THE WEAKER SEX.

Otaki Mail, 3 April 1922, Page 4

THE WEAKER SEX.

LADIES AT FOOTBALL. > GAME AT CHRISTCHURCH. Those people who arrived at English Park on Saturday afternoon (says the Christchurch Sun) prepared to scotl at the efforts of the Wellington and Christchurch Ladies’ Football Clubs remained to admire their prowess in what, to most of them, must have been a completely new field of endeavour. The game throughout was quite enjoyable,! and a tribute must be paid to the adaptability of New Zealand girlhood. The play, of course, was not without its humorous aspects, and the public was not slow to see these. Toilet Problems. If limbs are to be taken as an indication of good form, then the teams of both Christchurch and Wellington were in the pink of condition. The southern girls arrived on the held leading a pampered pug-dog as a mascot, i Their preliminary cheer was rather fee- ■ ble, but that of the ladies from the windy city was decidedly the reverse. The Christchurch team wore black jerseys with red -bands, and what shall we call them? —bifurcated skirts, of full cut. On tlieir heads they wore black skull-caps with red borders and red tassels, which a lady in the crowd was pleased to describe as “ducky.” Slip appealed to one Herbert for corroboration, and Herbert was heard to remark that they looked “g bit of orl,:ght.” The Wellington girls wore I blue and black blouses and short skirts, with blue and black caps.

No Hand Mirrors. ■ Groat- strength-of will was shown on ■ both sides, for apparently no lady had | a small hand-mirror concealed about b, i- clothing, and no surreptitious dabs I „f powder were applied to imaginary i shiny noses. One of the visitors, liowj over, played in a large gold bangle, possibly from sentimental reasons.

A Hefty Kick. piav uas really surprisingly good, and all the girls seemed to have a sound eras)) of the principles of Hocccr. Ihe . . aim', too. was creditably last at times, t beers ami laughter from the very j.;rge crowd greeted every fall, and ; „me of ill.' players fell in a good, > beam- fashion— in each instance to be picked up with tender regard by their opponents, much to the delight of a mol hall-hardened assemblage. The kicking' was not erratic, as one might have expected, and there was good hcadwork shown throughout. Occasion- , ally a player would give a trick little 1 ), ui :k-kick (rather reminiscent of the 1 old-time Houbrctte’s exit) without any j result, and one little Wellington miss planted a hefty kick about three feet above where the ball actually was—to the oreat joy ol' nearby onlookers. Thirst-Quenching.

Half-time was sounded at the end of so uiiuutes. and the contestants received a flattering ovation. Did they adjourn for a “nice cup of tea, dear”? Certainly not! They retired, manlike, to the dressing-rooms and. leaning mune.halantly against * tlm walls thereof, sucked lemons in the approved way. l'luy in the second spell was even better than in the iirst spell, and the home Team in particular showed good combination. A slim young player was adjured by a young friend on the line to •Mutch ap a bit,” and become, in consequence, rather terse. You are getting slow, old thing!” the v.f. remarked. “So would you be if—replied the s.y.p., the end of her remark being lost in a gurgle .of wrath. The first casualty occurred to a Wellington player. Hardly had she struck the earth before she was dragged up to her feet by both arms, and the summary treatment seemeu very efficacious. ‘•Baby Michau.” Towards the end supporters begunto get a little excited, and loud were the cries for Winnie and Isobel, Dorothy ami Bop to “'do or die.” One plump young player was rather iiretorently nddress-d as ‘‘Baby -Michau.” Altogether the game was a very enjoyable one. Theta was 1110 utmost display of good ii-.g throughout the game, and neMu : ; to which anyone could possibly take objection.