FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 190, 16 August 1904, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

NEW ZEALAND RUGBY UNION

(Per Press Association.) I WELLINGTON, August 15. I A meeting of the New Zealand Hugby Union was held to-night to consider the proposals of the New South Wales Rugby Union to send players to Australia to play against the British team in Sydney—(a) a full 'team, in which case the New Zoal land Union would get 50 per cent, of tho note profits, or (b) eight players, in which case the New Zealand Union would' get 30 pet cent, of the profits. Mr Hand, hon. secretary of the Now South Wales Rugby Union, was present, and explained the desires of his union. The committee, after going exhaustively into the matter, affirmed the resolution that It had been found impossible, owing to the Inability of several players to obtain the necessary leave of absence, to send a thoroughly representative team to Australia, and that it wus not disposed to send a portion of the team as suggested in the alternative proposal. TO-MORROW'S GAME, The Wellington Post on Friday published a last word of advice from an old New Ziealand Rugby supporter, now resident in Sydney, to the New Zealand representatives. The Taranaki team should cut this out and study it haitl "The British win with their 'backs. Meet them at this point om the man-to-man principle. Don't let Gabe, a great player, draw all the attack on himself. Let your winjg keep in his place ready for the inevitable meeting with either Llewellyn or Morg'an, or the punt more like the shot out of a gun, across the lield. Meet them man to man and succeed, and then tho fullback will only hfrve one player to stop instead of two, that is supposing the Britisher gets that far. Don't be cooled by Bush. Feint or no feint, pass or no pass, when he has got the ball account for mm. Don't reflect as to wtaat he is going to do > the player who reflects with Bush (the Welshman acts like lightning) will be lost. I can siay nothing to the forwards. You will beat them ■orwaid."

The defeat of Wellington by the ruranaki representatives on Wednesday last reminds the New Zealajnd Herald that the players from the butter country moot the Auckland team next Saturday week, a fact that had almost been lost sight of, so great haa been the interest in the doings of the Britisii Rugby team. The brief report telegraphed goes to slhow that the Wellington players were outclassed: in tab for.vurd division, and the Aucklandiera will therefore have a stiff contract lo ward oft defeat when they tako the Held against the Taranaki reps, Air W. A. Hand, lion, secretary of the New South Wales -Hug,by Udiioq, who came across to New Zealand with the Britishers, 'brought .with him twenty-three gold medals for presentation to the New Zealand team which visited Australia last ieason. The centre piece of the modal is solid gold, and is shaped like a map of Australia, with a wallah and flannel flower i aised on the surface.

There are still number of ground and grandstand tickets for sale, tun', these may be obtained from Mr 1 T. Bellringer. Black and amber rosettes and streamei-s are now making their appearance in large numbers, the provincial colours proving too great a nibble to toe inissod (by the young fry anld nimble threepences. Britons don the red', white and blue, and have to run Bhe gauntlet of "barrack" from the colonials. Like Briton;, however, they stand firm. The rain of yesitewiay had the effect of giving the Recreation Urourad playing-field a thorough soaking and a good deal of surface water was noticeable during the afternoon. A suggestion 'by Mr F. T. Bellrlnjgcr, chairman of the Management Committee of the local Union, to erect a stand for 20U people at a charge of 10s| per seat for admission just inside the main entrance to the Recreation Grounds has 1 been rejected. It would have boQii, a great convenience, as the .terraces promise lo be packod.: Inquiries yesterday elicited the fact that in several of the smaller townships 'business will ibo suspended to-morrow for tihe whole day. Opunako and Toko have definitely decided to do so. A Stratford enthusiast remarked yesterday that the whole of the adult population of the town would be in New Plymouth to-morrow. A large crowd is expected from Wanganui, and Hawera is sending a large contingent. Inglewood will, it is expected, be denuded of nearly the whole of its population. Such is the general expression—everyone who can will bo here to-morrow if iho weather holds fine.

Most of tho Taranaki repa. ate now in town. Mynoti, Fookcs, Abbott and Frewiii have been putting in good practices daily, tho doctor und Abbott doing excellent work in place-kicking.

A. McMinn, the Falmerston North player, who will take l'ront place in the Tamnaki scrum to-morrow, arrived last night. He is feeling fit, and. welh He describes Saturday's gamo as " great," arid the pack as a " marvel."

