TONGANS STONED

Hokitika Guardian, 27 September 1932, Page 8

TONGANS STONED

(SEQUEL TO RUGBY MATCH

HOOLIGANS’ ACT AT APIA

AUPJvLAN D, September 21

Tongan. ■ Itugisy footballers . were stoned by .■£* crowd ,pf 'hooligans on the. eve ojf theii;. departure fpqm Apia, yamoa, The incident was related this mom* ing by*-the orew. ~of the ..Union r Uompuny’s fruit,/steamer. Whipahi, which carried ,the footballers from .Suva to Nukualofa, via Levuka and Apia. The VVaipahi reached : Auckland last evening- v . ‘•The incident -.was .an unfortunate one> : a§. the Tongans were a fine foam qf sportsmen,”, said a member of the Waipa'lii’s company, / “The Tongans felt more hurt, than enraged,, although tjiey.. realised,. that it wae only the hooligan plenient of, the.,town that was responsible \ for the stoning. .!•; i “The Tongans, numbering 25, were embarked by the W/iipahi at Suva and taken to L-evuka, where they won a football matchi.against, the local team from Levukao-.t'hey were tarried to A pia. ! A representative . match vbefcweeft. the Tongans arid the. Samoans was won by the tourists, and; a boxing: tournament' was arranged for the jveuing.” , . j It was when the Tongans were ret turning from the hall;; in whvi Ihe boxing bouts were held- to the A\ aipalii that the stoning occurred The footballers were traveling in rnotcr-euxs, t'h e glass ’n it least one of the ifivrs- was shatter-? 1 by ■ a Volley ■ <>l atones.. Two of the fexthai*ers iec<*ivrl cuts, but no one was seriously injured, During the boxing tournament one of the' Tongan representatives lost his bout on a foul, and it is believed -that that fact was made the hooligans’ excuse for the stone-throwing.

j In Suva, where they were beaten, in , all three test matches', the Tongans yere presented With 303 nativ e mats. Jvach member of ,the team was also given a gallon tin of kerosene, preiiumably as a token of “light of friendship," and a Aib tin of biscuits. {Th e kensene,', it .is stated, is much jjsed in .Tonga• i Although they were well beaten at guva, where ■! the local players have 'the benefit of the coaching of an exWellingtoU ; representative player, the ifongans considered that .they had had s wonderful trip, which was only tmarreij by the stone-throwing incident ■nfc Apia; ' > j It i? stated that Bugby enthusiastr £n both Fiji and Tonga would welcome the chance of sending a. team to Auckjltwfd, ’it is believed that the natives would be & good draw here'. In the Islands th e natives play in bare feet. Jibuti,;.it, Stated ip-Fiji that ,«? iteam of 25 . boys who would play In .‘either boots or canvas shoes could be Selected . for' an Auckland visit. I The Auckland University Football (Club has sent several teams to Suva ii) decent years, and; the Aucklanders have Ibebn given a great reception..