Arthur Percy Singe (7 July 1898 — 5 January 1936) was a
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
rugby league player who represented the national side in 1925, becoming Kiwi number 179 in the process. Prior to this he played for the
New Zealand Army rugby team in 1919 in
Great Britain
Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It i ...
and
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...
following the end of
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
where he fought. When he returned to New Zealand he played for the Marist rugby club, and then the
Marist rugby league club along with several representative sides in both codes.
Early life
Arthur Percy Singe was born in
Palmerston North
Palmerston North (; mi, Te Papa-i-Oea, known colloquially as Palmy) is a city in the North Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Manawatū-Whanganui region. Located in the eastern Manawatu Plains, the city is near the north bank of the ...
. His correct surname ("Sing") was misspelt as Singe with an 'e' added to the end which eventually became an accepted spelling, which stuck. He was the son of Frances Margaret ( Neary, later Smith by another marriage) and William Ping Sing. Arthur had three brothers named Herbert Stanley Sing, Albert Victor Sing, and Robert Francis "Frank" Sing. Little is known about William Ping Sing save that he was born in China. The brothers' mother, Frances, was of Irish descent, born in New Zealand, and came from a "fighting family". Her grandfather had served in the battle of Waterloo and her father in the Crimean War while other relatives served in the New Zealand Wars.
When Singe enlisted in the army he recorded his birth date as 4 April 1895, which was ''not'' his actual birth date. He was officially too young to serve at this time aged just 17 years and 4 months old however his two older brothers were already at the front. When he was discharged years later he recorded his birth date as 7 July 1898.
He was the chief focus of an article in the ''
Auckland Star'' on 31 December 1903. Arthur was appearing in court charged with stealing a horse and cart belonging to George Mills along with ten packets of cigarettes from the same man. The description of Singe was "a tiny little chap under six years old" as he was stood in the box. It was stated that he was "a half-caste Chinese, and his father cooks at one of the city hotels". He was apprehended soon after the theft by a constable while struggling to control the horse in
Newton. The boy said he was taking the horse home for his father and in the meantime he had been busy handing out the cigarettes to his friends. The sub-inspector stated that it was "simply ridiculous to charge a child at that age with theft". He went on to explain that Singe's mother was away from
Auckland
Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about ...
and his father was not able to control him and he ''"simply ran wild, and his father wished to have him sent to an industrial school"''. The Bench said that the police should have brought him up on some other charge and the case was dismissed.
He and his brothers were educated at the
Marist Brothers school. They enlisted in the army they were living together with their mother on Browning Street, Grey Lynn, in
Auckland
Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about ...
. Arthur was working as a driver for Marriot & Co. in
Parnell at the time.
World War I
Arthur Singe enlisted in the army on 16 November 1915 at the age of 17 and served in the
Auckland Mounted Rifles
The Auckland Mounted Rifles Regiment was a mounted infantry regiment from New Zealand raised, in August 1914, for service during the First World War. It was assigned to the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade, part of the New Zealand Expedition ...
, A Squadron with his brother Albert. He left
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
on the Aparima on 29 February 1916 and arrived at
Suez
Suez ( ar, السويس '; ) is a seaport city (population of about 750,000 ) in north-eastern Egypt, located on the north coast of the Gulf of Suez (a branch of the Red Sea), near the southern terminus of the Suez Canal, having the same bou ...
on 4 April 1916. Arthur then moved on to
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
and by this time was part of the 2nd Auckland Brigade still with his brother Albert. His brother Herbert who was with the 1st Auckland Brigade at this time was killed during the
Battle of the Somme on 3 July 1916. Albert wrote a tribute to his brother which appeared in the ''
Auckland Star'' in October 1916 while Arthur also wrote a letter to his mother which had details published in the ''Auckland Star'' on 24 August 1916. In it, he said that Albert was about a mile away from him at the time and the bombardment was the worst that the New Zealanders had experienced at that part of the line since they had arrived. He said Albert was working a trench telephone when he was killed. He was buried with a friend who had been killed beside him in the Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery,
Armentieres, France.
Arthur went on to say he had secured a promise from a young French girl that she would keep the two graves in order for them. He described her as being "like a mother to us... but she is very young". Chaplain Captain Richards conducted the burial service. After the war, Arthur's brother Albert and his wife had a child whom they named Herbert Stanley Singe, in honor of the child's fallen uncle.
Arthur was wounded in France some time in 1916 though the date was unknown. He rejoined his unit on 21 September of the same year.
On 6 February 1918, his military records show that he joined the XXII Corps Cyclist Battalion which was operating in France and "Cyclist Corps" is marked on his gravestone in
Waikumete Cemetery
Waikumete Cemetery, originally Waikomiti Cemetery, is New Zealand's largest cemetery. It occupies a site of 108 hectares in Glen Eden, Auckland, and also contains a crematorium in the south-west corner of the cemetery.
History
Waikumete Cemetery ...
in
Glen Eden. In total, Singe spent 3 years and 363 days of total service with 3 years and 231 of those days served overseas in
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Medit ...
and Western Europe.
He was discharged from active service on 15 November 1919 and moved into the Drill Hall on Rutland Street, Auckland. He was to live here while working for the Defence Department until his marriage in August 1921. Singe worked as a military transport driver for the Defence Department from 8 December 1919 until he transferred to the Post and Telegraph Department on 1 May 1922.
Singe was awarded the
Victory Medal and the
British War Medal
The British War Medal is a campaign medal of the United Kingdom which was awarded to officers and men of British and Imperial forces for service in the First World War. Two versions of the medal were produced. About 6.5 million were struck in si ...
.
Playing career
Rugby Union
Marist Brothers Old Boys Rugby
Little is known of Arthur Singe's early years playing the rugby game however after he returned from the war he and J O'Brien who had also played with him in the
New Zealand Army team were acknowledged at their annual meeting on 22 March 1920. Brother Calixtus "on behalf of the members welcomed Messrs J O'Brien and A Singe back to the club".
New Zealand Army in Great Britain and France
At the end of World War I the New Zealand armed forces formed several rugby teams to play against a wide variety of opponents through Great Britain and France. Singe was to play for the main
New Zealand Army team and later toured
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...
with the side on the way back to
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
. He played in the wing-forward position which is now recognised as the flanker position.
