The Ashburton Guardian. Manga Est Veritas et Prevalebit TUESDAY, JULY 1, 1884. The New Zealand Footballers.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1294, 1 July 1884, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Manga Est Veritas et Prevalebit TUESDAY, JULY 1, 1884. The New Zealand Footballers.

Not a few worthy people look with disapproval on the fact that whrt they regard as too much prominence is given now-a-days to mere pastime, such as cricket, football and rowing. And doubtedly right, for we venture to say from this point of view they are unthat a large proportion of the community took more interest in the news of the victories of the New Zealand football team during their recent visit to New South Wales than they did in the downfall of the Atkinson Ministry. Paterfamilias may deplore that his boys are being brought up to consider the development of their muscles as of primary, and the cultivation of their minds as of secondary importance, but in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred he will receive the news of his son being chosen the captain of the school eleven, or the stroke oar of his University eight, with at least as "much pleasure as if he had carried off the first prize for “ book-larnin’,” orjsecured the senior wranglership of his year. For ourselves, we are of opinion that such friendly contests as -that which has just been concluded between this colony and New South Wales do a vast deal of good, and the representatives who carried the flag of New Zealand to victory deserve all the compliments that have been lavished upon them at the Wellington and Dunedin banquets. There are those who express wonder at any sane person deriving amusement in, hitting a piece of leather with a piece of wood, as the national -game of England has been irreverently described, and there are others who fail to see anything in football but brutal horseplay. This view of the matter can be due to nothing but ignorance, for to be a good footballer or a good cricketer it is necessary to develope qualities that cannot fail to be of use in after life. What gave the Maorilanders their success? brute strength alone, for they had to meet teams at times much heavier than themselves, but a thorough knowledge of the rules, good training, keenness to take advantage of the weak points of their opponents, rapidity of resource, and, above all, their unselfish play. The player who “dribbles” when he ought to “ drop,” and who holds the ball when he ought to “ pass ” it, is no footballer, and it was these distinguishing characteristics of the New Zealand men which so astonished the New South , Welshmen, and made the latter realise how entirely they were overmatched. Surely the fact that the youngest of the Australasian colonies has vanquished the eldest, even if only in the football field, is sufficient to excuse a little “ blow,” and the exuberant verbosity of Mr Sleigh, who so ably managed the tour, when he declared at the banquet that if New Zealand wanted men to defend her shores against a foreign invader she would find them among the footballers, is easily forgiven. The healthy rivalry between colonies and nations, exemplified by the periodical visits of cricketing and football teams, is a thing to be fostered. We regard physical education as necessary to the proper development of manly qualities, and nowhere are pluck, endurance and good temper so essential to success as in the cricket and football field. One point in this modern friendly warfare is that it shows that the world has advanced in civilisation during the past thirty or forty years, Those who have passed their sixth lustrum can call to mind the excitement that raged in England when an American bruiser named Heenan came to do battle with the English champion of the “ ring,” Tom Sayers. The event was magnified into one of national importance, and Thackeray in one . of his inimitable “ Roundabout Papers,” half humorously, half in earnest, suggested that the victor in a brutal and degrading encounter should receive the honor of knighthood. We thank Providence that the day of these things has passed, and although the excitement and interest that is roused is quite as intense as was possible in the case of a prize fight, it has the advantage of being thoroughly healthy. In the meantime, we may express a hope that the New Zealanders will not be carried away by their gratifying success, The visit will have the effect of teaching the New' South Wales men ; their weak points, and we may feel cer- ' tain that when the nest coolest comes

it will be far more hardly fought than the last one, and the footballers of this colony will be placed on their mettle to secure the victory.