymouth | 51 | 40 | 9 |
| Whanganui | 57 | 38 | 5 |
| Napier & Hastings | 44 | 44 | 12 |
| Palmerston North | 43 | 51 | 6 |
| Masterton | 45 | 39 | 16 |
| Wellington | 34 | 57 | 9 |
| Nelson | 32 | 61 | 7 |
| Blenheim | 55 | 41 | 4 |
| Christchurch | 33 | 57 | 10 |
| Greymouth | 41 | 55 | 4 |
| Timaru | 55 | 36 | 9 |
| Dunedin | 27 | 68 | 5 |
| Invercargill | 62 | 22 | 16 |
| TOTAL | 42 | 49 | 9 |
The map is based on an original that appeared in Malcolm McKinnon (ed.), New Zealand historical atlas, David Bateman, Auckland, 1997. The data in the table is from the Evening Post, 13 August 1981, p. 1.
