THE ALL BLACKS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2845, 12 February 1925, Page 3

THE ALL BLACKS.

CANADA’S WELCOME. Auckland, Yesterday. The president of the New Zealand Rugby Union (Mr Frost) received the following cablegram from the Mayor of Calgary: “Calgary to-day takes vour wonderful boys to its heart. Please convey our greetings to the Mayors of tlie principal cities of New Zealand.” (Signed) George Webster, Mayor of Calgary. Mr Frost lias replied: “Many thanks for cordial message. Extremely grateful for your courteous reception of our team. Have much pleasure in conveying your greetings.” - BRIBING THE ALL BLACKS. London, February 19. The “Daily Chronicle,” in a special article which it calls the true storv of the attempts to induce some of the All Blacks to join the Northern Union Clubs, says the tciiiii w as barely a week in England before club agents began enquiries but they wore coldly reoeivd. One agent paid the expenses of a non-playing member of the All Blacks party to visit Oldham, where it was discovered that M. Brownlie, Nepia, Cooke and Richardson would be particularly welcome transfers, but the quartette scorned the suggested defection. The agents then resorted to more direct' methods to attract Nepia, who after the Ulster match, was offered £1,299 cash pins a tempting bonus. Nepia naively says: “But they did not show me the money/’ The writer contrasts these details with the earlier story that seven All Blacks took the initiative in an enquiry into the terms.