MAORI TEAM FOR FRANCE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 21 June 1926, Page 6

MAORI TEAM FOR FRANCE

LACK OF HARMONY REGARDING l ' SELECTION ( GISBORNE, This Day. .Lack of harmony between the Maori Advisory Board aiid the New Zealand Rugby Union was evident ul a meeting after Saturday’s test to select a team .for (be visit to France. Captain Pitt (chairman) asked Mr E. Parata (Dunedin) to enlighten members regarding the progress of selcctioii. i Mr Parata said the matter had been taken out of the Advisory Board’s hands by the New Zealand Rugby Union, wlncn had taken upon itself to nominate two selectors (Messrs Parata and Tokarangi. of Wanganui), leaving the Advisory Board to appoint a third, who Mr Parata suggested should come from the Gisborne districts. I The announcement astonished those present, who had thought the whole ! Board would act as selectors. It was resolved that Parata, as Maori representative on the New Zealand Rugby Union, bring under the Union’s notice, the fact that the Advisory Board resents its functions usurped, especially in view of the fact that the New Zealand Union was not contributing one penny towards the cost of the Maori tour. REPLY BY NEW ZEALAND UNION ; WELLINGTON, This Day. In reference (o a telegram from Gisborne, Air Dean, chairman of the New Zealand Union, said the statement that the Union had appointed selectors for the Maori team was incorrect. He commented rather severely on the apathy and. inattention of'Maori officials, who never tfoubUid to reply to letters. “ Air Dean said lie had gone to Levin to attend a meeting of the Maori Advisory Board, and when he got there, found no meeting, and that no arrangements had ever been made for it. The secretary was then changed, but the position was most unsatisfactory and liad matters been left to the Maori Advisory Board with its haphazard and unbusinesslike methods, the tour would never have come off at all. The Union hopes the remark that the tour will not cost, it anything will prove correct, but it is not so sanguine as the promoters about it and, in any case, the Board should be deeply indebted to the New Zealand

Union for the excellent arrangements made for the Lour by it and Ale Wray, its Representative in London.

FIRST TRIAL MATCH GISBORNE, This Day. The first of the Maori trial matches attracted a record attendance of some 4000 and .-produced a very -fagl game between f.he Coast combination and the rest of the North Island. In the first spell, 'the former were superior, but tlio visitors improved in the second and, putting on eight points in the last ten minutes, won a spectacular game by 18 to 16. Nepia was in good for form for tilts losers and Shetland was most conspicuous for North. THE ALL BLACKS '(‘United Proas Association.) AUCKLAND, This Day. - It is practically certain that the AH Blacks will be seen in action against Auckland representatives after returning from New South Wales. The All Blacks will leave Sydney on 30th July and should reach Auckland on 3rd August it is hoped to arrange a match against Auckland for Wednesday, 4th August. FORMER ALL BLACK ORDERED OFF (United Press Association). AUCKLAND, This Day. In the game between Ponsonby and Marist Old Boys, Lucas, All Black, and captain of the former, was ordered off and also Webber, another player on his side.