ALL BLACKS AND QUESTION OF COLOUR BAR

Grey River Argus, 2 September 1948, Page 5

ALL BLACKS AND QUESTION OF COLOUR BAR

Hon. E. T. Tirikatene Questions N.Z.R.U. P.A. . WELLINGTON, Sept. 1 it would be a sorry day for New Zealand if an organisation like the New Zealand Rugby Union, for whom Maori players had done so much in the past, was to be tne first to erect a colour barrier in the Dominion; and, if such a oarrier had been erected with the many Maori Rugby administrators who had a live interest in the Union, it would be tantamount to an insult to tne Maori race, said Hon. E. T. Tirikatene, Maori representative the Executive Council, in a statement released to-night.

The statement discussed the position that the Maori people naa oeen piaced in by the decision or the N.Z.R.U. that no Maoris, or tnose or Maori blood, should be included in the All Blacx team to tour South Africa next year. “What is disturbing to the Maori people is whether tne boutn Amcan jxuguy Union specuically excluaea Maoris irom the invitation issued to tne New Zealand rtugoy Union, or whether an unoerstanumg was a/ri.yed at between the South Airiyan Union ana the New Zealand rcugoy Union, that tne latter would not con’sider Maori participation in tne team,” continued the statement, "if it could be shown by the N.Z.R.U. that the South African Union specmcany excluded Maoris irom the team, that would be ample proof that the AU Blacks would not be a team wholly representative of New Zealand. "On the other, hand, the N.Z.R.U., admit that they have taken the course of excluding Maori players on their own violation, because it was the Union's desire not to embarrass their relations with the. South African Union, then the New Zealand Rugoy Union muse publish a full explanation as to wny they had' taxen the responsibility to debar Maoris in this manner. So far, there has been no explanation by the New Zealand Rugby Union why they have made tneir uecision. In one way the New Zealand Rugby Union has broken the comradeship of the European in New Zealand with the Maori people that has been cemented on battlefields where New Zealanders have fought. The statement adde dthat the colour question in South Africa was appreciated, as also was the fact that Maoris travelling with the team might themselves be embarrassed. But at the same time, it 'was felt that the South African people would show interest in Maori players as Maoris —as had been shown by South African teams that had toured New Zealand, ana also by South Africans in the armed services in the Middle East, who had not shown any antagonism towards Maori soldiers with whom they came in M° n Ttrikatene 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 side, the team would be travelling under false colours. H the New Zealand Rugby Union did not do the obvious thing, and decline the m vitation for the team to tour Sout Africa as a representative All Black New Zealand team, then it would be expected by all Rugbv Mnnri px-serviceixien that tne tea.ni wS travel as a named side but not as an All Black New Zealand team.