W. T. (NED) PARATA.

5 To have crossed the Tasman on four different occasions as manager of a. New Zealand representative Maori ! te?.m of Rugby players is the unique record of Mr. W. T. (Ned) Parata. [Ned is the younger son of the late Hon. T. Parata, who for 30 yeafs- represented the Southern Maoris m ParK liament before he was called to the Upper House. The young fello\v first saw the light at Waikouaiti, Qtago,. and it was there that he spent his school days. He was not Ipng breeched before he started to take an active part m all games that tend t:o relieve the monotony of the average everyday school and was never contented unless he was kiclting a football case, regardless of its contents. In 190!), on account of health reasons, Ned decided to try himself out m the North . Island, and chose Rotorua as the favored spot. His fame on the athletic field and his connection with sport generally. toon made him a much sought-for personality, and m 1911 he was elected president of the first Bay of Plenty Rugby Union. His first trip to Aussie was with the 1910 team, which included such fine footballers as J. W. Stead, W. Cunningham (original All Black fame), Poananga, Piki, Taka.ru ngi, Jack Hull and Wlniata, all of whom made their names famous m N.Z. Rugby circles and who, when their active days m the sport had finished, took , up : prominent positions 'm the administration affairs, of Maori , football m particular and their provinces m general. The 1910 Maori tcaia -s&lll. always hold a tender spot with, Ned, as he thinks they were the pjck of the lot. - i They played their first five matches of the New South Wales tour ■without it penalty being uwardedugulnst them, which goes to prove the class of players' th.dy'.'were and with what respect they treated the rules of Rugby. In 1013-22-23 Ned -also; crossed with his native contingents, the . 1922 team bringing back the "Ashes," which their pakeha brethren, following shortly afterwards, failed to hold. Ned was one, of the selectors of the N.Z. teams/ hist year which defeated the N.S.W. reps m the three tests. He is a vice-pre-sident of the N.Z.R.U., and has ulways taken a keen interest m all branches of sport andVhas won," high, honors.'in the running, tennis and rowing world, while he is also an ardent motorist, and what he does not know about the roads of N.Z. is not worth knowing, for ;on different. - occasions he has travelled by motor car from Auckland to the Bluff. Ned and his , boys were passengers oh the ill-fated train of th,e Ohgarue disaster last year, and the "ginger" his boys put into their foot-; ball had no comparison with the energy they displayed on that occasion to relieve the suffering' and' help the wounded. Ned is of the opinion that the day is not far distant when his Maori boys will He given a chance to take up the trail blaxed by the 18S8 Maori team that yisited England, and when' that day comes Ned's fbptball dream will be realised, for he thinks, given every facility for selection, etc.. that a team could be picked that would make the- best team m the world step out. In private life Ned Is the proprietor of a garage m Rotorua. in whiph the tourist or traveller may find interest. The office walls are adorned with football teams past and present that would do justice to any football museum m New Zealand.