FOOTBALL

Gisborne Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1448, 8 May 1905, Page 3

FOOTBALL

OPENING OF THE SEASON MAORIS v. PAKEHAS.

[ Those who attended Victoria Domain on Saturday last wererewardLd by witnessing one of the fastest and moßt interesting games played here for some years. The game was closely contested, although the Maoris, who were much heavier than their opponents, had the best of play throughout. Only seven men on“either side were last season players. The teams lined out as follows Maoris : Wi Rangi, Rangi, Delsmere, Lsah ; Erikaaa, Brown ; Wi Friday, Clark, Wopiha, Paikea Heke, Erehana, Pita, Swarm, Brooking. Pakehas: Tate; Nolao, Rowe, Carr; Robinson, Witty, Bkeet, Bayly, Stewart, Allen, Wauchope, Sehwabe, Smith, Burke, and Thompson. From the kick-off the Maoris showed superiority iu handling the leather and kicking. Brown shot the ball out smartly from the serum on several occasions, bucDelamere, after beating a couple of men cleverly, was accounted for in possession. Rowe failed to take a high kick in front of his own goal, and Brooking and Clark with good footwork took the hall over the line, Erehana scoring closo to the posts. The kick failed. Play centered. Rowe intercepted on his own side of the half-way mark, and raced through his opponents, giving the ball to Carr close to the line, who scored. Three ail. Swann was the next to come into prominence. He kicked hard to Witty, who mulled, and let the fast Huia wing forward down on him before he could reoover. Swann kicked to the fall-back, who made a weak attempt to save, and Erehana scored an easy try. Principally through the exertions of Wauchope, Thompson and Bayly, tho Pakehas worked the ball down on their apponents' goal line, where Stewart scored, Robinson increasing with a fine kick. Half-time was called with the score: Pakehas 8, Maoris 6. On resuming play was fast, Wepiha and Paikea heading several determined onslaughts on the Pakeha goal. Wepiha got over close to tho uprights, and Erikana converted. Shortly afterwards Rowe made an .Open-

log, ana. transietreu iu j-xuiau m. » b“ uu position, the latter scoring a fine try. which was improved by Robinson. Wepiha headed the van in a vigorous attack, and scored his second try, Erikana again converting. Heke wai the next to cross the line, but the kick went wide. The Pakehas slowly worked the ball into their opponents’ territory, and muddling and injudicious passing by the Maori backs let Allen in. Tate kioked a goal. Maoris 19, Pakehas 18. Brown, who had been playing a sterling game, came round the scram, and beating his men came through to the full-back, when he shot it oa to Delamere, who scored a good try. Maoris 22, Pakehas 18. The finest piece of play of the match was kspt io the last. Wepiha obtained possession of the ball about centre and transferred to Brown, the latter jinked through the ruok and making an openlDg sent it on to Delemare, to W. Friday, to Erikana, to Swann, to Leah, the latter falling over the plucky little West End full back and scoring a brilliant try amidst applause. There was do further score and the game resulted— Maoris 25, Pakehas 18. For the winners Brown at half stood out conspicuously, his play all round being of a high order. He was well baokod up by Leah, Delamere and Erikana. Of the forwards it wonld be hard to pick out a finer lot, and with Pakea, Brooking and Wepiha in the van took » lot of stopping. Among the Pakeba

backs Nolan, Carr, Rowo and Robinson were well up to club form. With the exception of Robinson their handling of the ball was faulty, but their defence was Bound. All tbo forwards worked well. Amongst the new men Thompson gave a orodjtable display and worked his head as well as his feet. Burke, a West End junior, who came on at half time, played a good game. Judging by the standard of play shown the matches this season should show a marked improvement upon those of post seasons, and as the clubs ore well matched the play Should be of an interestiog nature. Ml* McCredie had charge of whistle and Messrs W. Hay and J. J. Martin held the lino flags.

Daring General Booth’s stay in We’iin"ton it was rather difficult to squeeze 'through the streets without kaockiog down an “°Army ” officer. There were 120 of them in the General’s suite. Almost as large a staff as our own Defence De r -RVan T.nncß : Dr Gibbs is badly

Says mo rrso liuuvo . v- , wanted in Dunedin to give the Biole-im schools movement a decent start. A public meeting, held the other day in the city of kirks, to hoar a leading politician and four ministers on the Bible in schools only drew fifty people.

,p hP Opposition has no record oi acmevsments, s.O history, for Mr Seddon has been so long in powo.r that the old party which was defeated at the polls at the end of

1890 is extinct. Parliament knows it no more, and a new party has arisen, with no traditions and nothing to recommend it, a,r a party. t 0 tha elsci® l3 -— New Flymouth Herald. .-.l- _ n. ii: nii-oH nt? n mifnrqq t.nP.

Adelina Jfatti was cuea as a wuutM other day in a case in which her cook claimed damages from her butler for kissing her against her will, and from a policeman who “ happened to be .there,” for not interfering to protect her i modesfy, The butler had to pay £oo for hi 3 indiscrep* .ardour, and the neutral policeman 10a for his dereliction of duty. Mahutonga’s winnings fgr the season i total £2970. The best news of the week is that a case of cancer has been genuinely cured at Homo by radium treatment.