COMPLAINT OVER MAORI SELECTION

Press, Volume C, Issue 29501, 1 May 1961, Page 16

COMPLAINT OVER MAORI SELECTION

(New Ztalnnii Press Assoiiatitm)

AUCKLAND, April 30. The New Zealand Rugby League Council will look into the organisation of the New Zealand Maori board of control. After hearing delegates from the minor and southern leagues say there was lack of interest shown in their Maori players this motion was carried at the second day of the conference of the NewZealand Rugby League in Auckland on Saturday. The delegates complained that their Maori players were not getting the same consideration for representation in New Zealand Maori teams as the Auckland players were. Mr W. Butler, the Taranaki delegate, said that 50 per cent, of the players in Taranaki were Maori and that they felt as if they were being taken cheaply. “We are not disappointed that we haye not had any Maoris selected. We are disappointed that our Maori players are not seen.” he said Mr E K Asher, th* dele-

gate for the Wcri Board of Control, said- that the board was not the sole representative on the Maori selection panel. "We work in with the New Zealand selectors. The Maori board only sees the players in Auckland, Waikato, and Rotorua,” he said. The Wellington delegate (Mt J. E Napier) said that further investigation into Maori players should be made. "This must be looked into to see that all the Maori players get a chance for representation in New Zealand Maori teams.” The New Zealand selectors informed the meeting that they would be watching numerous matches in the country before selecting the New Zealand team to travel to England and France later this year. ' . The chairman of the selectors (Mr C. H. Siddle) said that be did not think it was necessary to hold a North v. South Island match or any other special trial matches other than the provincial games.