SPORTING ORGANIZATIONS

Te Ao Hou, June 1959, Page 72

SPORTING ORGANIZATIONS Perhaps the most successful of the sporting organisations formed in Auckland after the war was the Akarana Maori Sports Association. Formed in 1947 under the able chairmanship of Mr Monty Graham, the association catered for

such sports as Rugby, cricket and basketball. With Dr. Paewai as mentor for Rugby, the club enjoyed a reasonable amount of success in the senior Rugby competition. Membership was high and interest very keen. The ladies basketball team proved very difficult to beat and were always well turned out and punctual. Cricket was played at the Domain, where it was interesting to see one of the few Maori teams to ever compete in a cricket competition. One could write at length on the very many sports in Auckland, but as maybe seen from those already mentioned there is Maori representation of a fairly high standard. It must be recognised that there is no really strong organisation catering purely for Maori participants, as it is felt that co-existence with the pakeha on a sporting level is much more desirable than a restricted type of competition open to Maoris alone. There is, however, no opposition to Maori teams competing as such in recognised competitions so that there is really no complete alienation of the Maori concept of doing things as Maoris, and in the Maori way.