RUGBY AND MILITARY SERVICE

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 140, 14 June 1924, Page 13

RUGBY AND MILITARY SERVICE

70 THE EDITOR. Sir,—ls there any need at- ' all for doubts or dark suspicions as to -whether there are any. military defaulters in the All Black.team? The, matter has been debated at the U.S.A. Conference at Clnistclnucli, and dropped for lack of "suflieient evidence." .Bub is the New Zealand Union goins to let it drop? The Rugby Union must know, pr b« in v, position U) find out, whether uiiy oi

the men selected failed in their duty when the country wanted them for sterner work. If any of them did then I have no hesitation in saying that they have no right to be sent oversea to represent their country in the All Black jersey. If nono of them did, then in justice to them all the union shouKl say so. The publicity given to the rumour lays a slur upon the team, and the obvious thing to do is to make a clean breast of it. There need be no beating about the bush at all. In justice to the members of the team, the union should publicly declare that they are all above suspicion. This sort of rumour, even if it is untrue, is likely to reach England before the team.—l am, etc., G. H. SCHOLEFIELD. Masterton.