DECEPTION BY SCHOOLBOY

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26493, 7 August 1951, Page 3

DECEPTION BY SCHOOLBOY

COLLEGE SPORTS AT WELLINGTON

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, August 6.

John Magumagu Segi, a 19-year-old Samoan boy, won the 100 yards under 14 championship at the secondary school sports at Wellington early this year when he was a student at Wellington College. The principal of the college (Mr H. A. Heron) reported this to a meeting of the board of governors of the college this evening. When the boy came to the college his age was given as 13, and his birthday was given as March 25, 1937, said Mr Heron. He entered in the school sports as well as the secondary school sports, and won some events. The teachers were suspicious of his age because of his development, and inquiries were made of the Island Territories Department. The first answer received confirmed the age and birth dates of the boy. Further investigations were made by the department, and it was found that the parents of the boy had deceived the authorities, and the birth certificate actually belonged to another member of the family. Segi’s real birthday was given as February 24, 1932. The deception by the parents was done to get a Samoan scholarship for the boy. Mr Heron said the boy had been recently sent back to Samoa on the request of the Island Territories Department. There was now a problem in the college’s athletic awards and various platings at the secondary schools’ athletic meeting. Possibly the shield itself was in doubt