THE GOSPEL OF SPORT.

NZ Truth, Issue 58, 28 July 1906, Page 3

THE GOSPEL OF SPORT.

" LET US PLAY."

. . .. ._ A critic ' in ' an jEagdHsh magazine prods us on -the raw* " Australians," Ba /■.■writes, " take little interest in anything outside horse-racing, cricket and foot-' :;ball." [As this also applies to N.Z. (vide tote returns for the racing year pub-' « lished in this issue), no apology is needed for its republication here from Sydney. " Truth." Young New Zealand is becoming as muoh addicted to sport as young and middle-aged Australia. Ed. N.Z. " Truth."] „: ,'Tis the god. of sjeefe W« worship, at his teinple we adore,' And we chant a mighty chorus. Let us play! ■'- Though the county goes to blazes, though "the Jap is at our SooV 3 . -, Though, the poltroon politicians hold full sway, * We have not the lame to trouble over clouds that slowly creep O'er the horizon and tell of coming doom ; '. ■• Por our eyes are on the green sward, where the stunted ponies sweeps ;'•<■• And our prayer goes upward with a mighty boom— v >$0? ■ I"' $'<■ - : "Let us play lV . . ' ''%.* /^We'll subscribe trie' needful boodle to. send swimmers round the world^- '*•- J ir;Sixi;?- We will cheer IJie bladder banged from the stand, - 4'.-^ „' *'> But we h^v^nVj.thlijß^o W.prry /though di'sasteirs may.be hurled- ■ ..&&' "^ ri^i- 4 ' Do,wn-upon us 'when; strong foes invade the land; . • ■< ■;■s£?: *■?* W* 3 w^ gather in onf thousands, to watch men maltreat a'ball, "??i/*' : - And we whoop while ".sfcifieued" steeds crawl round a course,' ■■{{.: ■' ■ But we cannot spare a minute -when wo hear the country call ' • •/.'••* ' For we're praying to our joss, our throats are hoarse— ' r ' "Let us play 1" . . • >, In the tram and train v/e'll argue whether Noble's right or wrong ? . And each addjle-pated fool joins in the debate, For bt.r damned, and diddled country, thoiigh we do not care a song^"" We leave the reins that guide to Fat and Pate. , .We will watch the cricket crisis and write letters on the same, And we'll cheer the hard-faced plugget in the ring, But we cannot spare a moment to watch George Reid's'little game/ For a night and morning chorus We ail sing-^- . •'Let us play I" Now we haven't time to muster up and vote on polling day, When each hand should push the Democratic car ; •. Tou will find us whooping loudly in tho bladder-banging fray You will find us where the "deadened " horses are. ' ' ■ Whether s'ome prad is a trier is a' m.atter of concern, * And a clever vjick at goal delights the eye ; •-' \ ,'.-'■■ But the tricks of Reid and Deakin we have little time to leaini i^irir ' i 4 vAn.d the -watQliful Japanese they hear our cry-- . fii;i^'. ..J.''^^ Play I'''"., -. /■V. ' ■_.. .■■■ . :; ;. ; / ' : 1 We're a crowd with no tp-moMow, with no thoughts beyond tc-dayj 1 We worship at the gilded shrine of sport; . •We let Fat's appointed dodgers diddle in their own sweet way, s And we gather where Dame Chanco sets up her court. We've no time to stop and listen, we've no time to cogitate On the matters that affect our native land ; , - And our muddled minds they see not the grim "figure set by 3?ate— • The brown figure with a sword gripped m its hand.