ALL BLACKS—NO BROWNS

Waikato Times, Volume 102, Issue 17222, 4 October 1927, Page 6

ALL BLACKS—NO BROWNS

A football enthusiast commented in verse in our issue of Saturday on the fact that no Maoris are to be included in the All Black team for South Africa. It is indeed regrettable that, because of a colour bar in another country such as is felt to be entirely non-exis-tent as between Maori and Pakeha, some of our best footballers are excluded from selection. It is hardly necessary to explain that the Rugby Union officials, in deciding on this exclusion, had no motive but to save the Maoris themselves from possible humiliation in South Africa. The whites of that country in general regard a dark strain as a sure sign of inferiority and objectionable qualities. Scientists now almost unanimously regard these theories of inherent racial defects as unsound, and New Zealanders are convinced of the fact at least as far as the Maoris are concerned. It might be thought virtuous to take a few of the fine Maori players with the football team to show the South Africans in what high regard we hold our somewhat browner brothers. But it would be hard on the Maoris. If the South Africans were sending a team here it would be a different question. In that event our people would doubtless have Maoris in the team, and the visitors would learn to respect them as we do.