George Paki
[1] In 1909 Paki played for the “Kia Ora (native) junior” team in the Lower Waikato competition.
He played 7 matches for them against Taupiri, Hamilton and Rangiriri before being selected for the Lower Waikato representative team.
As a result, the team seems to have been regarded as an unofficial side and is not included in New Zealand Māori rugby records.
Paki played in a pre-tour match on May 24 in Rotorua where the team had assembled prior to departing, staying with Parata.
He played at fullback in front of "a large crowd … at Pukeroa Hill" which was won by the Māori side 17–9 over the local Rotorua team.
Paki only made two appearances on the tour, the first was against New South Wales on June 9 where he came on as a replacement for Sam Piki who received a compound stress fracture in his leg in a 3–15 loss.
After returning to New Zealand Paki gave the trophy to King Te Rata Mahuta.
[11] In the match with Wellington at Athletic Park the Maori side found themselves down 23–0 in the second half before a spirited fight back saw them only lose 23–21 with Paki scoring two of their tries after breaking free from lineouts on each occasion.
[12] In late September Paki was named in as an emergency player in the Māori side for a match with the touring Australian team but he did not take the field.
The match was a late addition to the Australian schedule to help raise money for Piki who had taken a long time to recover from his broken leg earlier in the year.
Paki changed clubs once again to begin the 1914 season where he turned out for Gordonton in a seven-a-side competition played on Easter Monday at Claudelands.
[21] Paki played 9 matched for City in the 1919 season which saw his brother Huatahi move back to Huntly midway through.
It is likely that Paki was working in the ports while he was in Auckland as he participated in the Waterside Workers Picnic athletic events each summer from 1920 to 1924.
[23] Paki had a successful 1920 season personally at a club level leading the competition in tries scored with 9 from 14 appearances.
[24] In 1921 Paki played 3 matches for City before being selected in the forwards for the New Zealand team to tour Australia on May 16.
Ten thousand spectators were on hand to see the local side win by 21 points to 16 after New Zealand had defeated them 5 days earlier 25–12.
[28] New Zealand trailed 18–8 at halftime in the match which was played on a wet ground with areas of surface water.
The match was for the Northern Union Challenge Cup and the defeat saw it change hands for the first time in its history.
[33] The September match saw Auckland run out 35-13 victors at Carlaw Park which had been opened only months earlier.
Paki scored a try though this time it was the last try of the match after receiving the ball at the end of some chain passing and crossing untouched.
Paki played in their 3 Roope Rooster knockout competition matches which they won over Newton Rangers, Ponsonby United, and Maritime 30–14 in the final.
[36] Paki scored 8 tries during the season for City and kicked possibly the only goal of his career in a 43–13 win over Huntly in their final Challenge Shield match on October 28.
[37] In the middle of the season Paki was selected to play for the New Zealand Māori side on their tour of Australia.
The team badly lacked combination as the actual playing side was reasonably strong featuring current or future Kiwi internationals such as Craddock Dufty, Sam Lowrie, Bill Te Whata, and George Gardiner.
He scored one try and was also part of the side which lost the Roope Rooster final and the Stormont Shield match losing to Ponsonby on both occasions.
[46][47] In 1926 he didn't take the field for City but was named in the emergency players for the last few rounds of the championship and the final against Ponsonby.
[48][49] He married Myrtle Ruby Maisie Peters in February 1918 and they had a daughter (Joyce Pare Rawhiti Paki) on January 27, 1919.
In December, 1966 George's father Hori made a donation to the Waikato University Halls of Residence to celebrate his 101st birthday.
