Welcome For Chch Maori Visitor

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32358, 25 July 1970, Page 14

Welcome For Chch Maori Visitor

(Prom T. P. McLEAN)

PRETORIA

South Africans who have met the first of the New Zealand Rugby tour supporters’ parties have shown its mem-

bers overwhelming kindness, according to the party leader, Mr R. W. H. Scott, of Wellington. Mr Scott’s fame as the fullback of the ’49ers endures and his own arrival has aroused much interest. Special kindness has been shown the two Maori members of the party, Mr A. Whaaka, a retired. Railways Department official from Wellington, and a Christchurch woman. Mrs Katrina McEvedy. who is touring with her husband. The reception at the Johannesburg Airport where the president of the New Zea-land-South Africa Association (Mr R. H. Glading) met them and again at Pretoria where Mr Scott and others were whisked away by Rotarians had been truly remarkable. Mr Scott said. Mrs McEvedy, who describes herself principally as a grandmother, and Mr Whaaka both shared the pleasure of the welcome Their reception at their Pretoria hotel could not have been warmer. This is Mr Whaaka’s third visit to South Africa. On his two previous visits, both during the Second World War. his ship berthed only briefly and he did not have a chance to see the country. Mr Wbaaka and Mrs McEvedy are booked for the whole of the tour with the Scott party.