Best Of Luck Extended To 1949 All Blacks

Chronicle (Levin), 12 April 1949, Page 5

Best Of Luck Extended To 1949 All Blacks

Press Association)

(Per

WELLINGTON, April 11. Members of Parliament, veterans ot previous All Black teanis, reparesentatives of various sporting organisatiom and others, gathered at Parliament House today to farewell the 1949- All Biacks. Regret that the exclusion of Maorb from the team had been necessary ■through conditions over which New Zealand had no controi, was expressed by the Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser Some very fine players had, througt this measure, been excluded from the team. He wished the team all luck iu their tour of South Africa. Mr. Tirikatene, member for Southeru Maori, said the team, in represent'ing New" Zealand, was representing the Maori people too. On behalf of the Maori people he wished the team thv best of luck. The Acting Leader of" the Opposition, Mr. Holyoake, said the team wouid be ambassadors and emissaries of New Zealand. The hononr and prestige .of the whole 6f New Zealand was in the team's hands. He was positive they wouid carry out that trust with great honour. The manager, Mr. "J. H. Parker, himself a member of the 1924 "Invimci bles,5' said he knew, and the team knew, they were going forward wit'. the good wishes of the whole of Neiw Zealand. One of the greatest ties.be tween South Africa and New Zealanc was Rugby. He hoped, as a result of the tour, fkat the two countries wouid be even closer f riends than before. The captain Of the team, Allen assured those present that the team wouid do its utniost to justify the eon fidence placed in them. Whether tha team won or lost they wouid go down fighting.