IRRESPONSIBLE MEDDLING HAS JEOPARDISED TOUR

Chronicle (Levin), 8 September 1948, Page 5

IRRESPONSIBLE MEDDLING HAS JEOPARDISED TOUR

WELLINGTON, Sept." 8. Strong criticism of those who, he said, Hiad jeopardised next year's rugby tour to South Africa by what he termed "irresponsible meddling in what is -purely a rugby . matter" was expressed today by the Hon, R. Masters, a former Minister of Education and prominent rugby administrator. Mr. Masters, whose brother, F. HMasters, piayed for New Zealand against the 1921 Springboks, was himself a Taranaki rugby representative, He was for several years president of the TaranakiRugby Union and a delegate to the New Zealand Union. The forthcoming tour, he said, was primarily a rugby matter and those trying to bring extraneous matters into it were doing a disservice to the cause of sport..Some of them, he felt sure, did not see a rugby match from one year's end to another. "These busybodies, by their mischievoqs comnients, have developed their agitation to the point where we now have acrimonious cables being exchanged between here and South Africa, with the result that our hitherto excellent sporting relations with South Africa are in danger. I suggest to the people responsible for this state of affairs that they should keep out of rugby matters and let rugby footballers and their representatives manage their own affairs. I am confldqnt that I voice the sentiments of the great majprity of footbkllers, including Maori players, when I say that they want the tour to go on, and- strongly resent the meddling that has .taken place. "Naturally we are al-1 sorry that our Maori friends cannot be represented." Mr. Masters said that this situation had occurred only. once in about 20 years and for the rest of the time the Maoris were on the basis of complete equality in the selection of teams, and in addition many tours were arranged for the Maoris themselves. To suggest that there was any racial diserimination in New Zealand rugby was ridiculous, declared" Mr. Masters, and it would not be endorsed by "the Maoris -themselves, He added if the tour was Oancelled it might affect not only rugby, but also other sports, including soccer, which had a visit from a Springbok team last year.