WATERSIDERS PROTEST

Chronicle (Levin), 12 August 1948, Page 5

WATERSIDERS PROTEST

Press Association)'

Exclusion Of Maoris From All Blacks

( Per

WELLINGTON, Aug. 12. Strongly protesting against the exclusion of Maoris from the New Zealand rugby team to tour South Africa, members of the Wellington Waterside Workers' Union, at^ a stopwork meeting today; urged the authoritie-s to abandon the tour if Maoris could not be selected. In. a unanimous resolution,_ the union said it regarded the decision to send away a team of pakehas as "an insult to our Maori friends." During the discussion the rugby authorities were criticised for submitting to the attitude of the South Africans, discrimination against the Maoris being described as eompletely undemocratic. Speakers said that New Zealand had set a good example to the world by trying to remove racial discrimination in national culture, social activities, industry, education, sport and democratic rights, and any discrimination in any activity attacked a national -principle. The attack should be resisted and the principle adhered to without deviation. The union secretary, Mr. E. A. Napier, explained that the organisation had always taken a keen interest in sport as witness the records of its soccer and rugby league teams. Various watersiders were active rugby union players and the union had numbers of Maori . members. The union was justly entitled to express an opinion on this 'very important question. Wellington trade union circles believe that similar resolutions are likely among other unions and throughout New Zealand.