![NZ Expeditionary Force Rugby Representatives](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c6/NZ_Expeditionary_Force_Rugby_Representatives.png)
Singe played against
Wales
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...
on 1 January at
Cardiff Arms Park
Cardiff Arms Park ( cy, Parc yr Arfau Caerdydd), also known as The Arms Park, is situated in the centre of Cardiff, Wales. It is primarily known as a rugby union stadium, but it also has a bowling green. The Arms Park was host to the British ...
in
Cardiff
Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingd ...
with the match being drawn 3–3. He then played in matches against the Australian Imperial Forces, the RAF team, and
Yorkshire
Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other English counties, functions have ...
throughout February and March with the New Zealand side winning all of them comfortably. This was followed by a 6 team tournament which became known as the Kings Cup. Singe played in several of the matches. The first was against South African Forces which was won 14–5 in front of 10,000 at
Twickenham
Twickenham is a suburban district in London, England. It is situated on the River Thames southwest of Charing Cross. Historically part of Middlesex, it has formed part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames since 1965, and the boroug ...
. Singe played at wing forward and was described as being very fast. They then beat the
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
side 6–3 at
Inverleith
Inverleith (Scottish Gaelic: ''Inbhir Lìte'') is an inner suburb in the north of Edinburgh, Scotland, on the fringes of the central region of the city. Its neighbours include Trinity to the north and the New Town to the south, with Canonmills ...
,
Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian on the southern shore of t ...
before a loss to Australian Imperial Forces 5–6.
New Zealand had already qualified for the final which was against England and they won by 9–3 with Singe scoring a try. Of Singe it was said "the wing forward - really better described as a scrummage half-back- is the finest spoiler of open play who has been seen on a football field. Although
Pillman manfully tried to check him he smothered practically every attempt of the British half-backs to open up the play from the base of the scrummage. And he was equally good at offensive play, not only in diving for the line, but in swinging the ball clear to his backs from the toes of the opposing forwards". His try occurred after a scrummage near the line where Singe "picked up the ball as it came out from the side of the scrummage, made a six feet dive for the line, and just got there". Reporter F. J. Sellicks said that Singe "was out by himself in more ways than one. He is a great player and impressed everybody". Following the final victory New Zealand played on Twickenham again against the French Army and they won 20–3 with Singe scoring another try before a crowd of 15,000.
The New Zealand side then played against the full
Welsh
Welsh may refer to:
Related to Wales
* Welsh, referring or related to Wales
* Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales
* Welsh people
People
* Welsh (surname)
* Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...
international side at Cardiff Arms Park. Singe again playing in the forwards in a 6–3 victory. A following game against United Services on 28 April saw a New Zealand victory by 20–7 with Singe scoring 2 tries. Several more matches were played before the team to tour
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...
departed.
New Zealand Army Tour of South Africa
![1919 NZ Army rugby team team to South Africa](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3e/1919_NZ_Army_rugby_team_team_to_South_Africa.png)
Singe was named in the team to tour South Africa on the way back to New Zealand. They set sail on 7 June. They played 15 matches in total with large crowds at many of them. Singe was a first choice player and he played in the majority of the games including the first two at
Newlands which were won 8–6 and drawn 3–3 against Western Province Country and Western Province Town Clubs respectively. He played against
Orange Free State
The Orange Free State ( nl, Oranje Vrijstaat; af, Oranje-Vrystaat;) was an independent Boer sovereign republic under British suzerainty in Southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century, which ceased to exist after it was defeat ...
at
Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein, ( ; , "fountain of flowers") also known as Bloem, is one of South Africa's three capital cities and the capital of the Free State province. It serves as the country's judicial capital, along with legislative capital Cape To ...
in a 16–5 win and later played in the last match of the tour against
Natal
NATAL or Natal may refer to:
Places
* Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, a city in Brazil
* Natal, South Africa (disambiguation), a region in South Africa
** Natalia Republic, a former country (1839–1843)
** Colony of Natal, a former British colony ( ...
at
Durban
Durban ( ) ( zu, eThekwini, from meaning 'the port' also called zu, eZibubulungwini for the mountain range that terminates in the area), nicknamed ''Durbs'',Ishani ChettyCity nicknames in SA and across the worldArticle on ''news24.com'' from ...
which was won 11–4 before Singe and the team departed for New Zealand after several years away from home.
Matches in New Zealand
After the Army team returned to New Zealand they played matches against
Auckland
Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about ...
and
Wellington
Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by metr ...
. They defeated the Auckland side at the Showgrounds 16 points to 6 and then met Wellington at
Athletic Park, Wellington. In a pre-match article Singe's play was highly anticipated, the words reading "a rare treat is promised in the play of Singe, wing-forward (the one who beat the Welsh referees with his quickness)". In the match program he was listed to wear the number 8 jersey. The Military Service team as they were named was to beat the current
Ranfurly Shield
The Ranfurly Shield, colloquially known as the Log o' Wood, is a trophy in New Zealand's domestic rugby union competition. First played for in 1904, the Shield is based on a challenge system. The holding union must defend the shield in challeng ...
holders comfortably by 23 points to 8 in front of 10,000 spectators which included the
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales ( cy, Tywysog Cymru, ; la, Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the rulers ...
who was to become the future King (Edward VIII), and New Zealand Prime Minister
W. F. Massey. Many years later in 1940 in reference to the army team Mr. J. H. Ranui was to write in the ''
Auckland Star'' "Two great forwards of the Army team,
Alfie West and Arthur Singe, have crossed the Great Divide, but they have left pleasant memories of outstanding personalities who played a game that forms character, and if England won battles with men from the playing fields of
Eton Eton most commonly refers to Eton College, a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England.
Eton may also refer to:
Places
*Eton, Berkshire, a town in Berkshire, England
* Eton, Georgia, a town in the United States
* Éton, a commune in the Meuse dep ...
, likewise New Zealand won hers from the Rugby fields of her provinces".
Return to Marist Brothers Old Boys and Auckland Rugby
In the March AGM of the
Marist Brothers Old Boys rugby club Singe was welcomed back and elected to the management committee and was also chosen as a club delegate. Following Singe's return from the Servicemen match against Wellington he debuted for Marist in a match against
College Rifles. He helped the team to a surprise 14–8 win though he played at first five and the writer for the Auckland Star said that he looked "out of his place".
In June, Singe was nominated by the
Auckland Rugby Union
The Auckland Rugby Union is a New Zealand provincial rugby union. The union was established in 1883 and was originally responsible for the administration of the sport in most of the former Auckland Province, although its boundaries have since ...
for the North Island team to play the South Island in their annual fixture to be played at Wellington on 26 June. He was not initially chosen in the side however after
Lucas was unable to make the trip he was pulled into the squad where he was listed in the reserves. With 10 minutes left in the match
Jim Donald sprained his ankle and Singe took his place. The North Island team won by 12 points to 3 before a crowd of 7,000.
