NEPIA AND LEAGUE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 196, 20 August 1925, Page 12

NEPIA AND LEAGUE.

AN OFFICIAL DENIAL. RECEIVED FROM NAPIER. George Nepia, the young Maori footballer of Hawke's Bay, who achieved famo as the full-back for the All Black team during that team's triumphal tour of Britain last year, has several times been credited with having received tempting offers from emissaries of the League football game in England. Early this month the ''Star" published the fact that an application from the Hull Club, of England, had been made to the New Zealand Rugby League Council for a clearance, which would enable Nepia to play for that club in England, and that the application had been- granted. This was immediately followed by a statement from Nepia, at Hawke's Bay, that this proceeding had been taken without his knowledge or consent. The matter has been the subject of communication between the Auckland Rugby Union and the Hawke's Bay Rugby Union, and the Auckland Union has received an official statement on it from Hawke's Bay. In the course of this is included a statement from Nepia that when in England he was approached by somebody believed to be acting on behalf of a League club, and offered a cheque for £1500. Nepia replied that ho would not take the cheque but would like to ccc the agreement he was expected to sign, and on that paper not being forthcoming the matter was closed. Since he returned to New Zealand he had not heard anything further from any League body, and he had not written to any. Consequently the information contained in tho paragraph published by the "Star" was news to him. It was obvious, therefore, that whatever had been done, had been without his knowledge or consent.