MAORIS AND RUGBY

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 260, 1 August 1939, Page 6

MAORIS AND RUGBY

Colour Bar Said To Exist COMPARISON WITH LEAGUE By Telegraph—Press Association. WAIROA, July 31. A statement to the effect that if there were not so much of a colour bar in Rugby there would be more Maoris included in AH Black teams was made by the M.P. for Hawke’s Bay, Mr. Cullen, at the opening of the new Rangiahuia Native school. The remark was made by Mr. Cullen when referring to a farewell which had been given to members of the New Zealand Rugby League team in Parliament Buildings last week before their departure for England. There were, he said, six young Maori boys in 'that team, magnificent specimens of the race. They were going to do battle on the football fields at Home, and while there he felt sure they would uphold the highest traditions of their race. While in England they would be ambassadors of this country. “There is no colour bar there,” he said, referring to th® League team,* “and if there was not so much colour bar in Rugby we would have more Maoris wearing the silver fern than in the past.” Mr. Cullen added that he had seen young Maoris playing in the Wairoa Rugby representative team who were well worth a game with the Hawke’s Bay team.

SELECTOR’S REPLY

Maoris Well Represented In Hawke’s Bay Teams By Telegraph—Press Association. NAPIER, July 31. “Clearly Mr. Cullen's remarks regarding the colour bar in Rugby cannot be applied to Hawke's Bay, for provincial sides for many years have had a very good representation of Maori players in them,” said Mr, N. A. McKenzie, sole selector of the Hawke’s Bay Rugby Union, when asked to comment on Mr. Cullen’s statement. Mr. McKenzie pointed out that in the King’s Birthday representative fixture in Napier against Wairarapa there were seven Natives or descendants of Natives in the Hawke’s Bay team, and in the return match in Masterton the Hawke’s Bay fifteen included six Maoris. “I think these figures clearly indicate that the Maoris are given representation that is considerably more than they would get proportionately,” said Mr. McKenzie. “The Hawke’s Bay Union is noted for the encouragement given to Native players, and certainly it cannot be said that a colour bar applies to Hawke’s Bay. “Would Mr. Cullen like to include Maoris in the team to go to South Africa?” asked Mr. McKenzie.