![Auckland rugby team to play NZ in 1920](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c9/Auckland_rugby_team_to_play_NZ_in_1920.png)
Singe was then named to make his debut in the
Auckland
Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about ...
team to play
Thames
The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the R ...
. Auckland won the match 22–15 with Singe heavily involved, breaking away with the ball several times and scoring a try early in the second half. He was then selected for the Auckland team to play against
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
at
Eden Park on 10 July in the "Rover" position. The match was drawn 11–11 in front of 11,000 spectators. The following weekend Singe turned out for Auckland at Eden Park again with a large crowd of 12,000 on hand to witness Auckland win 9–3 over
Taranaki
Taranaki is a region in the west of New Zealand's North Island. It is named after its main geographical feature, the stratovolcano of Mount Taranaki, also known as Mount Egmont.
The main centre is the city of New Plymouth. The New Plymouth D ...
. He then travelled to
Thames
The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the R ...
to play the local side and Auckland went down 20 points to 6.
Auckland senior club rugby matches then resumed and Singe scored 2 tries in a 26–6 win over Newton. He then played for Auckland in a Ranfurly Shield match against Wellington at the
Auckland Domain.
Wellington
Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by metr ...
won the match in front of 14,000 spectators by 23 points to 20. Singe again crossing the line for a try after he picked up a loose pass from a break and scored. Singe continued his try scoring run with a "splendid try" for Marist in an 11–3 loss to competition leaders
Grammar Old Boys on 14 August, at
Eden Park. He was again selected for the Auckland team to travel to
Wellington
Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by metr ...
to play for the Ranfurly Shield for the second time in the season. Wellington easily won the match 20–3 in front of 15,000 spectators at
Athletic Park. Singe played well in the losing side where he was said to be "Auckland's brilliant wing-forward" and "the most prominent forward on the field". The Auckland team then travelled to
New Plymouth where they met
Taranaki
Taranaki is a region in the west of New Zealand's North Island. It is named after its main geographical feature, the stratovolcano of Mount Taranaki, also known as Mount Egmont.
The main centre is the city of New Plymouth. The New Plymouth D ...
and won 17–11. Singe scored an "easy try" after following up a kick from Greville in front of 4,000 fans at
Pukekura Park
Pukekura Park is a Garden of National Significance, covering 52 hectares near the heart of New Plymouth, Taranaki in New Zealand.
History
The gala opening of New Plymouth's 15 hectare Recreation Ground was held on 29 May 1876. During the day th ...
. The ''
Hawera and Normanby Star'' described Singe's display as "one of the finest exhibitions of aggressive and spoiling play ever seen here for a long time". Two days later Singe was in action again for Marist against
College Rifles at Eden Park where he scored 2 tries in a 14–8 win. The following weekend Singe played his final representative game for Auckland when they defeated
Bay of Plenty
The Bay of Plenty ( mi, Te Moana-a-Toi) is a region of New Zealand, situated around a bight of the same name in the northern coast of the North Island. The bight stretches 260 km from the Coromandel Peninsula in the west to Cape Runaw ...
34–17 at
Eden Park. In the meantime Marist's season had concluded without Singe required to play as
Ponsonby defaulted in the last round meaning they finished 4th of the 7 competing clubs.
Rugby League
Marist Old Boys and Auckland
At the start of the
1921 season Arthur Singe made the switch to
rugby league
Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 11 ...
. There had been mention in the press that he was unlucky to miss out on selection for the
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
team to tour
Australia. While there were murmurings that he was unhappy himself with being overlooked and that he was disappointed to only be in the reserves for the North Island v South Island match where players were staking a claim to make the New Zealand team. In an 18 April edition of the ''
Auckland Star'' about the
Marist Old Boys rugby league club's prospects for the season they noted that there was "a certain amount of secretive whispering, which all lends to give the impression that one or two well-known rugby men are going to join up". They were of course referring to Arthur Singe.
His debut match in the league code was for
Marist against
City Rovers
The City Newton Dragons are a defunct New Zealand rugby league club that was based at Victoria Park, Auckland. The club was created in 1948 by a merger of two original clubs, the City Rovers and Newton Rangers. Both the Rovers and the Rangers pa ...
. He was involved in a rush with
Bill Stormont which resulted in Stormont scoring a try in a 22–5 loss in front of 5,000 spectators at
Victoria Park Victoria Park may refer to:
Places Australia
* Victoria Park Nature Reserve, a protected area in Northern Rivers region, New South Wales
* Victoria Park, Adelaide, a park and racecourse
* Victoria Park, Brisbane, a public park and former golf ...
. The ''Auckland Star'' noted that the two of them who were rugby forwards were misplaced in the five eighth line. Singe's first try in the green of Marist was to come the following week when they trounced the new Fire Brigade club team 43 to 8 on the
Auckland Domain. A week later he kicked 3 conversions and a penalty in a win over
Newton Rangers at
Victoria Park Victoria Park may refer to:
Places Australia
* Victoria Park Nature Reserve, a protected area in Northern Rivers region, New South Wales
* Victoria Park, Adelaide, a park and racecourse
* Victoria Park, Brisbane, a public park and former golf ...
in front of an excitable crowd which invaded the field before he could convert the third try. He was to score 5 tries and kick 6 goals for Marist during the
1921 season.
On 21 May Singe was selected to play for
Auckland
Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about ...
after just four games of rugby league. This was coincidentally the same number of club games it had taken before he was selected to the Auckland rugby side. Their opponent was the
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
team which was preparing to tour
Australia. The Auckland team went down 22 points to 16 on the Auckland Domain with Singe playing in the forwards but going off injured before halftime with an injured shoulder. Somewhat bizarrely the
New Zealand Rugby Union
New Zealand Rugby (NZR) is the governing body of rugby union in New Zealand. It was founded in 1892 as the New Zealand Rugby Football Union (NZRFU), 12 years after the first provincial unions in New Zealand. In 1949 it became an affiliate to t ...
at their executive meeting on 9 June asked the
Auckland Rugby Union
The Auckland Rugby Union is a New Zealand provincial rugby union. The union was established in 1883 and was originally responsible for the administration of the sport in most of the former Auckland Province, although its boundaries have since ...
