SPRINGBOKS ARRIVE

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 255, 22 July 1921, Page 6

SPRINGBOKS ARRIVE

CIVIC RECEPTION TO-DAY > ; RECORD CROWD EXPECTED AT THE MATCH Quite a large crowd of Rugby enthusi>ata were at the Lambton Station last evening to greet the Springboks on their arrival from Masterton by the 6.53 o'clock train. Tho visitors were met by tho chairman of the Management Committee of the New Zealand Union, Mr. G. W. Slade, tho chairman of the Wellington Rugby Union, Mr. J. Prendeville, and other members of both bodies. There was no formal reception, the visitors being Immediately driven to the Grand Hotel, where they will be quartered during their brief stay in tho citv. Later in the evening they attended His Majesty's Theatre. This morning the South Africans will have a run-out at the Athletic Park, and at noon they will be tendered U civic reception in the Town Hall, at which the Aoting-Prima Minister (Sir Francis Bell) and the Mayor (Mr. R. A. Wright, M P.) will be present. This afternoon the Springboks will oo taken out on a jaunt to Seatoun, and will also be guests of the Commercial Travellers' Club. No extensive programme of entertainment has been smbarkcd upon, us the visitors, in their desire to keep as fit n» possible, have set their face against too muoh Junketing. Arrangements for to-morrow’s match are well in hand, and adequate provision is being made for accommodating the big crowd of spectators which, it is anticipated, will !*» in attendance at the Athletic Park. Given reasonably line weather, there should be something like a record gate, as the Springboks are confident of holding their end up, and tho Wellington representatives are reported to be in the pink of condition. In order to meet the demands of the Press and public for rapid communication of progress reports of the match, the Post and Telegraph Department is making special arrangements at the ■ • Park for tho afternoon. There will be a bureau for the public, with a charge of 3d. for communication within the city area, and usual toll rates for longer distances. Ample telephone facilities will , also be placed at the disposal of the Press. The Question of replacing injured players was discussed yesterday between the visitors and the New Zealand Union. It was found that the visitors could not alter their decision in this connection, as thev have a specific direction on the matter from tho South African Rugby Board. In tha course of an interview published in yesterday's issue of Tub Dominion, Mr. T. B. Pienaar, captain of the Springboks, was credited by our Masterton correspondent with saying: "Our men are very good at spoiling tactics." This remark did not refer to the Springboks, but to the Wairarapa combination, which, said Mr. Pienaar, put up a very' ’ good fight indeed. BARRING UNOFFICIAL PROGRAMMES. In response to a request from tho New Zealand Rugby Union, the City Council last night resolved, on the motion of tho Mayor (Mr. R. A. Wright, M.P.) tout no unofficial programme in connection with Saturday’s match would be permitted to bo sold on the streets of Wellington. From all directions come complaints regarding tho official programmes of- » ..ferod for sale to the public in connection with the tour of the "Springboks.” The general tenor of tho complaints is that price is needlessly high, and that *■-- oven then the information given is limited and in a form which makes it inconvenient to pick out the visiting players. It is suggested that some enterprising person should issue -a single-leaf programme, which would sell profitably at one-quarter the price and give all the information required. There is justification for these complaints, but unfortunately the Rugby Union does not ap--1 pear to be in a position to remedy the matter, having sold out its rights. Moreover, the City Council has now stepped in to debar the public from nny chance of redress by declining to allow unoffioial programmes to bo sold on the streets. TO-MORROW’S CURTAIN-RAISER: Tho curtain-raiser to the big game at the Athletic Park on Saturday will be between the two champion sixth grade teams. Petone and Wellington College." NEW SOUTH WALES TEAM’S PROGRAMME. The following programme has been arranged for the tour, of the New South Wales team, which is to visit New Zealand this month: — Arrive Wellington, August 3. Play Marlborough at Blenheim, Auntst 10. Plav West Coast at Westport, August 13. Play South Canterbury at Timaru, August 17. Plav Now Zealand at Christchurch, August 20. Play Manawatu at Palmerston North, August 24. , Play Poverty Bay at Gisborne, August 27. Play Hawke’s Bay at Napier, August SI. Play Rotorua, September 3. Plav North Auckland at Whangarei, September 7.