Maori-Pakeha Football Match

Chronicle (Levin), 15 June 1948, Page 3

Maori-Pakeha Football Match

"ON.GE- BITTEN,

TWICE SHY."

(To the Editor) $ Sir, — Being a keen follower of the sport of rugby football in the HoroWbenua district for a number of years, I wish to protest through your columns in respect to the annual Maori-Pakeha match played at Levin on Monday, June 7. As a resident of Shannon it was necessary for me to travel" to Levin by bus, which, of course, involved the paying of a small charge. 'On ■my arrival at the gates of the Levin park Doman I paid out two shillings for admission and, as it was a cold day, an extra sixpence to gain a seat on the stand. This sum would have been a very minor consideration, had the match been up to the standard of the pre-war Maori-Pakeha fixtures. However, all the disappointed spectators saw was a game in which players were changed about at will and withdrawn from the match at halftime. In other words it was just a trial work-out for the players. If the Horowhenua Rugby Union is to turn this annual fixture into a trial for futurg representative football, perhaps it will be prepared to play it as a Saturday match with usual club game prices, and glve those of their supporters •' tvho enjoy a good ' football match on a holiday something for their money, namely, a representative match. if the union expects to have the continued support of the public, something better will have to be offered than the King's Birthday match. It is to be hoped that they have realise-d their mistake and it will not happen again. Yours etc..-

Shannon, June 14.