"to ascertain if Singe had played League as alleged; if so, to give him fourteen days to show cause why he should not be suspended". Given he had played five club matches and a match for Auckland in front of several thousand people on each occasion, and had been named in the matches by the main newspapers each week the answer should have appeared more obvious. It would ultimately take them most of the year and some very slow back and forth with the Auckland Rugby Union to confirm he was playing league and to ban him from
rugby union
Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In it ...
.
In July Singe played a match for Auckland against
Wellington
Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by metr ...
which they won 31 to 8 in the first ever representative game on
Carlaw Park
Carlaw Park was a multi-purpose stadium in Parnell, a central suburb of Auckland, New Zealand. It neighboured the Auckland Domain's Northern end. It was primarily used for rugby league and had a peak spectator capacity of around 28,000 in the 1 ...
. He next played for Auckland against King Country and he scored a try "after a lone handed effort" and kicked a conversion in a 58–25 win. His last game of the season came for Auckland in their final match against
South Auckland
South Auckland is an imprecisely defined urban area of Auckland, New Zealand, with a young population, a relatively large Polynesian and Māori demographic, and lower incomes than other parts of Auckland. The name ''South Auckland'', though n ...
for the
Northern Union Challenge Cup. Auckland won 35–13 and retained the shield.
In 1922 Singe began his season with the Marist side in a 22 April match with Fire Brigade where they won 19 to 6. He scored a try on full-time and kicked an earlier conversion. Singe was to score 7 tries, and kick 3 conversions and 2 penalties for Marist in the
1922 season. Marist finished 3rd behind perennial powerhouses of Auckland club league at this time
City Rovers
The City Newton Dragons are a defunct New Zealand rugby league club that was based at Victoria Park, Auckland. The club was created in 1948 by a merger of two original clubs, the City Rovers and Newton Rangers. Both the Rovers and the Rangers pa ...
and
Ponsonby United. They were also knocked out of the Roope Rooster by Ponsonby in a 16–13 loss with Singe scoring a try.
Singe played 5 matches for the Auckland team during the season. He played in all 3 matches against the touring Australian University side. Auckland lost the first 2 matches 12–23, and 7–18 respectively. In the second match Singe "kicked a fine goal" in front of a large crowd estimated at around 13,000 on the Auckland Domain. Auckland won the 3rd game by 24 points to 16. He then played in the Auckland team against
Cambridge
Cambridge ( ) is a College town, university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cam ...
at
Carlaw Park
Carlaw Park was a multi-purpose stadium in Parnell, a central suburb of Auckland, New Zealand. It neighboured the Auckland Domain's Northern end. It was primarily used for rugby league and had a peak spectator capacity of around 28,000 in the 1 ...
. The Cambridge team was no match for the home side with Auckland winning 73 points to 29. Singe converted one of the 17 Auckland tries. His final game in the Auckland jersey for the year was in a
Northern Union Challenge Cup match against
Hawke's Bay
Hawke's Bay ( mi, Te Matau-a-Māui) is a local government region on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island. The region's name derives from Hawke Bay, which was named by Captain James Cook in honour of Admiral Edward Hawke. The region i ...
which Auckland won 23 points to 5 on 19 August at Carlaw Park.
Post and Telegraph Team
Singe had also been playing in the Post and Telegraph competition for the Postal Messenger team on Wednesdays during the latter part of the season. It was a six team competition organised by the Post and Telegraph Department for their workers from different parts of their organisation. They were competing for the Engineers Cup, with matches played on
Victoria Park Victoria Park may refer to:
Places Australia
* Victoria Park Nature Reserve, a protected area in Northern Rivers region, New South Wales
* Victoria Park, Adelaide, a park and racecourse
* Victoria Park, Brisbane, a public park and former golf ...
. On 17 August he played in the competition final for the Messenger side against the Workshops team at
Carlaw Park
Carlaw Park was a multi-purpose stadium in Parnell, a central suburb of Auckland, New Zealand. It neighboured the Auckland Domain's Northern end. It was primarily used for rugby league and had a peak spectator capacity of around 28,000 in the 1 ...
. He was then selected in the Post and Telegraph representative team alongside
Wally Somers
Walter Thomas "Wally" Somers was a New Zealand rugby league player who represented New Zealand.
Early life
Walter Thomas Somers was born on June 14, 1899. He was the son of Amy Maria (Lawrence) and Daniel Somers. He had two sisters, Eileen Eliz ...
and
Bill Davidson to play against the Wednesday business league representative team. They played matches against them on 30 August and again on 20 September. Singe's team won the first match 25 to 10. The latter match was a curtain-raiser to Auckland Province v
New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
. Singe's Post and Telegraph side won 33 points to 11 with him scoring 2 tries and kicking a conversion.
Move to King Country, Rugby League and Cricket
Singe moved to live in the
King Country
The King Country (Māori: ''Te Rohe Pōtae'' or ''Rohe Pōtae o Maniapoto'') is a region of the western North Island of New Zealand. It extends approximately from the Kawhia Harbour and the town of Otorohanga in the north to the upper reaches of ...
in the summer of 1922/1923, possibly being posted there for work reasons as was common at the time. He played cricket for
Kaitieke (a small rural community 30 km south of
Taumarunui
Taumarunui is a small town in the King Country of the central North Island of New Zealand. It is on an alluvial plain set within rugged terrain on the upper reaches of the Whanganui River, 65 km south of Te Kuiti and 55 km west of T ...
) against King Country on 3 February 1923 where he was said to be one of Kaitieke's most successful bowlers. Singe was then selected to represent Taumarunui in a cricket match against Hamilton (the teams were also named as King Country and Waikato respectively) at
Seddon Park
Seddon Park is a cricket ground in Hamilton, New Zealand. It is the fourth-largest cricket ground in the country, and is renowned for its "village green" setting, affording a picnic atmosphere for spectators.
History
Seddon Park was named aft ...
in
Hamilton Hamilton may refer to:
People
* Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname
** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland
** Lord Hamilt ...
on 28 February. The match was for the Challenge Shield and he took 4 for 49 runs, and 0 for 29 with the ball and scored 16 and 5 with the bat.
On 19 May Singe appeared for the
Taumarunui
Taumarunui is a small town in the King Country of the central North Island of New Zealand. It is on an alluvial plain set within rugged terrain on the upper reaches of the Whanganui River, 65 km south of Te Kuiti and 55 km west of T ...
based City Rovers rugby league team. He scored all of their points with 2 tries and a conversion in an 8–13 loss to the Hauaroa B team in Taumarunui. Then he captained the Taumarunui representative rugby league team against Hamilton on 21 July in a match for the Endean Shield at Hinemoa Park, Hamilton. The Taumarunui team went down heavily by 43 to 7 with Singe playing five-eighth kicking a penalty and a conversion. They unfortunately had 7 players absent through illness on account of the influenza epidemic. The ''
Waikato Times
The ''Waikato Times'' is a daily newspaper published in Hamilton, New Zealand and owned by media business Stuff Ltd. It has a circulation to the greater Waikato region and became a tabloid paper in 2018.
