THE COLOUR LINE

Waikato Times, Volume 120, Issue 19946, 24 July 1936, Page 8

THE COLOUR LINE

[MAORIS Al\D SPRINGBOKS ! PREVIOUS INCIDENTS RIOALLID. ' DESIRE TO STAND ALOOF. ! ROTORL’A, Thursdav. ; At a meeting of the Arawa t'rtbo theld at Hhinemutu. a memorial was tituwn up to lm fol-“arded to the N‘w {salami Rugby L'nion requesting that in \'lt“\\‘ ot‘ the unpleasant inci,dFMS “hich occurred during the met\'luus tour of the South Africans that no .\laoris be chosen to play against them during their forthcoming tour. ,and also that the .\laori race in genlt‘l‘lil be not invited to participate in lany oflleial welcomes to the team. I The memorial. which is signed by (.\ir. 11. Tai nntcheu. as chairman of ithe meeting, is accompanied by the following letterz—“l beg to transmit certain resolutions which were considered at length and passed without Idissent. i was requested to convey Ithese resolutions to your union with ,all the deference and respect which [(1 delicate subject of this nature deiserves, that is to say. to protect the tMaori race from any possible recur!rence of the unpleasant incidents liwhich occurred during the previous ‘\'lslt of a South African Rugby foot!ball team, when members of the race thud to endure on the ileld many epiElhets cast at them by some of the insitors. resulting in frayed tempers lon both sides, together with reported ‘nbjectiunatvle treatment some or our lwomen folk received during the tribal jreceptiou tendered to them at the Tamatekapua Meeting House. Ohlne- { mutu." The resolutions recall that the [South Africans were virtually supported by the Rugby Union in their attitude towards the .\laorrs. in that no member of the native race was chosen for the tour or South Attica and also sets forth “ the last thins the Maorts in their code of hospitality to distinguished visitors would wish. would be to hurt. by ther presence at. omclal receptions. the feelings and preJudlces of an important section at the British Commonwealth 0! Nations for whom the Maori race entertains feelings or friendly interest, because of those great. Airlkanders ox wide and wholesome vision, namely, Louis Botha, Lie Wette, Cronje. Smut: and llertzog." i ARAWAB SUPPORTED. "A DEEP ROOTED FEELING." PREVIOUS IIUMILIATIOSS. (By Telegraph—Press Assoctolton.) AUCKLAND. Friday. The Akarana Maori Association has decided to give unqualified support to the Mann .\laoris who are” asking the New Zealand Rugby Union that no Maori player be asked to play against i the Springboks owing to the humuliaf tions suflered on their previous visit. i An association ofiicial said to-da) for a long time there had been a deeprooted feeling that a colour-line had been drawn so far as the .\laoris were concerned and that. the .\‘e'w Zealand Rugby Union had not. given the natives sympathetic support. They believed t the feeling expressed at. Rotorua would ittnve the united support of Maori people throughout the Dominion. it ithe Africans had any feelings against the Maoris it would be far better (or 'tho .\taoris not. to take part in recep~ ‘ tions or anything else that might mar the feelings between the pakehas at New Zealand and their Visitors. Any attempt to draw a colour-line would .be resented by the race. which had produced men of the cultural plane of Sir James Carrol. Sir .\iaui Pomarc and Sir Apirana .\‘gata. The ottleiztl added that when the New Zenland team toured Africa in i 923 no .\lilOl‘iS were included despite the standard of play of men like. Sepia, Mill and others. A meeting at the association has been called to discuss the question. _______-——-————