MAORIS' ATTITUDE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22481, 27 July 1936, Page 10

MAORIS' ATTITUDE

TOUR OF SPRINGBOKS SUPPORT FOR ARAWAS NORTH CANTERBURY DECISION [by TELEGRAPH —OWN correspondent] CHIIISTOHURCII, Sunday North Canterbury Maoris, at a conference at Tuahiwi to-day, decided to support wholeheartedly the memorial sent by the Arawas to the New Zealand Itugby Union requesting that no Maoris should bo asked to play against the Springboks during their tour of New .Zealand next year. Mr. T. Piki, president of tho Tuahiwi Football Club and a former All Black, who played against the Springboks in the North Island during the last tour, told the conference of the attitude of tho Springboks 011 that visit. After some discussion it was decided unanimously to support tho Arawa's memorial, and that tho North Canterbury Maoris did not wish to be associated with the visitors next year.

MEMORIAL DEPLORED "SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SENT" [by telegraph—OWN correspondent] HASTINGS, Saturday Tho earnest hope that the New Zealand Rugby Football Union will not be influenced by tho memorial presented by tho Arawa Maoris asking that 110 Maoris should be asked to play against the Springboks was voiced by Mr. P. H. Tomoana. Ho was positive the memorial would not bo supported by the Maoris of Hawke's Bay and the East Coast. "Tho memorial 'should never have boon sent to tho New Zealand Union," said Mr. Tomoana. "The proper body t:> send it to is tho Maori Advisory Board. We should have had the right to discuss the memorial and then refer it to the New Zealand Union, if wo thought that was necessary." Mr. Tomoana claimed tho opinions expressed were not tho opinions of tho Maori people generally. There was no real cause for complaint against tho Springboks. As for incidents that were recalled as having been attached to the game at Napier, where the Springboks defeated tho Maoris by 9 points to 8, ho said, although feeling did run high in that game, there was no animosity. It waa just a case of both sides going full out to win in a splendid match, and that was as it should be. There was nothing unpleasant to remember about tho game itself. Mr. Tomoana was of tho opinion that the Arawa protest was moro on the score of entertainment than actual participation in the games. He himself was not in favour of tho Springboks being entertained officially at Rotorua. If the visitors should-bo entertained, 110 thought tho entertainment should bo held elsowhere, aiid that it should bo representative of tho Maori people of New Zealand.