The newspaper has won the title of Ne ...
'' two days later told their readers that Singe was "a former prominent player in Auckland league circles. In the rugby code Singe was also a noted figure, and during the war was a member of the
New Zealand Army team which made a good name for itself on foreign fields".
In 1924 there are no records of Singe playing rugby league. The game was barely played in the King Country area in this era with the teams he had played for made up mostly of rugby players trying their hand at the game. As Singe was banned from playing rugby he may not have found any opportunities to continue playing the sport in that area.
Return to Auckland and New Zealand test debut
In the summer of 1924/25 Singe returned to
Auckland
Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about ...
and played cricket for the Post and Telegraph senior team in the Suburban Association competition. In a two-day match against
Ellerslie he took 5 wickets and scored 11 runs.
Singe then made his return to the rugby league field when he was included in the
Marist team for a pre-season match on 19 April against the Marist team from
Christchurch
Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon Rive ...
. Singe's Marist won by 17 points to 6. The match marked the opening of Monica Park in Christchurch. Playing alongside Singe would be New Zealand internationals
Jack Kirwan,
Charles Gregory, and
Jim O'Brien.
During the
1925 season Singe was to play in 14 matches for Marist, 5 matches for Auckland, 1 match for the Auckland B team, and a match for Auckland Province. But more importantly he was to play 2 matches for New Zealand which were both recognised as tests. In a round 4 game for Marist against Athletic at
Carlaw Park
Carlaw Park was a multi-purpose stadium in Parnell, a central suburb of Auckland, New Zealand. It neighboured the Auckland Domain's Northern end. It was primarily used for rugby league and had a peak spectator capacity of around 28,000 in the 1 ...
he scored 3 tries in an 18–5 win, 2 after winning the ball from kicks and 1 after a scrum near the Athletic line. Over the course of the year he was to score 8 tries and kick 8 goals for Marist finishing 8th on the try scoring list and 7th on the point scoring list. On 4 June Sing's well known teammate
Bill Stormont died after a battle with rheumatic fever. Marist cancelled their match scheduled for 2 days later with
Richmond Rovers
The Richmond Rovers Rugby League Club is a rugby league club based in Grey Lynn, New Zealand. The premier team is called the Richmond Bulldogs and compete in Auckland Rugby League's Fox Memorial competition.
Early history
The club was formed i ...
and later in the year Singe played in a match against
Ponsonby for the newly created Stormont Shield which is still competed for today in Auckland rugby league.
He played in an Auckland B v Auckland C match on 27 June before being picked in the
Auckland
Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about ...
team to play against
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
who were preparing for their tour of
Australia. He scored the first try of the match after receiving a pass from
Ivan Littlewood
Inglis Ivan Irwin Levers Littlewood (20 October, 1902 – 26 July, 1951) was a rugby league player who represented New Zealand for the first time in 1925. In so doing he became Kiwi 181. He also represented the Lower Waikato, South Auckland ( ...
in a 9–16 loss at Carlaw Park. He then played in a 24–16 win over
South Auckland
South Auckland is an imprecisely defined urban area of Auckland, New Zealand, with a young population, a relatively large Polynesian and Māori demographic, and lower incomes than other parts of Auckland. The name ''South Auckland'', though n ...
in a
Northern Union Challenge Cup match before another game against the New Zealand side after they returned home from their tour. The
Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, establishe ...
team was about to arrive in
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
and both sides were preparing to play against them. This match saw 15,000 in attendance at Carlaw Park and Singe kicked 3 conversions and a penalty in a heavy 17–41 defeat.
![New Zealand team to play Queensland in 1925](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/82/New_Zealand_team_to_play_Queensland_in_1925.png)
Singe clearly impressed the selectors as he was then selected to make his debut for
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
against
Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, establishe ...
. Although Queensland was a state side they were considered to be the strongest team in the world and at the time
New Zealand Rugby League
The New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) is the governing body for the sport of rugby league football in New Zealand. SPARC, 2009: 13 The NZRL was founded on 25 April 1910 in preparation for a tour of Great Britain that same year.Coffey and Wood '' ...
bestowed test status on the matches. On 5 September in front of 18,000 spectators Singe, playing at hooker, scored a try in a 24–24 win at
Carlaw Park
Carlaw Park was a multi-purpose stadium in Parnell, a central suburb of Auckland, New Zealand. It neighboured the Auckland Domain's Northern end. It was primarily used for rugby league and had a peak spectator capacity of around 28,000 in the 1 ...
. His try was from following up fast after
Bert Avery
Herbert "Bert" Avery (1895–1966) was a New Zealand rugby union and professional rugby league footballer who played representative rugby league (RL) for New Zealand.
Early years
Born in 1895 in Whakapirau Northland, Avery originally played r ...
had kicked the ball past the fullback and winning the race to the ball over the line. New Zealand was coached by an Australian
Ernest Mair from
Toowoomba
Toowoomba ( , nicknamed 'The Garden City' and 'T-Bar') is a city in the Toowoomba Region of the Darling Downs, Queensland, Australia. It is west of Queensland's capital city Brisbane by road. The urban population of Toowoomba as of the 2021 ...
. He was to later lead the side on their disastrous tour of England. Singe played Queensland three more times. The next time was for Auckland which they drew 18–18. He then played in the second test on 12 September once again at Carlaw Park. New Zealand went down 35–14 with Singe again in the hooker position.
His last match against the Queenslanders was on 10 October for the Auckland Provincial side who were thrashed 14–54 in front of 9,000 spectators. Singe scored the provincial team's first try. In between matches Singe had been part of Auckland's successful defence of the
Northern Union Challenge Cup after beating
South Auckland
South Auckland is an imprecisely defined urban area of Auckland, New Zealand, with a young population, a relatively large Polynesian and Māori demographic, and lower incomes than other parts of Auckland. The name ''South Auckland'', though n ...
36–19, where he scored yet another try.
In
1926
Events January
* January 3 – Theodoros Pangalos declares himself dictator in Greece.
