WELLINGTON FOOTBALL. A ROWDY SCENE.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 275, 23 June 1888, Page 3

WELLINGTON FOOTBALL. A ROWDY SCENE.

WELLINGTON Juno, 19. Tim Wellington footballer-, have long ' earned an unemiablo notoriety for trying to work ,i point and for noisy scenes on the held ot play, and an incident which took place on Saturday ie> not likely to dissipate that feeling. The game was between the Melro&c and Wellington Clubs, and aa the toimei played, lor the championship for the hist tune, sympathy was naturally with them. The juniors had all the bet- 1 ot the game and had .scored a try, but |ust before the conclusion Fairbrother, for the^ Wellington.'-, got over the line. Throughout' the play tho spectators had enctoached many yards over the touch line, owing to the absence of any ropes, and the scene when Fairbrothcr got in was simply disgiaceful. A crowd of roughs rushed the giound, alleging that the referee had allowed the game to proceed after time was up, and for neaily a quarter of an hour refuted to allow the kick at goal to be taken. Fortunately, when the ground was finally cleared no goal resulted (the game thus ending in a draw), or the referee would ha\e fared badly at the hands of the mob. Ihe New Zealand " Times," referring to tho scene, says :— " Altor Fairbrother got in the cry was raised amongst the spectators that it was several minutes over time, ihe .spell having lasted nearly tifty minutes. The referee, Mr MeAidle, states that this extra time had to be allow ed in consequence of stoppages in the game. A scene of great confusion and excitement ensued, the crowd, most of whom were INlelroso supporters, rushing the ground, and preventing the Wellington men from taking their kick at goal. Flayers >\cre hustled about, whilst the language used by the mob was anything but complimentary. Eventually, after a quarter-oi'-an-hour's delay, the ground was cleared, and the Wellington men wcie allowed to take the kick, which proved a failure. The captain of the Melrose team prote^ed against the score, on the ground that it had been obtained se\eral minutes after time should have been called, and he intends to bring tho matter before tho Union The playcra themselves were in no way responsible for the disturbance, although one of the Wellington team so feu forgot himself as> to strike one of the spectators who had been using insulting language tow ards him. The sole cause of the trouble was the blackguardly conduct of the Melrose supporters. Such rowdyism is greatly to be deplored, and it is quite evident that something will have to be done to check it, or it will soon become a matter of necessity for a force of [ police to attend these matches for I the purpose of keeping order, and if one or two of tho principal offenders were severely lined or imprisoned ior using obscene language, or behaving in a riotous manner, it would probably havo a deterrent ellect."

ffTA negro preacher in a South Georgia county asked his cony rogation the othei day ior a sliott vacation. An old sister objected, giving as a"reason-" dafc de debil ncbber takes no hollerday, but he gil in his wukev'ry liiinute."