ALL BLACKS.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 June 1924, Page 1

ALL BLACKS.

QUESTION OF AVAR SERVICE. AYELUNGTON, June IG. Ever since tho All Black team was chosen there have boon persistent rumours that one of them was a shirker of military duty during the war. A statement was expected on tho point from the chairman of the Now Zealand Rugby Football Union, or tho manager of the team, and Mr E. AVvlie, a member of the committee, in tho absence of the chairman, lias now made tho following statement: “So far as the New Zealand Rugby Football Union is concerned, if it were known that- any man actually shirked war service he would not lie considered a lit representative of the Dominion as a footballer. A decision to that effect was made some years ago. and the Union, as at present constituted, lias no intention of departing from it. As far as we are aware there is no man selected in the present team who conies under this category. Rumours are current, and in fairness to tho members nf the team, who are all more or less brought into disrepute by them, we fool that a. statement should he, made. •‘il anybody lias nny information with regard to any of the players chosen failing to answer the call of their country for war service, we shall lie glad to have tho facts brought before ns. At the present time the Now Zealand llughy Football Union lias no information regarding any of tho players that would justify his exclusion from the team on the score of failure to render service to the country during the war period.