* January 8
**Abdul-Aziz ibn Saud is crowned King of Hejaz.
** Crown Prince Nguyễn Phúc Vĩnh Thuy ascends the throne, the last monarch of Viet ...
Singe again played for
Marist though it was reported before the start of the season that he had applied for a transfer to the
Richmond Rovers
The Richmond Rovers Rugby League Club is a rugby league club based in Grey Lynn, New Zealand. The premier team is called the Richmond Bulldogs and compete in Auckland Rugby League's Fox Memorial competition.
Early history
The club was formed i ...
club but was refused by Marist. Richmond was based in the
Grey Lynn
Grey Lynn is an inner suburb of Auckland, New Zealand, located to the west of the city centre. Originally a separate borough, Grey Lynn amalgamated with Auckland City in 1914.
Grey Lynn is centred on Grey Lynn Park, which was not part of the ...
area where they remain today which is where Singe had lived in his younger years. Singe was in fine form for Marist throughout the first half of the season scoring 2 tries and kicking 18 goals in just 8 matches, 6 of which they won.
After the round 7 matches the
Auckland
Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about ...
team was selected for their match against
South Auckland
South Auckland is an imprecisely defined urban area of Auckland, New Zealand, with a young population, a relatively large Polynesian and Māori demographic, and lower incomes than other parts of Auckland. The name ''South Auckland'', though n ...
. Of the players selected it was said "as far as the forwards are concerned, several players, on this season's form, practically pick themselves, and in that category can be mentioned Singe, of Marist – the best forward in Auckland at the moment...". The match with South Auckland was ostensibly a trial to help pick the New Zealand team to tour
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
. Auckland won 49 to 15 and the match was so lopsided that Auckland gave 5 forwards to the South Auckland team at halftime to try and make it a fairer contest. Singe remained on the Auckland side and kicked the final conversion of the match. He was said to be one of the best forwards in the match along with
Jim O'Brien, and
Bert Avery
Herbert "Bert" Avery (1895–1966) was a New Zealand rugby union and professional rugby league footballer who played representative rugby league (RL) for New Zealand.
Early years
Born in 1895 in Whakapirau Northland, Avery originally played r ...
. Singe was then selected for the North Island team to play the South Island. An enormous crowd of 18,000 was in attendance at Carlaw Park to witness the North Island win 31 to 22. Singe was regarded as the best forward in the Northern side along with Clarke. The final game before the touring team was selected was between a Probables and Possibles teams on 10 July. Singe was part of the Probables side which went down 32–15 in what was to sadly be his last ever match on New Zealand soil. In a highly anticipated team naming 200 people went to Carlaw Park to hear the names read out with Arthur Singe named among the forwards.
Tour of England
![New Zealand Team for 1926-27 England Tour](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/18/New_Zealand_Team_for_1926-27_England_Tour.png)
The New Zealand team departed on 3 August on board the
Aorangi. The manager and coach was once again
Ernest Mair who had been called in from
Australia to provide some experience for such an important tour. This appointment was to be a crucial factor in the acrimony to come. There were issues right from the beginning of the tour with players said to be upset by having to pay for their own laundry bills on board the ship which were more expensive than land based facilities. Then they were then annoyed at having to perform the
haka
Haka (; plural ''haka'', in both Māori and English) are a variety of ceremonial performance art in Māori culture. It is often performed by a group, with vigorous movements and stamping of the feet with rhythmically shouted or chanted accompani ...
whenever they were instructed to and to 'dress up' for meals on the voyage. They travelled to
Suva, Fiji, where they played an exhibition match before moving on to
Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only state ...
, and then
Vancouver
Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
where they arrived on 20 August. They then travelled across
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
via
Winnipeg
Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749, ...
and
Montreal
Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous city in the Canadian province of Quebec. Founded in 1642 as '' Ville-Marie'', or "City of Mary", it is named after Mount Royal, the triple ...
using the
Canadian National Railway to connect with another steamer which would take them across the
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...
. The team arrived in
Southampton
Southampton () is a port city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. It is located approximately south-west of London and west of Portsmouth. The city forms part of the South Hampshire built-up area, which also covers Po ...
on 2 September and opened the tour with a match against
Dewsbury on September which they won 13–9 with Singe playing hooker and having a hand in the final New Zealand try. Unfortunately Singe broke his thumb in the match and it was thought that he may miss eight weeks. He was indeed to miss a huge portion of the tour. Singe's regular omission from the side was to become a theme for the tour under the selection of
Mair and partly contributed to him later being part of the striking group of players. A match report for their tenth game of the tour against Bramley noted that Singe was suffering from "an attack of the flu" but "should be available again soon". Singe had still just played in the one match to that point.
![NZ Team scheming 1926](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/33/NZ_Team_scheming_1926.png)
Trouble had begun to boil among the team in late October, and a cable was received from
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
intimating that four of the team were to return home. The players were not named but it was speculated that they were from a group of several players that was regularly missing selection. Singe was named among the possible players but it was also noted that he had been injured. He had only played in one match since the 2nd test at this point which meant that after 16 tour matches he had played in just two in total. Then on 9 November a cable was sent to
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
stating that seven forwards had "sent an ultimatum threatening to embark for home on 19 November unless their demands are met". The seven forwards were Singe,
Neil Mouat,
Lou Petersen,
Jack Wright,
Alphonsus Carroll,
Bill Devine, and
Frank Henry
Frank Sherman Henry (December 15, 1909 – August 25, 1989) was an American equestrian. He competed at the 1948 Summer Olympics and won a gold medal in team eventing and silver medals in individual eventing and team dressage, becoming t ...
. The
English Rugby League had tried to mediate with a meeting held on 28 October in
Manchester
Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...
but had ultimately been unsuccessful. The seven players had totally refused to train or play under
Ernest Mair's control. Mair then withdrew himself from the selection committee and said that he would be "passive" for a period of time. He was formally suspended by the English Rugby League who acted on behalf of the
New Zealand Council throughout the tour after being authorised to do so. Some of the issues stated had been the strict discipline throughout the tour starting with the travel to
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
. Examples cited were the 11pm curfews, and Mair's Australian training strictness which was "unpalatable to New Zealanders, who were accustomed to different methods". Singe and the other striking players promised to "do their best now that Mr. Mair has resigned the selectorship".
Singe was then selected to play in the second test against
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
in the second row after Bill Devine was chosen for the hooker spot. The match was played at the
Boulevard ground in
Hull on 13 November. The
''Evening Star'' correspondent said that "both Singe and
Peterson, who were playing their first game for some considerable time, were playing great games, their tackling being deadly". Early in the second half Singe made a break and passed to
Bert Avery
Herbert "Bert" Avery (1895–1966) was a New Zealand rugby union and professional rugby league footballer who played representative rugby league (RL) for New Zealand.
