"PUNCH'S" HUMOUR.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7962, 13 February 1906, Page 6

"PUNCH'S" HUMOUR.

London "Punch" is a British far stitution, and it is only Americans who ventaie to question its right to be styled a humorous paper. New Zealanders mgst therefore take for granted the humour in a ponderous article in whioh a "Punch" writer deals with the successes and the defeat of the New Zealand footballers. After pointing out that football was the national game of the Druids, that the Welch warhymn paralysed the New Zealanders, and that the Welsh language appalled them, "PunoL' proceeds to attribute the "All Blacks' " single defeat to "arrested development." This arrest is due, he thinks, to natural environment and social and political institutions, No country that produces a geyser, for instanoe, has ever become'a first-class Power without a desperate struggle. Further, in New Zealand there are those extremes of heat and oold which are so injurious to the system; geysers at one end of the thermometer and frozen lamb at the other. "In the person of the Right Bon. Richard Seddon,". continues "Punch," "we have a standard of physical culture which makes for national obesity. His bodily dimensions (quite apart from his tendency to mental timidi Ity) cannot but have exerted a baleful influence upon bis loyal subjeots, discouraging that abstinence and self-restaint which are essential to a perfect training, and . more than .counterbalancing the admirable fixample offered by the svelt and almost.ascetio figure of the Hon. W. P. .Reeves, High Comissioner for the colony. These draw backs notwithstanding and, < after all, though the football Dlayers of New Zealand may have had a band in the establishment of the female suffrage, frozen lamb and Mr Seddon, yet they cannot be held responsible for their Premier's proportions, nor for the geysers—l must believe that this promising young country, by strict attention to itsf phsysique, will eventually distinguish itself and send out a combination worthy to cross shins with the all conquering Cyinry." A few more contributions to his character will convince New Zealanders that rthe American view of "Punoh" is the correct one. '