J. Hunter arrived from Wellington last night, and is reported well-' enough to take the field to-morrow. Good news for Taranaki supporters. Thompson, the Wanganui threequarter, who plays l'or the colonials to-morrow, came on by !ast night's express. He appears fit, and has a great reputation as a galloper.

A large number of Taranaki enthusiasts who went to Wellington to sec Saturday's game, returned last night.

I Despite the late hour there were scores of lady football supporters amongst those who awaited the arrival of the British team last night To-morrow afternoon the Town Band will pky on the Kecreation Grounds from one o'clock. At two o clock u team of Maoris in full native costume will dunce tt series of hakas, anid these will be repealed when the contesting teams enter the arena.

Cable news from Sydney states that much gratification iluis been impressed over New Zealand beating the Britislier.s.

The Telegraph Department had a busy time on Saturday afternoon t 0 cope Willi the rush of football messages at Wellington. No less thair 791 ordinary, urgent', tuul press telegrams were despatched from the temporary office on 'the Athletic Park, 130 from Wellington South, and 390 from the city office.

Reporting tho Welliiiiglon-Xaranaki match, the Hawera Star says :—Mynott made plenty of openings, but lostlhe advnntagw of many of them by erratic passing. Our five-eighth is a hard ni a M to follow at any t|ime, but when wild passes are m-ade it is practically impossible for his centre t 0 continue tho passing. U is always pleasing to note the .-nterprise that characterises many af our contomporai-ics. Our local contemporary, in last night's issue, referred to the fact that the results of the big mutch at Wellington were posted ut the Herald office immediately on receipt, th;at arrtnigemeiits had been made for the urgent messages to be telephoned from the telegraph office, ami that an extra was issued. All this was extremely commondaible. At the same time it may be worth while to mention that ■■lie Daily News hind so organised mat,ters that the results in the Hint and second spells were posited on a large board a t t-lia corner of Devon and Currie-streets, and it was from this that the first news reached the New Plymouth public. In each sjiell wo were first out with the tidings which raised no end of excitement, loud cheering ' and vociferous dolight. Morore, the well-known, 'Parana ki natiive barracker, with acouplo of dark-skinned confreres, danced a baba in Devon-strest to th« intense

amusement of somo hundreds of equally excited, though less demonstrative pakohas. Then, mounting n :oal merchant's cart whose passage had been stopped by Uh» great ?rowd at the Daily News scoring hoard. Morere made a speech in the Maori tongue, oxtpWftg the footballers of Now Zealand, and Taranaki in particular. Interviewed in Wellington, Stead, the captain of the New Zealand team, said he was surprised at tlio combination shown by the men, considering lrho fact tlvat they had not played togetffer. He thought tho Drit ish team was a little stale on Saturday. With reference to the haxl place-kicking of the New ZeaWinders, he considered the great excitement which had swept the colony aflected them. Every man who had had a shot at goal was nervous, and the whole team started nervously. They were all playing the game of their lives.

About HO,OOO persons were carried on the electric ears in Wellington last Saturday, and the takings amounted to £217. The takings at the football match totalled £2112. The matter of giving a henelit to .las. Duncan, the veteran iootballer, before the end of the season, was mentioned in Dunedin lost night. The idea was warmly approved by many delegates, who were not at all certain that Duncan had retired from active participation in the game, and thought it possible he would go to England next year if a New Zealand team was sent. It wasi decided to obtain definite information before taking action. OLD HEP'S. SUGGESTION.

Sir,—Next Wednesday will lie u gala day for footballers in Taranaki, when our representatives will try and repeat their last performance against the Englishmen when pluywd in New Plymouth some years ago. Po you not think, sir, in representative matches the powers that be should think of the past and allot a reserved place for we old reps. Ido not ask for any privilege as regards admittance. Our union is too poor to afford that, but surely we are entitled to a place of honour for our victories of the past, How often in days gone by we have had to strain our financial resources to go on a lour. Some have had public subscriptions got up to get them away, and some of us have had to go to our banker and ask for a temporary loan, and when we came back had to slog in for months to get square. Speaking of the past reminds me of a little joke in which a well-known Taranaki sfporttihus delivered himself. Scene in a city—Taranaki victorious—City dudo : "I say Mr Blank, how do you Taranaki fellahs plays so well without training?" Blank Well, you see, It's like this, very often they get up in tihe morning and find no tucker for breakfast and the consequence is they have to run a wild pig down ; it keeps them in buckle doesn tit ?" (Laughter). Let us hopo they are in pig-catcliing humour next Wednesday.— I am, etc OLD REP. "