Early years
Born in 1895 in Whakapirau Northland, Avery originally played r ...
who scored which made the score 13–6 to England. New Zealand would go on to lose 11–21. After the game an "old international" player in the Observer wrote that "the New Zealand team is purely amateur. The England team was entirely composed of paid professional players" and they went on to say that "
Dufty,
Petersen
Petersen is a common Danish patronymic surname, meaning ''"son of Peter"''. There are other spellings. Petersen may refer to:
People In arts and entertainment
* Adolf Dahm-Petersen, Norwegian voice specialist
* Anja Petersen, German operatic ...
, Singe, and Avery, of the New Zealanders... were good enough for any team in any country...". It was also stated that Singe and Avery were the most prominent of the New Zealand side.
New Zealand's internal issues were common knowledge by this point and it was affecting public interest in their matches. They had also been performing relatively poorly and only 8,000 turned up to watch the test match. Singe played again in the next match alongside five of his fellow dissenters. They played against
Wigan Highfield
Liverpool Stanley was a semi-professional rugby league club from Liverpool, England. It was renamed Liverpool City in 1951, but was otherwise unrelated to the original Liverpool club of the same name. The club's origins date back to 1880 when i ...
on 17 November and were victorious by 14 points to 2. In one section of play Singe was described as playing a "hard, bustling game,
ndcame away with the ball at his feet, and dribbled many yards". He was again in the side three days later in a 19–17 loss to
Batley in "atrocious" conditions with "heavy rain and a wet ground". Singe was to play his third consecutive match days later against
Keighley
Keighley ( ) is a market town and a civil parish
in the City of Bradford Borough of West Yorkshire, England. It is the second largest settlement in the borough, after Bradford.
Keighley is north-west of Bradford city centre, north-west of ...
where he was again one of the "most prominent" forwards. He scored a try in a 23–3 win. He then missed the match against
Swinton, the test against
Wales
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...
, and the
St Helens match. His next game was against
Wigan
Wigan ( ) is a large town in Greater Manchester, England, on the River Douglas. The town is midway between the two cities of Manchester, to the south-east, and Liverpool, to the south-west. Bolton lies to the north-east and Warrington t ...
where New Zealand was comprehensively outplayed going down by 36 points to 15. Fullback
Charles Gregory was injured early in the match and eventually succumbed to it with
Jack Kirwan moving back to fullback which necessitated Singe moving in to the three-quarter line due to his mobility. Kirwan was later cut badly over his eye requiring stitches and Singe again had to move into the fullback position. As substitutions were not allowed during the second half of rugby league matches at this time it meant that New Zealand was now playing with only 4 forwards and 11 players in total and
Wigan
Wigan ( ) is a large town in Greater Manchester, England, on the River Douglas. The town is midway between the two cities of Manchester, to the south-east, and Liverpool, to the south-west. Bolton lies to the north-east and Warrington t ...
ran away with the match.
It was at this point in the tour when things took a severe turn for the worst.
Mair resumed his managerial duties and immediately five players refused to play. Amongst them was Singe and given there were several injuries in the side by this point of the tour where 25 matches had already been played it meant that only 15 men were available to choose from for the match with the
Yorkshire
Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other English counties, functions have ...
representative team. New Zealand subsequently lost the match 17 points to 16. An article appearing in the
''Evening Post'' on 20 December went into considerable detail about the issues that had arisen throughout the tour and speculated that their match with
Hunslet
Hunslet () is an inner-city area in south Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is southeast of the city centre and has an industrial past.
It is situated in the Hunslet and Riverside ward of Leeds City Council and Leeds Central parliamentar ...
may be their last which would result in a £2,000 loss for the
New Zealand Rugby League
The New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) is the governing body for the sport of rugby league football in New Zealand. SPARC, 2009: 13 The NZRL was founded on 25 April 1910 in preparation for a tour of Great Britain that same year.Coffey and Wood '' ...
. This did not turn out to be the case but laid bare the significance of the problems. After the refusal of the players to play in the match with
Yorkshire
Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other English counties, functions have ...
, Mair decided that six of them should be sent home but "the English League intervened, and informed Mr. Mair that it would not be responsible for the return fares of the players. There upon there was another conference at which the
English League Council considered the claims of the disaffected players and the financial position of the tour. It was around £2,500 short of breaking even and so they made the decision to carry on without Mair and the striking players. On 22 December the New Zealand Rugby League Council endorsed the suspension of Mair along with 5 striking players which included Singe. The Council decided to carry on the tour with Mr. G. H. Ponder the financial manager of the tour managing the side. Mair and Ponder were the New Zealand Council representatives during the tour due to the distance from New Zealand and it was consequently them and the English League Council that had to make these decisions with the New Zealand Rugby League largely being relegated to observers from afar.
Then on 13 January a report out of
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
quoted Singe as saying "we were left at Harrogate at Christmas almost penniless. The
Welsh Rugby League Council was very good, and presented money to take us home. We claim that the best team was not played throughout the tour". Meanwhile
Neil Mouat had stated that he had no intention of publicly defending himself or the other dissentients, but they have been grossly misjudged. Recently we frankly stated our case to the
Rugby League Council, who are now laying the matter before the
New Zealand Council demanding an inquiry into the conduct of the tour" of which it was thought there would be a £1,500 deficit to take care of.
Singe, along with Mouat, Devine, Thomas, Petersen, and Carroll all then returned to New Zealand ahead of their teammates and were accompanied by Mr. Ponder the manager. Bert Avery, the captain after arriving home, said "it has been a wonderful trip... our team was a great one if all had held together, and I think we did very well... we were left with only five forwards to carry on for two months. Players were being shifted about all over the field, and under the circumstances the record of winning 50 per cent of the matches must be considered satisfactory". Others who had been on the tour felt that Singe and the other "malcontents" were wrong with the attitude they adopted, and that "there may have been conditions imposed which we did not entirely agree with, but most of us were prepared to put up with them, and it was the same for all".
