LATE LOCALS.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 August 1931, Page 6

LATE LOCALS.

See Addisons attractive window display of tlie new season’s slub, repps and curtain nets.—Advt.

The Golden Nuggets. Tickets procurable up till 12 noon to-morrow (Wednesday). Who will be the last. Don’t rush, Adtlie Breeze tobacconist, Revell Street, or W. Hnybittle agents. —Advt.

Some Province! —lt is interesting to note, comments the Christchurch “Press,” that now that Canterbury has won the Ranfurly Shield, the premier trophy for Rugby football in New Zealand, the province can rightly say: “I’m the king of the castle,” in three principal sports. Last season ft won the Plunket Shield for the interprovincial cricket championship, ( and fc-r three seasons has successfully defended the New Zealand hockey shield, open for competition by all provinces.

A reason why Maoris make good Rugby half-backs was given by the Hon. Sir Apirana Ngata at the dinner to the Maori tennis in ChristcburcH' on Saturday night. He said that lie doubted whether New Zealand had produced better men than the'Maoris behind tb e scrum, and be had' wondered what' gave the Maori his aptitude for play in that position. For thousands of years the Maoris used to sit crosslegged. and still do so, in spite of chairs being provided. That extra quickness in getting down gave the' Maori a fraction of a second advantage over the pakeha. (Laughter).

The visit of the North and South Island Maori Rugby teams to the Tuahiwia on Sunday says the “Press,” was of historical importance. It marked the first occasion that representatives of the North Island Maoris have visited the fine grotto and stone surmounted by an immense tiki which marks the site of Kaiapohia, the headquarters of the chiefs* when Te Raupar.aha Reduced it and slew many of the inhabitants, lit referring to this fact, Mr Kingi Taliiwi, a member of the Maori Rugby advisory Board, said that it was' to Rugby football matches such as those played for the Prince of Wales trophy and the Te Mori rose bowl between the Maori districts of New Zealand, that tbe bond of friendship which bad now grown up could be attributed in great menu re. Old grudges bad been forgotton. Kaiapohia pa was the site of some big battles between South Island and North Island chiefs, and on one occasion, in 1831, North Island natives laid siege to it for eight months before it fell. U was at Tualiiwi pa that Te Rauparaha perpetrated bis terrible insult to the local Maoris by,cooking rncl eating the body of a young woman of the Ngaita.hu tribe which lie found buried in a small canoe.