ALL BLACKS’ TOUR

Evening Star, Issue 19697, 26 October 1927, Page 11

ALL BLACKS’ TOUR

EXCLUSION OF MAORIS APPOINTMENT OF MANAGER IPer United Press Association.] AUCKLAND. October 25. In a few days the Akarana Natives’ Association will probably receive from the Maori Rugby Advisory Board a letter explaining that the New Zealand Rugby Union’s decision to send no Maoris to South Africa was reached with its full concurrency and approval. The letter will be an'answer to the •issociation’s protest against the exclusion of Native players, consisting as it does of prominent and intellectually brilliant Maoris. Sir Man Pomare, Sir Apirana Ngata, Mr A. Takarangi, Captain Pitt, Captain Hall, Mr “ Friday ” I’omoana, Mr W. T. Parata, and Mr Kingi Tahiwi, the Maori Advisory Board, may he accepted as representative administrators, whoso views stand for the considered judgment ol the majoritv of their race. That, at any rate, is the opinion of Mr S. S. Dean (chairman of the New Zealand Rugby Union), who was in Auckland to-day prior to sailing by the Aorangi for Honolulu Mr Dean said that the Advisory Board supported the New Zealand Rugby Union’s attitude, which was that South Africa’s race problems made the inclusion of Maoris quite impossible. Long before the tour was definitely arranged the New Zealand Union had discussed the subject with the Maori Advisory Board, and had ascertained its feelings, and before the Maori team loft last year on its trip to France the players had specifically been informed that they would not ho eligible for the South African tou r. “The arrangement to send no Maoris,” be stated, “ was readied as a matter of mutual understanding between New Zealand and South Africa. The South African Union’s invitation was worded in the usual formal manner, and there was no specification in any form that Maoris should not be sent with the team,” ’ Preparations for the tour will occupy the officials of the union throughout tlie summer. On November 30, said Mr Dea', nominations for the post of manager would close. He himself will rerotmn fo New Zealand from his “rest cure “ trip to Honolulu on about Decembei and the manager for the All Blacks will probably be chosen early in December.