Life ban from rugby league and lifting of it in 1962
After an inquiry by the New Zealand Rugby League on 2 March by the New Zealand Rugby League that lasted for 4 hours it was decided to ban Arthur Singe along with his fellow 6 strikers for life. The banned men were represented by Mr. E. Inder and Singe was present with 5 other strikers (Frank Henry had remained in
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
where he was from). After the inquiry Mouat, who had been named vice-captain at the start of the tour and who was the chief leader of the strikers, said that the only question considered during the hearing had been whether or not they had gone on strike rather than why they had gone on strike and they were "not allowed to bring evidence of justification". The official press agent for the team Mr. J. O'Shaughnessy gave a lengthy statement on his version of events detailing many of the issues on the tour. He cited the players having to pay their own laundry bills on board, having to wear collars and ties at meals in spite of the tropical heat, and being asked to perform the
haka
Haka (; plural ''haka'', in both Māori and English) are a variety of ceremonial performance art in Māori culture. It is often performed by a group, with vigorous movements and stamping of the feet with rhythmically shouted or chanted accompani ...
in public multiple times. On one occasion at the
Vancouver railway station Singe and Mouat refused to perform it with Mouat saying he felt they were "cheapening the haka and the team was not a theatrical troupe". Then players were absent from training on several occasions including Singe, Wright, and Mouat. They were called before a full meeting of the team and claimed to have slept in, this was not accepted and they were each fined 10s. The three of them claimed that this was unfair treatment and asked for their tickets back to New Zealand. After Mair had been stood down for a month the original agreement was for there to be a review of the situation at the end of the month but Mair resumed his previous role without a review. O'Shaughnessy stated that the seven players notified the managers that unless the situation was reviewed as previously agreed upon they would again refuse to play. The
English League Council decided to suspend Mair for a further month but "thereupon Mr. Ponder, financial and co-manager with Mr. Mair, suspended the seven players" and "Ponder stopped their allowances ... three weeks before Christmas. Thus for eight weeks in England, and six weeks on the boat coming home the malcontents have had no allowance paid to them". The English League stepped in and gave each of them £10. Acting on legal advice the
New Zealand Rugby League
The New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) is the governing body for the sport of rugby league football in New Zealand. SPARC, 2009: 13 The NZRL was founded on 25 April 1910 in preparation for a tour of Great Britain that same year.Coffey and Wood '' ...
never released Mair's version of events.
On 30 March Singe was "warned off" Carlaw Park for life. An amendment that he only be excluded for three years was defeated. Thus Singe's oval ball career came to an end. Banned from rugby union for playing rugby league, and banned for life from rugby league.
At the end of 1927 Singe turned out for the Greenlane second grade cricket team where in a match with the Public Works Department he scored 17 runs and took 2 wickets for 8 runs. There is no mention of Arthur Singe on a sporting field beyond this though many of his nieces, nephews, and descendants have carried on the family's sporting exploits.
In 1962 the New Zealand Rugby League administration lifted the ban on Singe and his 6 teammates. By this time however 4 of the 6 who had returned to New Zealand had died.
Personal life and death
Arthur Singe married Hazel Lily (Lockwood) Plant on 3 August 1921 at Kingsland, Auckland. They had three children, Norma Marie Singe (1922–1986), Barbara Singe (1928–2004), and Arthur Barry Singe (1932–1999). It is unknown if his father William (who died in 1929) attended.
Arthur died on 15 January 1936, aged just 37. His cause of death was recorded as "general paralysis of the insane", a severe form of dementia. He was buried in the soldiers section at
Waikumete Cemetery
Waikumete Cemetery, originally Waikomiti Cemetery, is New Zealand's largest cemetery. It occupies a site of 108 hectares in Glen Eden, Auckland, and also contains a crematorium in the south-west corner of the cemetery.
History
Waikumete Cemetery ...
in
Glen Eden. Newspapers (Evening Star and Thames Star) 10 days after his death said "the death has occurred at Auckland of Mr A. P. Singe, wing forward of the New Zealand Army Rugby team which won the King's Cup in 1919". The ''
Auckland Star'' wrote a more lengthy obituary. While the
''Evening Post'' said that he had been in bad health as "the result of war injuries for some months prior to his death".
Arthur's brother Frank moved to live in
Wellington
Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by metr ...
where he lived with his wife and children. A year to the day after Arthur Singe's death, Francis and his family placed a notice in the newspaper remembering Arthur. It stated "In loving memory of our dear brother and uncle, Arthur, who died on 15 January 1936. Ever remembered by Frank, Jessie, Mick and Shona". Arthur's other brother Albert moved to
Te Araroa
Te Araroa (The Long Pathway) is New Zealand's long distance tramping route, stretching circa along the length of the country's two main islands from Cape Reinga to Bluff. Officially opened in 2011, it is made up of a mixture of previously mad ...
after the war in 1919. When Arthur was completing his discharge papers he wrote that "A.V. Singe, Te Araroa" was his present employer indicating that he may have intended to move there to work at the time. Albert continued to live with his family in the Poverty Bay area for decades to come. As well as working in the
Poverty Bay
Poverty Bay ( Māori: ''Tūranganui-a-Kiwa'') is the largest of several small bays on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island to the north of Hawke Bay. It stretches for from Young Nick's Head in the southwest to Tuaheni Point in the no ...
area he also refereed rugby.
After Arthur's death in 1936, his wife Hazel remarried on 1 August 1939 to George Geoffrey Plant. She died on 30 May 1997 in
Auckland
Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about ...
aged 93.
Arthur's son, Barry Singe, played rugby league in Auckland too. He represented
Auckland
Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about ...
on several occasions. On 17 May 1953 he played for Auckland against the West Coast in a 12–2 win where he scored a try. Barry was also chosen in the North Island side the same season. He played well in a 20–23 loss to the South Island. He represented
Auckland
Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about ...
in a 4–26 loss against the touring
Australian
Australian(s) may refer to:
Australia
* Australia, a country
* Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia
** European Australians
** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists
** Aboriginal A ...
team in the same year, while in 1958 he played in a 16–15 win for the
Ellerslie senior side against
Manly-Warringah.
Arthur and his brothers were the subject of an article on the
Auckland War Memorial Museum
The Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira (or simply the Auckland Museum) is one of New Zealand's most important museums and war memorials. Its collections concentrate on New Zealand history (and especially the history of the Auckl ...
Online Cenotaph on 7 February 2017. Helene Wong and
Ant Sang wrote comics which appeared in the Being Chinese in Aotearoa exhibition with one of them on the story of Herbert Stanley Sing in the First World War. It was titled "What did you do in the War, Goong Goong?".
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Singe, Arthur
1898 births
1936 deaths
Auckland rugby league team players
Marist Saints players
New Zealand Army personnel
New Zealand national rugby league team players
New Zealand rugby league players
New Zealand rugby union players
North Island rugby league team players
New Zealand military personnel of World War I
People educated at St Peter's College, Palmerston North