In California.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 82, 6 December 1913, Page 5

In California.

THE ALL-BLACKS ON TOUR.

A REAL COOD TIME.

(H. Dewar writes.) Alter the game with the Barbarian Club we left by rail for Stanford, where two matches wore played with that University. Here we had our first experience since our arrival in die State of playing on a turf field, and by the substantial scores put up you can imagine that our boys were more at homo. We were treated royally during our stay there, the students putting themselves out to give lis a grand time. In spite of the fact that It was Poricla Week in San Francisca, we were ail very sorry when the time came for us to loave Stanford and return to the city. The Portola Eestival was something to rave about, and will be ever remembered by the members of the team. During the festivities, magnificent processions were held both day and night. Thanks to the kindness of a prominent shopkeeper in the principal street, we wereenabled to get a fine view of these

splendid processions. The people ini the city all seemed to be enjoying themselves immensely, and at night delighted in smothering one another with confetti. To give an idea of how much | of it was used, it may be mentioned : that twenty tons were swept off the principal street after one night's revelry. Our Came with Santa Clara was played during this festival week, and each member of the winning team was presented with a gold souvenir in the shape of a football. 'There was a I large attendance at the game, but it was not a very excellent exhibition of Rugby, our hacks failing to handle the ball so well as usual. On the following Saturday we had our second game with the California University, which proved to be Our Hardest Came so far, and also the first game in which our line had been crossed. There was a great deal of rough play during the match, and thVUniversity's coach was responsible for a rory unsportsmanlike acion at'the close of the game. We had scored a try on the call of time and were about to kick at goal when be ushecl his team off the held so no !attempt was made-'to convert the try. The professional coaches at the? Universities here have a wonderful influence on f their players, which I am sure does Hot help to improve the style of play. The sooner the paid coach is done I .way with, the sooner the game is going to reach a higher standard. Our next game on the programme was that with the University of Nevada At Reno.

Tins trip proved another nice outing, being a night's ride by rail. The ganle vvjis about the easiest one we have played. We won by fifty-five points. playing only twenty-five-minute spells. We returned to San Francisco on the Thursday and were to have played the third game with the California University on the Saturdays but owing to ivot weather tne game was set down for four o'clock on Monday afternoon. The coach of the University team didn't think it advisable to play his crack team owing to the approach of the inter* University match, which is more important to them than any international game, so we played a team of freshmen. And What a Came it was! The recent rain had made the dirt held one sea of mud. The awful state of the ground is beyond description. At times it was hard to distinguish the ball from the lit le heaps of mud. Trying to convert tries was a waste of time even when scored under the posts. The night of the match we were given t dinner by the British residents of San j Francisco. This proved to be one of the most pleasant evenings we had spent since our arrival here. On the following Wednesday we met and defeated St, Mary's College team by twenty-six points to nil. The i ground was not as bad as the one we I played on previously, but it was not it j a lit condition for any Rugby game. A j regrettable incident occurred in this match. One of the St. Mary's team I was ordered off the ground for striking! at an opponent, and the referee allowed' another man on; of course we did not (object. We left on the following morn.! I ing By Beat for Los Angeles

and arrived i!i,>iv on Friday night. We Here met nt the port of Sun Pedro iv the students of the University of Southern California, and taken in their machines to Uie city, a distance about eighteen miles. Wo were taken to a theatre on our arrival, and witnessed a lino variety entertainment. On the morning of the match, the students again had their machines at our i disposal, and we were taken to Passedeno, where we. visited the ostrich [farms and several privately-owned [gardens, some of which were magnificent. We returned to our hotel at I one o'clock, after having a grand [morning's outing. The roads here are [splendid to travel on, having a top [dressing of fine gravid and crude oil, which makes them very smooth. Tim 'game in the afternoon was I One of the Most Interesting [we have played in America. The score (JO—0) is no indication of th* merits of l he Uarns. i'h# University boys put

up a great fight, and there were several instances when they just missed scoring by the narrowest of margins. We were given a smoke concert after the game, and another enjoyable evening was spent. Tfter the smoke concert, several of the team were taken by two of the students in their cars to The Venice of America, and I amsure those who -went will never forget it. Venice is a beautiful place, possessing all the amusements one could desire. "A trip through the clouds" was the one that tickled 'us most. The next morning we were up packing our bags for the return trip to San Francisco, much to the sorrow of the whole team. We all recognised that our stay in Los Angeles was most pleasant, but far too brief. The next match set down for us is against Santa Clara on Wednesday, and on Saturday We Play our Final Came in California against the All-American team. The members of the team are all in good condition, with the exception of Alex. Bruce, who will not play again on the tour owing to a bad shin. Teddy Roberta has fully recovered from his injury, and has shown good form in the last two matches . He will probably b* playing in t** l*i% gam* on Saturday.