Mr Love Objects To Protest By Churches

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28920, 13 June 1959, Page 14

Mr Love Objects To Protest By Churches

(Aew tSeauiad Press Association)

WELLINGTON, June 12

‘lf, through pressure of all these outbursts, a team did not go to South Africa. Maori sportsmen would be the subject of derision throughout the coun try Then would these agitators come in and help us?” said Mr M R Love, Maori representative oh the New Zealand Rugby Union council, after he had mad? a statement on the 1960 South Africa tour today. Mr Love said: “A helping hand is needed in many Maor i districts. Let these people put their own house in order. After all, charity begins at home.

“If was not the great publicity given to their present cause, they would not be interested, just as they are not interested in the many Maori

welfare problems in New Zealand. But then, that would be real work.” Mr Love said that there were rtore Maoris in the Ratana

tthurch than in any other in New Zealand If a statement on the psue on religious grounds was to be made, surely it should have come from the Ratana Churcn “As‘ far as I am aware, the Maori bishop has no vote in th* 1 Anglican Hierachy. Yet they wouldn’t dare depose him. Bui 1 have a vote on the New Zealand Rugby Union council. “Churches in South Africa, which have bonds with the objecting churches "in New Zealand, have segregated congregations Mr Love said there was too much “muck-raking by some people on ancestry.” The census of opinion among Maoris he had spoken to was that Maoris should not go in the team. These were people, not necessarily interested in the subject as Rugby enthusiasts, but whose interest was in it as a moral issue Basis of Decision Mr Love’s statement released earlier said: “Now that the decision oi the New Zealand Rugby Union has been made public, 1 feel it is opportune for me to express the fundamental principles by which Maori Rugby administrators arrived at their decision. “Before the decision was published today, there has been among the Maori people an upsurge of feeling towards then identity as Maoris within the community of New Zealand, and one need not hark back very many years to remember the statements made, even by some oi our revered Maori leaders, that the time has arrived for Maoris to be assimilated into the economic, social and political strata of New Zealand. “This had considerable argument up till recent years and it has taken two world wars to re-awaken in the Maori people a sense of nationalism, that they are a proud people who must retain their identity as Maoris “Much has been said about equality for Maoris, but there has been, in my opinion, a gross misinterpretation o* this term to mean the submergence of the Maori. This is wrong because there is a great body of opinion who analyse this term, equality, into its components which are: equality of opportunity as Maoris, responsibility to the community and State, and responsibilities of the individual. “This means that the economic life of the Maori must, of necessity, be exactly the same as that of the pakeha; that is, he must study the same curriculum from primary school to university, pass the same examinations, he must enter the same apprenticeship trades and pass the same qualifying tests, in every trade and calling he must do exactly what is required of every other individual, and there are thousouds of Maoris today doing just that Racial Resurgence “Socially, the Maori people still retain with ardour their social attributes, and one can see a resurgence of Maori gatherings throughout the country which are increasing in churches, sports organisations, educational groups and so on. “How does this affect the present decision of the New Zealand Rugby Union? It means that this decision is along the right lines because Maoris are, in many spheres of social and political life, actively engaged in consolidating. “Every church group of any

consequence has its Maori organisation and each congregation is fiercely engaged in winning more Maori adherents to its cause, with the big Maori churches- Ratana, Ringatu and others—being a hunting ground for Maori converts

“These groups, of course, retain their identity within the congregation of their churches and Maori missionaries, ministers and other church workers are assigned to keep their Maori branches intact.

“While on this aspect and referring my own position as a full member of the New Zealand Rugby Union, I have yet to see a Maori receiving the full rights and privileges of their churches among their bishops and other high dignitaries. “I know many almost fanatical statements are being made by people who say they are proMaori, but there are many Maori problems that have yet to be solved. Public opinion could do much toward their solution if the same groups agitating that Maoris should be treated the same as pakehas. came in to help. Maori Viewpoint “However, ’ the New Zealand Rugby Union and the Maori Advisory Board are taking the same view toward Maori Rugby as are educationalists who want Maori scholarships, special facilities for Maoris ip schools and universities, Maori apprentices, Maori churchmen, Maori members of Parliament and many of the other Maori facilities of which we speak so.proudly

“As a Maori 1 am proud of my ancestry, I am proud of my identity in the community as such, and, I will do my utmost to retain my identity till such time as Maori people can merge into the community as one people.

“Hbwever, as long as Caledonian and Hibernian societies remain in New Zealand and in the world, then so long will I support, to my utmost, my identity as a Maori, which today, is being termed racial discrimination-”

COMMITTEE’S REACTION

Protests To Be Continued

• New Zealana Press Association! WELLINGTON. June 12

“Now we know where we stand,” said Mr Rolland O’Regan today when he was referring to the New Zealand Rugby Union’s statement that a New Zealand team would tour South Africa in 1960 without Maori players. Mr O’Regan, a prominent Wellington surgeon and Roman Catholic layman, is the spokesman for the interim Citizens’ Al) Blacks Tour Committee pledged to fight racial discrimination in Rugby. Mr O’Rega.n said the decision of the New Zealand Rugby Union might be gravely and tragicallv wrong, “but it is quite clear, and for this we are grateful.” He added: “Our committee will take up this challenge gladly. Whatever the .outcome, we will protest and continue to protest with every means we can command against racial discrimination in the selection of our Rugby representatives.”

Mr O’Regan described a statement by Mr M. R. Love, Maori representative on the New Zealand Rugby Union council, as “pathetic "

Mr O’Regan said: “Mr Love is in favour of racial discrimination in Rugby. He speaks like a child using wicked words of which he does not know the meaning. “Racial discrimination is a dirty thing in any context. Once admitted in any field it will not be confined.

“We are convinced he does not speak for our fellow countrymen.”