MAORI RUGBY CONTROL TO BE IMPROVED

Northern Advocate, 11 December 1937, Page 2

MAORI RUGBY CONTROL TO BE IMPROVED

LPer Press Association. Copyright .] WELLINGTON, This Day.

Suggestions for the better control of Rugby football among Maoris was made by delegates of the Maori district who waited on the council of the New Zealand Rugby Union by invitation yesterday. The deputation consisted of Messrs. W. T. Parata, A. Takarangi, Kingi Tahiwi, H. Leaf, Evu Po and J. Palmer.

Mr Tahiwi explained that the Maori Advisory Board had been set up in 1926, owing to some trouble having developed among the Maoris over the selection of the Maori team which toured Great Britain and France in 1926 The board consisted of the leaders of the Maori people. The board had divided the Dominion into four Rugby districts, three in the North Island and one for tire South Island. It had no constitution as far as election was concerned. Trouble began in 1933 when certain persons started to question the constitution of the board. The board had always endeavoured to have Maori football controlled by the Rugby Union, in each district, but during the past two years there had been a .change in the attitude of the Maori people. Mr Parata said that most of the dissatisfaction had been caused by the belief that the control of Maori football had drifted into one or two hands. He thought the board should be composed of two delegates elected from each of the four Maori Rugby districts.

Should Be Closer Xink.

Mr S. S, Dean, chairman of the coim-

cil, said that if the Maoris came io the union with concrete proposals the union would be only too ready to

help them,

Dr. D. J. Adams (Wanganui) considered there should be a much closer link between the New Zealand Rugby Union and those controlling Maori football. He would like to see tire Maori Rugby Advisory Board comprised of representatives from each of the four Maori districts, with three European members, one member of Parliament and one member of the council of the New Zealand Rugby Union.

Mr Dean outlined what the union had attempted to do to help Maori football in the past. The Maori delegates withdrew for a conference and later submitted proposals for the reconstruction of the Maori Advisory Board, which were adopted by the council.