HOCKEY Maori Association Not Favoured

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30063, 22 February 1963, Page 13

HOCKEY Maori Association Not Favoured

A proposal from Poverty Bay that a Maori Hockey Association should be formed and affiliated to the New Zealand body was opposed at a meeting of the management committee of the New Zealand Association last evening.

The letter added that a team chosen from the Maori Association could play visiting sides and the Poverty Bay Association would forward a remit to the annual meeting of the New Zealand Association suggesting the formation of the Maori association.

Mr J. G. Leggat (chairman) said there was some merit in the idea of a Maori team playing agsmst visiting teams but he did not see why a separate association was needed for Maori players. Mr J. Abrams strongly opposed the suggestion. “We say we are all for integration but this would mean segregation of players. Maoris could play for

all representative teams but their team would be a closed one.”

Mr A. D. Holland said that the rules -of the New Zealand Association applied to associations confined by geographical boundaries, not by .colour.

“It would be a dangerous step —and a retrograde one—to have an association which moved across already defined boundaries. If the Maoris could be affiliated to the association there was no reason why New Zealand Universities, or other distinct bodies should not be affiliated.”

The committee decided to advise the Poverty Bay Association that its suggestion was outside the rules of the New Zealand Association but if the proposed remit included an amendment to the rules it could be discussed at the annual meeting.