ALL BLACKS’ DEPARTURE

Grey River Argus, 24 February 1949, Page 3

ALL BLACKS’ DEPARTURE

AUCKLAND, Feb. 23

The All Black team to tour South Africa tins season may sail from Auckland, instead of Wellington. Their liner, the Tamaroa, is due in Auckland from Wellington on March 16. The Shaw, Savill Line office, in Auckland stated to-day that no definite information could be obtained whether the ship would sail from Auckland or Wellington. However, it would probably be Auckland. The tentative sailing date was mid-April. Ln a telephone interview from Wellington to-day, the chairman of the New Zealand Rugby Union, Mr A. St. C. Belcher, said the latest advice the union had was that the ship would leave Wellington on April 20. “If she sails from Auckland,” he added, “alterations will have to be made to the important farewell gatherings.”

AUCKLAND TO BE PORT OF DEPARTURE

P.A. AUCKLAND, February 23. The 1949 All Blacks will leave for South Africa from Auckland, instead of Wellington, because of a change in the timetable of the Shaw Savill and Albion liner, Tamaroa. The Tamaroa is now expected to complete loading for the United Kingdom at Auckland, and to leave for Cape Town on April 13, two days before Good Friday. It was originally expected that the Tamaroa would make Wellington her final port. This information was given by the traffic manager of the shipping line, Mr J. S. Shaw, of Wellington, when a telephone inquiry was made by the Herald to-night. Due at Wellington on March S from London and Southampton, via Panama, the Tamaroa will sail for Auckland on March 14. Mr Shaw said that passengers would definitely embark at Auckland. “We are completely in the dark”, said the chairman of the New Zealand Rugby Union, Mr A. St. C. Belcher, of Wellington, in a later telephone interview. The Union had not yet been notified by the company of the charge. It would confirm the change to-morrow, and would have to hold a meeting to arrange for the team to embark at Auckland. There were more than six weeks to make arrangements, and the alteration had not upset anything.. The southern members of the team would travel by rail to Auckland.