BRITISH FOOTBALL TEAM.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 126, 19 May 1908, Page 3

BRITISH FOOTBALL TEAM.

TIIKIK AIUtIVAL. "A i'l.\E-lA»OKL\(; un\" IVr Press Association. Wellington, l-ust -Night, i Itv luoiljiilii'i'sj \vlii> arnvcil 10-cUv, Mil' ;i line-looking lot of men. i'lw.v arc heavier than the last team, •'ml notkeuUe fur their .Youilifillilesn. lliere arc ei»lit \\ I'lshnum, the reinain<ler being J'jiclicliiut'ii, The cajil.iiii, liii riling, .saj'u the men ale in lir 3 t-iate mm. iheir chief strength i, in the lurwards. The team had a littlo practice *'t AUiletie l'ark this afteruoon. They wore given a warm welcome on di=ein- I Marking, but the ollicial recc]itiou takes I'luee at j.lo o'clock. I

AX enthusiastic KRKPTION 1

Wellington, Last Nighl. ~A endous crowd gathered at the loun llall this ulteriioon to be present at the ullieial reception nf the Jiritish footballers to .New Zealand. Long belore the hour appointed for the function tile .building \va> packed to the doors. Ihe Mayor (lion. T. \\. llislop), in welcoming the team to the Dominion, said such a visit was of very great benefit in drawing closer the tii's of kinship between 111* (teople of the (lid Country and those of this Dominion. He hoped tile visitors would find that there hail been no deterioration of the liritish raea in this young country. (In belialt of the citizens of Wellington he extended io them a very cordial welcome.

Sir .loscph Hard assured the team that wherever they went in Xew Zealaud they would be received with the greatest cordiality, and there was no doubt whatever that they would meet wkh absolute fair play'in all thvir matches. The New Zealanders remembered with pleasure the very cordial re-

ception that was given to the All Blacks during their visit to England, and desired to have this opportunity to in some way reciprocate. Whatever the Gov.ernment could do to make the tour oi th ■ li'ivi pleasant they would be most lmppy to do.

Tho captain and manager both returned tluinks. The former stated 111.■; had the Irivli and Scottish I iiion* ci» operated in Mending the team there was no doubt a stronger team would have arrived. Nevertheless it was a sound team that had come, and he hoped ilie visit would lie of benefit to cause

of amateur Kugby football in New Zealand. Captain Harding remarked that he had some pleaaan>t recollections of

hi* visit to New Zealand as a niemliev of Bedell Sivwright's team in 1!I04, and did not reijnire any assurance that the present team would receive the lnosl

scrupulous fair play in its matches. Hiprevious experience was such as to make him know that that was a certainty. I hey could hardly hope to go back to England with such a record as the New Zealand team of HHMi had made in I'.ugland, localise all English louliialici-kn:-w that that combination was the

very finest team of ltugbv players that ever went on tour. Still, they hoped to [ give a very good account of thenise/V"*. T'hi'V were good men and had youth in their favor. If they did not win a majority of the test matches it would do tnem uo harm, and if they did, it might have a good effect on amateur Kugliy football in New Zealand. The cordiality of their reception in Wellington would be something for (hem always to reinenilK'r. One tiling lie had a distinct i ccollection of during tho visit of Bedell Sivwright's team was that though the Englishmen had been roundly whacked oil the Athletic I'ark at Wellington, they were cheered by tlie puMi:' during the whole, of their journey back to the city. The function concluded with hearty clivers tor the visitors.

111 tlit? southern division matches |>]a\v<( on Saturday, Hawera 1. beat Ka-pon-M 1. by !) joints to nil. Tlii» Kltliam Association team defeased by Kaponga A by 2 goal* to 1. Umieilin senior matches results--Siiuiiiern beat Alhambra, 7 to nil; I'ni veivity boat Pirates, 15 to 3; Dunedin Ihml 'Y\w Rovera. 14 to 3; Port Chalmers biMl I'nion, 13 to 0: ZingavkKhhrnond henl Kaikorni, Bto nil. Wellington.—Ponckn 18, iVtone 11; Oriental 5. Wellington U; Melro.** At 111*! it- 0: St. JanH'» 11. Old Hoys 3; Southern 12. Victoria College (5. C'lii'istfliurch.—Albion beat Merlvale, 5 to 3; Sydenham beat Canterbury Collojse. 20 to nil; Linwood l*»at Christchurch, 18 to It; Old Roys a bye.