ENGLISH LEAGUE TEAM

Hokitika Guardian, 20 August 1924, Page 4

ENGLISH LEAGUE TEAM

THEM THKATAiENT IN THE DOAUNION. WELLINGTON, August IS. “On the eve of our departure fiom New Zealand I would like to express on belialf of my colleagues and players appreciation of the courtesy shown to us by the people i f New Zealand. AYe are going away with the feeling that wo are glad to have visited New Zealand. AYe are picnd to have been here, and when we go hack we ahull he able to tell many thousands of adherents of our game what a wonderful country New Zealand is. It has always heen my ambition to come out here ami to see you at home, and 1 tail honestly say that, although I had formed a very hi'.’h opinion of the spoilsmen in New Zealand. I have not heen disappointed so far as my assn nation with them has been concerned. AYe tnav have had little (liderenct's ef o; inion, hut they tire nothing compared with the expres-itm.s of goodwill showered upon us during our staylien*. If I have saitl anything which seemed to reflect upon the true sporting spirit of tlm majority of sputa tors. I hope they will take it as being purely with the ohjcct of eliminating from the game those little action' 1 which are vc:y often expressed by :i 1 small minority, and which cause an unfair reflection noon the others." ! The foregoing statement was made , to-day by Mr E. Osborne. m- ret ary anti manager of the English l.eagi’" I'norball touring team, which has tomI j I led its New Zealand tour am! ileaving by the Tahiti to-morrow on the ret urn trip to England. It is in . striking ctuitiasl to other reported * expression of opinion from the visitors > while in file South Island. Air Os-

Ironic wns i|iiuo sinccic m \oicnio those sentiments mill lie said that reports of other interviews with hint hail been cxayyeraled. While Mr Oshorne. the League eee- I rotary anil nut linger, was (inii|ilinientiiry and (oiuilintory, Mr .1. 11. Dnnalt. who is also concerned in the lnannyement of the team, was in a >diflerent frame of mind, lie was disinclined to make any comment on the tour, “f will make this statement, lie said, ‘•that the treatment we have received in some towns in New Zealand I.s not likely to loin" ahont any more vi-its from Knylaml. The (hinr.se I footballers have heen received with open arms, lint the treatment shown h\ 15 rit is Iters to llritisliers has hern 1 disynstilit:. 1 do not think tlirie will I lie any more toots. We had a nice 1 civic reception here at the station in the rain. We are leaving to-morrow I and we "ill not he soiry.” ! ‘Ho yon think ike standard of play ‘ in New Zealand is as yood as that, in I Australia ?'' Mr Dmialt was asked, i -‘No. not hy a loiiy way." lie ro- ' jdied. j lieyoml that he would say nothin". ! The Ia; tain of the visiiiny team. Mr ! .1, Parkin, said that the .standard in . New Zealand had improved .since he l was here in With At full stienyth tire ! present. Knylish lonriny team was as ■ yooil as any that had heen sent. on •' tour, toil everv mend er ot the team I had suffered throiiyh initiry or illness . 1 ilnriny tin' tour ami there had heen I 1 tin unity for traininy. The i Northern ITuon yame at Home, he said, was very strony in the north, 'the I’nyhy I'nion yame was atrony | aKo. and lie eiiil'idered that the A*l IJlaeks would he healen en more than oiip ivvusion.