STATEMENT BY MR TIRIKATENE

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25589, 2 September 1948, Page 4

STATEMENT BY MR TIRIKATENE

EXPLANATION BY N.Z. UNION WANTED (P.A.) WELLINGTON, September 1. It would be a sorry day for New Zealand if an organisation like the New Zealand Rugby Union, for which Maori players had done so much, was to be the first to erect a‘ colour barrier in the Dominion, and if such barrier had been erected without any consultation with the many Maori Rugby administrators who had a live interest in the union it would be tantamount to an insult to the Maori race, said Mr E. T. Tirikatene, Maori member of the Executive Council, in a statement this evening. “What is disturbing to Maori people is whether the South. African Rugby Union specifically excluded Maoris from the invitation issued to the New Zealand Rugby Union or whether an understanding was arrived at between the South African Union and the New Zealand Rugby Union that the latter would not consider Maori participation in the team,” said the statement. If it could be shown by the New Zealand Union that the South African Union specifically excluded Maoris from the team, then that would be ample proof that the All Blacks would not be a team wholly representative of New Zealand. “If, on the other hand, the New Zealand Union admits they have taken the course of excluding Maori players on its own volition because it was the union’s desire not to embarrass their relations with the South African Union, then the New Zealand Union must publish a full explanation as to why they had taken the responsibility to debar Maoris in this manner. So far there ha; been no explanation by - the New Zealand Union why they have made their decision. “Broken Comradeship” “In one way the New Zealand Union has broken the comradeship pf Europeans in New Zealand with the Maori people that has been cemented on battlefields where New Zealanders have fought” The statement added that the colour question in South Africa was appreciated, as also was the fact that Maoris travelling with the team might themselves be embarrassed, but at the same time it was felt that the South African people would show an interest in Maori players as Maoris, as had been shown by South African teams that had toured New Zealand and also by South Africans in the armed services in the Middle East, who had not shown any antagonism toward Maori soldiers with whom they came in contact. Mr Tirikatene said that if the team sailed from New Zealand as an All Black team without any Maoris being given the opportunity to be included in the side the team would be travelling under false colours. If the New. Zealand Union did not do the obvious thing and decline the invitation for the team to tour South Africa as a representative All Black New Zealand team, then it would be expected by all Rugby-loving Maori former servicemen that the team would travel as a named side but not as an All Black New Zealand team.