THE ALL BLACKS.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18101, 17 June 1924, Page 6

THE ALL BLACKS.

QUESTION OF WAR SERVICE

NO MEMBER A SHIRKER.

(SPXCUL TO "THE PRESS.") WELLINGTON, June 16. Ever since the All Black team was chosen there have been persistent Tumours that one of them was a shirker of military duty during the war. A statement was expected on the point from the chairman of the New Zealand Rugby Football Union, or the manager of the team, and Mr E. "Wylie, a member of the committee, in the absence of the chairman, has now made the following statement: — "So far as the New Zealand Rugby Football Union is concerned, if it were known that any man actually shirked war service he would not be considered a fit representative of the Dominion as a footballer. A decision to that effect was made some years ago, and the Union, as at present constituted, has no intention of departing from it. As far as we are aware there is no man selected in the present team who comes under this category. Rumours are current, and in fairness to the members of the team, who are all more or less brought into disrepute by them, we feel that a statement should be made. "If anybody has any information with regard to any of the players chosen failing to answer the call of their country for war service, we shall be glad to have the facts brought before us. At the present time the New Zealand Rugby Football Union has no information regarding any of the players that would justify his exclusion from the team on the score of failure to render service to the country during the war period.