FOOTBALL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 14, 22 May 1913, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

U ; i : Ivi < i Under the ; heading “Football and iFighvsjVti thej Waikato Times prints the following extraordinarily lurid Account from a correspondent of the scone at a match between a Maori and Pakeha team -

Football opened in Taumarunui on Saturday afternoon, the competing teams being Taumarunui and a native team. Taumarunui were victorious by 6 points to 3. In the fights at the finish of the game honors were about even. Everything was going splendidly during, the first quarter of the game, the jia'tjjes having a lead of three points. In, the second quarter the whites evened things with a Lry. THe next quarter saw them three points ahead, and it was then the most objectionable thing in football happened—rough play, and a losing team not being able to take a defeat. One big native being especially brutal in his methods was ordered off the field. The last quarter of the game was noticeable for its stoppages, the natives playing such a rough game that the whites were being continuously disabled. At the conclusion of the game, the big native i eforred to, looked for his opponent, through whom he was ordered off the field. The little pakeha, neeedless to say, was not very far off, and 'when the native came looking for his blood, sailed in like a Tommy Burns, and he was making things very merry for the dark gentleman, when a'dozen, Maoris chipped in, threw the white man down, and the big native “put the boot in” most shockingly. This was then the cause of a general fight, blows bein gexchanged everywhere between the Maoris and whites. One little pakeha was standing looking on when he felt a blow on the side of his ear, looking up, he saw a swarthy complexioned man making ready again. The white floored him in one hit, and then tackled several more, scattering them right and left. About a chain away, all apart from the scrambling crowd, was a little fight all on its own. A pakeha and white were having a good earnest go; the pakeha having the Maori’s face like a butcher’s block. Several Maoris, seeing their brother’s plights, joined in and showed their brutality by picking up the white man, throwing him in the air and trying to kick him as he came down. The crowd, of course, rushed in and stopped their little game. It sounded very funny when the little chap remarked, “My word, I was lucky,, I never got a mark.” He >as lucky too. Nobody knows exactly how peace was restored, unless all got tired of using their arms, as there was not a policeman in the grounds. The police, I believe, are prosecuting enquiries with a view to proceedings. All was not over at ten, as several fights are reporter! during the picture show, one man having to have the services of a, doctor through his opponent being too fond of using the leather.

Altogether, the whole thing, is a disgrace. The Maori team is practically ostracised, and five or six of the Taumaiunui men have declared their intend on of not playing again. The native who caused all the trouble is a noted rough., player, and by common report should have gone up for a few years last season.