THE VICTORY OF NEW ZEALAND

(To tho Editor.)' Sir,-In y OUI . leatiei . of Mond > hue nightly congratulating the vice's, you mention a few things •t are not exactly facts. You s ,„ r ° N(;w Zealandi the home of Rugby, has fallen the honour of nolcnirK; the first victory over the touring team of Britain, including as it does the pride of players ' from England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Asa fact there is only one Scotchman in the team, and lie was an absentee. Two New Zealanders were in the British team. Th& Press Association agent, in Wellington also has allowed Sis zeal ♦o overrun his discretion. Among m any high falutin' statements is one: —"The English newspapers to-mor-row will doubtless be commenting m terms of surprise, on the fact that New Zealand can furnish forth a fifteen competent to meet and beat another fifteen picked from forty millions of people, and heat them 100, at what is peculiarly their own game." From experience I can assure you, air, that there are at the present time more Rugby football teams in New Zealand than in Britain. Also allow me to remind you that Scotland were easily champions last season at Home. There is one Scotchman in the team, whidh, although a good one, could Uo very much improvod. Tho visiitjng team u-ere organised for a visit to Australia, where Rugby is not strong. I venture to thunk if it had been thought New Zealand was to be visited, a much stronger and rougher forward team would have been brought. I am afraid if a few forwaixle from Swansea and Llanelly had been included, the heart of many an undertaker in Wellington would have rejoiced on Saturday last with an exceeding great joy.—X am, etc., HUNTINGTOWER. THE COVE WAT HOOTS AT FOOTBALL. Deer Sir,—Tliow I goes round with a munky an' a horgan, i'm a treiv born Rrittisher, an' a luver of reel sport, which I think is the very necks thing to Bi-ittish pluck. A cove wat 'as no fun in 'im never wins no battles. Hut wat I objeks to is the swabs as hoots at fo 0t- ! all. Tho other day i sor n match on thees heer grownds—an' a reel good go it was, an' i was ploe&d to see our boys a-winnin', hut i do s a y thare was a lot of 'oodlunis thare us orter bin 'ome with thare muUiers. Wen a Wyrapra man cawt the ballas was hees dooty to ketch it—thees Jonnys groned. Wen sumwun stopt our l>oys from skorin', they groned a'ffcn. If corse, i don't mind a good ringin' chear wen the boys play up. If our boys win the mach agem the Brittiish I'll chear meaelf an' like as not, wil cliuk me woodo.i leg inter the air, but that's a plaws as no wun objens ter. But fare play is bony play, an' wen the Ilrittisli do good wurk let 's fihow 'em as we no wat good play meens. Maryann—that's, my wife—says : "1 'opes as our lioys wil win the mach, but if they loos, i do o]ws as they wil show tho viziturs as they can go wun better than winnin'— that's yo take a boot in' an' stil smile." The old wunian is goin' to the mach on Wensday, as says as she intends wunst fur all to put doun the kourdly praktis of hootin' in our midst, an' I never see her taklo anythink as she didn't pull t'lrew.

If yer spots a old gel with a li'ig stik, a slito limp, an' the very devel in her I, that's my wife, an' wether drunk or sober i alius 'ad sens enuff to soe that. "Mun's the wurd" was the best pollisee wen Maryann was o-n the warpath. Wil you do me this hero fa.vvur, Mister Editur ? If yer heer any cove hoot-in' along side of yer jest nok 'im doun—i'le do the same, ail' if all yer reedors toilers sute llmio'l lie granin', tat it wil bo f-lie rite sort. Coves as hoots at football machrs ain't sports, an' its a monty t-lvay ain't men—thay're only a Pak of gutter snipo, an i'le ■uhk tiho younion ter pervidc plenty room for 'em outside the fence. 'Opin' as this wil find yer all wel,— i am yours trewlv, .lABEZ PTXCMER. Poverty Flat.