THE ALL BLACKS.

Hokitika Guardian, 21 March 1925, Page 4

THE ALL BLACKS.

XEPIA’S FATHER’S DILEMMA

WELUXGTOX, March 18

Xc-pin’s father has no iewer than twenty-live wives, sixteen brothers, nine fathers, ami over a hundred eliikiren ! if recent applications to the Xew Zealand Hugby .Union for passes to meet the All 'Blacks are to he relied nil Vet he is only -L years of age.

lor the past, fortnight there has been a gradual trek of Maoris, especially from Hawke’s llav, the home province of Nepia anti Paewai, to the capital, to take part in the welcome to the All Clacks.

Many of them, desiring to get a grandstand view of the landing ceremonies, iipplied at the office of the secretary of the Xew Zealand Rugby Union for passes of admission to the enclosure at I’ipitea wharf. The tolhnving is a sit tuple of the conversation that ensued:—

The Maori: l wish to have a pass lor the. official stand, and to go' on board the Taihiti.

The secertary : Name, please. The Maori : L am the father of George Xepia. There were a large number of Maori women, fully twenty-live in number, who claimed to he Xenia’s mother. I wonder who is the real father, and how I shall know him,” soliloquised the secretary.

The inevitable happened. The real father came to town from Nuliakn., Hawke’s Bay, which the Maoris claim is the cradleiand of Xew Zealand foothall.

Feta Xepia. father of the famous lullhack. is an extremely youthful man, well set up, like his ID-venr old son. The similarity belween them is so great (hat, during the procession through the streets, Xepia senior had his hand pumped hundreds of limes, and received congratulations on his prowess at Itughy against England. Wales, Ireland.’ and the teams, twenty-nine in number, against which his son had played. “ How did you get your ticket 'i ” he was asked.

He laughed heartily. “I heard about these twenty-live wives of mine,” he said. “ I would have had no chance ol

getting a ticket for (he laihiti and the wharf, only I went to the secretary's office with'the- W’airua representative of the Xew Zealand Rugby Union, who knew Air Combs personally.” It was Xepin’s lather's first visit to Wellington. He won’t forget it in a luirrv. he said. ✓

Xepia and Paewai leave for home by a special car to-day. En route they will call at Danncvirke. where the people of the district, wish to fete them. There will bo a big public reception at Napier on Thursday and a Maori hiii on Friday when Xepia and Paewai will he called on to till their Alaori admirers, in their own Nat ire tongue, of how they beat the great pakeha. at Twickenham, in llm presence ol the King ol t he Britons and t lit l Maoris.

A VANCOUVER WELCOMI

TO THE XEW ZEALANDERS.

Vancouver welcomes the New Zealand football team with exceptional warmth (said the “ Sun ” on the occasion of tho visit of Lhe team) because these men ol the All Blacks represent tho very finest trails of British character.

They play the game lor the game s sake. With no reward in sight, in the pure interests ol good sportsmanship. they put forth an ollort. that has: placed them head and shoulders above any similar aggregation in the world.

it is something that a country ol 1,218.01 d people lias been able In pick out .‘lO men who can del eat the entire world in a given line of endeavour. And, wherever lhe All Blacks players have gone, they have inspired a new respect and admiration tor a people among whom stamina, strength end playing intelligence abound in such a high percentage. The Ail Blacks are very ellcclivo ambassadors for Xew Zealand. And the British Empire will he ri'-her in understanding and liking for their present trip..