'Get out' edict clearly not golf

QUEENSTOWN - Police have no right to ask residents of Queenstown's Kelvin Heights to vacate their homes so United States President Bill Clinton can play golf nearby, says a top lawyer.

Mr Clinton will visit Queenstown around September 14, after the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation leaders' meeting in Auckland.

He is likely to want a game of golf while in Queenstown, either at Millbrook Resort or at the Kelvin Heights Golf Club.

Police have visited a number of houses with prime views of the golf course, warning people they may have to move out briefly.

But Auckland lawyer Jim Farmer, QC, said he was not aware of any law which would require residents to do such a thing.

"I don't know of any law that entitles the police or anyone else to require people to vacate their homes just because someone wants to play a game of golf," he said.

"There's a pretty important principle. To put it in its traditional form, a man's home is his castle ... I think it is very much an infringement on basic rights.

Mr Farmer said he believed security measures were being taken too far and urged Kelvin Heights residents to stay at home for the day.

The fact that houses were private property worked to residents' advantage - an advantage not available to people who regularly used the Auckland Domain.

"The Domain is being closed, as I understand it, because the President wants to go for a run," Mr Farmer said.

"Well, there's a whole lot of us, including me, who go for a run in the Domain every morning and none of us feels particularly happy about not being able to run in the Domain the day that President Clinton is running there." - NZPA