THE WIDER ASPECTS

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20266, 7 August 1937, Page 9

THE WIDER ASPECTS

SPRINGBOK’S IMPRESSIONS I ‘‘A FAVOURED COUNTRY." BONDS OF EMPIRE. “The matches we have played »o far in New Zealand have been harder than any Australian Test, and how we will fare against your All Blacks I yanijot say, but what does it matter who wins after all?" said Mr D. Craven, famous Springbok half-baok, when speaking at the Palmerston North Optimists’ Club, states the Manawatu Standard. “If something has been done to bring South Africa and New Zealand closer together the tour will have been a great success for all of us, win, lose, or draw,” he added. Mr Craven, who is the visitors’ vioeoaptain, said that the Springboks’ team had been overwhelmed with hospitality wherever they had travelled. “When I saw' the All Blacks play in South Africa in 1928 I little realised that it would be my privilege to participate in a tour of New Zealand,’’ he added; “when I was selected it seemed like a dream coming true.’’ In South Africa, as in New Zealand, Rugby had become the national game, and the people In his -country were very enthusiastic, although not nearly so much so as in New Zealand, the visitor -said. “I had heard it said that here Rugby was a religion—l am not satisfied that It is more than that; It is a super-religion,” he declared, amid laughter. The Bame Empire. Stating that New Zealand was a particularly favoured country, Mr Craven said that it did not seem to be troubled with droughts or snakes, nor did it have the big native problem which South Africa had. “I am proud to be in your country and meet your people,” he added, “and I am more proud still*to think that we both belong to the same Empire. I think the fact that we are in the Empier has been our salvation. We have our national feeling, and rightly so, but it is absorbed In a true Empire spirit.’’ The state of affairs in the world today, continued the speaker, was, as he saw it—and he tried to be an optimist —really critical, and the only hope he saw for it was a standing together of the white races. “And now let me make myself clear,” he added. “When I say white races I don’t exclude your wonderful Maoris. There are people In South Africa who have a wrong conception of your native race, but I am not one of those, and the more I come in contact with the Maori the more proud am I to call myself a fellow Britisher with them." (Applause.) Mr Craven s-aid that civilisation was at the cross-roads. It would fall as ■other civilisations had in years past If due regard was not paid to the building up of a sound family life based on religion. A nation was built on the morality of the family life of Its people. Rugby football was playing its part; it was producing good sportsmen, and a good sportsman was not only a good citizen but a good Britisher.