Questions For New Zealand Rugby Union

Chronicle (Levin), 2 September 1948, Page 9

Questions For New Zealand Rugby Union

'WELLINGTON, Sept. 1. It would he a sorry day for New Zealand if au organiBation like the New Zealaud Bugby Union, for wliom Maori players had dorie so much in the pust, was to be the first to ereet a colour barrier in the Dominion and if such a barrier had been erected without any consultation with the inany Maori Rugby adminiatrators wlio had a live iuterest in the union, it wouid be tantamount to an insult to the Maori race, said Mr. Tirikatene, Maori representative on the oxfieutive council, in a statoment tonight. T,he statement diseussed the position that the Maori people had been placed in by the deeision of the N.Z.R.U., that no Maoris or thos'e of Maori blood sliould ,be included in the All Black team to tour South Africa next year. "What is disturbing to the, Maori people is wliether the South African Rugby Union speeifically excluded Maoris from the invitation issued to the N.Z.R.U., or whcther an understanding was arrived at between the South Afriean Union and the N.Z.R.TJ., that the latter would not consider Maori participation in the team," 'continued the statement. "If it eould Be shown by the N.Z.R.U. that the South African Union speeifically excluded Maoris from the team, then that would be ampie proo.f that the All Blaeks would uot be a team wholly representative . of New Zealand. If, on the otlier liand, the N.Z.R.U. admits they have .taken the course of excluding Maori players on their own volition because it was the union 's desire not to embarrass their relations with the South African Union, then tlie N.Z.R.U. must publish a full explanation a's to wliy they had taken the responsibility to debar Maoris in this manner. So far there lias been no explanation by the N.Z.R.U. why they have macie their deeision. In one wav the N.Z.R.U. has broken the comradesliip of Europeans in New Zealand with the Maori people, that has been cemented on thef battlefields wliere New Zealanders have fought. " The statement added that the colour question in South Africa was appreeiated as also was the faet that Maoris travelling with the team miglit tliemselves be embarrassed, but at the samo time it was felt that the South African people would show interest in Maori players as Maoris — -as had been shown by South African tcams that had toured New Zealand and also by South Africairs in the armed services in the Middle East wlio hnd not shown any nntagonism toward Maori soldiers with whom they eame in cpntact. Mr. Tirikatene said that if the team sailed from New Zealand as an "All Black" team without any Maoris being given the opportunity to be included in the sido, the teani would be travelling nnder false eplours. Tf the N.Z.R.U. did not do the obvious thing and decline the invitation for the team to tour South Africa as a representative "All Blaek New Zealand team," then it Bwratld Ino, expyGtod ,byoalI Rugby Ip.ving Maori cxscrviccmcn, that the team woukl travel as a named side but not as an All Black New Zealand team.