AFRICA’S COLOUR BAR

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 184, 25 October 1927, Page 9

AFRICA’S COLOUR BAR

Maoris and All Blacks NATIVE LEADERS WERE CONSULTED

IN a few days the Te Akarana Natives’ Association will 1 probably receive from the Maori Rugby Advisory Board a letter explaining that the New Zealand Rugby Onion s decision to send no Maoris to South Africa was reached with its full concurrence and approval The missive will be an answer to the association’s protest against the exclusion of native players.

CONSISTING as it does of a galaxy of prominent and intellectually brilliant Maoris—Sir Maui Pomare, Sir Apirana N-gata, Mr. A. Takarangi, Captain Pitt, Captain Hall, Mr. “Friday” Tomoana, Mr. W. T. Parata, and Mr. Kingi Tahiwi—the Maori Advisory Board may be accepted as representative administrators, whose views stand for the considered judgment of the majority of their race. That, at any rate, is the opinion of Mr. S. S. Dean, chairman of the New Zealand Rugby Union, who was in Auckland to-da'y, prior to sailing by the Aorangi for Honolulu. AFRICA’S INVITATION Mr. Dean said the Advisory Board supported the New Zealand Rugby Union’s attitude, which was that South Africa’s race problems made the inclusion of Maoris quite impossible. Anyone who had lived in South Africa - —as he had done, 20 years ago—would realise that native players sent there with a football team would only be exposed to the risk of insult, and to the contempt of a people unhappily not educated to New Zealand’s broad views on the colour question. Long before the tour was definitelyarranged, the New Zealand Rugly Union had discussed the subject with the Maori Advisory Board, and had ascertained its feelings, and before the Maori team left last year, on Its trip to France, the players had specifically been informed that they would not be eligible for the South African tour. “The arrangement to send no Maoris,” he stated, “was reached as a matter of mutual understanding between New Zealand and South Africa. The South African Union’s invitation was worded in the usual formal manner, and there was no specification, in any form, that Maoris should not be sent with the team.”

Preparations for the tour will occupy officials of the union throughout the summer. On November 30, said Mr. Dean, nominations for the post of manager will close. He himself returns to New Zealand, from his “rest cure” trip to Honolulu, about December 6, and the manager for the All Blacks will probably he chosen

about the second week in December. LETTER FROM ZELLER In February, be went on, furnishing further details, the medical examination of the players—a searching test—will be conducted by doctors appointed to act on the union's behalf in the different centres. After that the captain and vice-captain will be chosen. There will be no official party. Every man must be thoroughly sound, as the tour will be strenuous. But Mr. Dean does not believe it is advisable to increase the number of players. He quoted a, letter from W. C. Zeller, of the 1921 Springboks, who had assured him that nearly all the grounds were now of turf, and well cared for. Zeller said there would be no grounds harder than Eden Park, concerning which he apparently retains memories of a test played under a blazing sun. But he obviously did not see Eden Park as it was in the glorious winter of 1927.