OUR LETTER BOX.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 170, 22 July 1904, Page 4

OUR LETTER BOX.

NOISY FOOTBALLERS. (To tho Editor.) Sir,—ln a resent issue of your paper the leading article on the subject of Football contained a report in full from the N'.'A Times of the misbehaviour of some footballers on the return journey from Petone to Wellington. The following day the Times published a letter from the Captains of -Rugby teams denying the statements and challenging the writer to take further action, but having expressed his "Porirua ravings" he appeared satisfied to drop the matter. Would it lie asking too much of you to publish the following letter from the N.Z. Times of the 19th>inst., possibly it is not of very much interest to your readers, but having published one version I am sure in fairness to Rugby players you will grant my request.—l am, etc., EX-W ELLIN (J TO N1 AN. (Enclosure.-) NOISY FOOTBALLERS. (To the Editor N.Z. Times.) Sir,—l am instructed by tho management committee of the Wellington iiugby Union to write you in reference to the article which appeared in your issue of the 11th inst., re unseemly conduqt on the part of footballers travelling by the 5.15 p.m. train from the Lower Hut on the provious Saturday afternoon. My committee have inquired thoroughly into the matter, and are convinced that players under their jurisdiction are not responsible for the conduct complained of in your article. As a matter of fact, there were no Rugby players at all in the carriage in which the unseemly display took place—nor were Rugby players in any way connected with it. I am willing to admit that your article did not, except by inference, refer to Rugby players, but the inferonce was so strong that, my committee had to take notice of it. Therefore, although they believe that there was a deal of reason why the article in question should have'been written, and that the. conduct referred to should not be tolerated -in any way, they consider that, in fairness to the players of tfie Rugby .game, the inference-as to their complicity m the matter should be contradicted oj' the controlling body, especially when mqniry has satisfied them, as stated in the second paragraph of this note.—l am, etc., D. McKENZIE, Secretary, W.K.F.U. July 18.

(We are glad to know, by the fact. tL' n, i " St,t " t i n S this inquiry, that th« Rugby Union discountenance unseemly conduct of the kind complainW ?,!'nT ? complaint was thoroughy justified, and the public will -bo *were Z'T P^ers Times.) concerned.—Ed. n. Z