The Wairarapa Daily. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1886. THE VISIT OF THE NEW SOUTH WALES TEAM.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2391, 4 September 1886, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1886. THE VISIT OF THE NEW SOUTH WALES TEAM.

Tab visit of' ike New South Wales fooball team having unaccountably {alien through at the eleventh hour, porhapa an explanation of the action of the Wairarapa Rugby Football Union will show that tho fault does not lie kt their door. When the visit of the Sydney team to New Zealand WRB first mooted the Wairaropa Union secretary, Mr P. W. Jackson, wrote

to the Secretary of the visiting team in Sydney, inviting them to play in the Wairarapa in the course of their trip. An answer was received to the effect that they would play a match as required, only stipulating that their expenses he paid from and to Wellington ; the arrangements for the match to be left to Mr E, Davy, Secretary to

tho Wellington Union. . On the irrival of the team in Auckland Mr Davy wired to Mr Jackson saying the natch would be played in Masterton )n September 6th. Tho management jommittee of the Union met in Carter's, appointed a reception committee rod made other necessary preparations, it the same time pointing out to Mr Davy that an the Wairarapa Union lecretury, with' the assistance of tho ncmbers for the district, had. obtained 'ree paiaw over the New Z»aland railways (a return of the compliment paid ;o the N.Z, team in New South Wiles) ;he committee thought that if they >aid the visitors' travelling expenses ind gave them half the gross gate -eceipta, it was as much as they could sxpect from the Union. The answer to this was a telegram on Saturday last stating that the amount of railway

fares would have to be paid and all the expenses inoident to the trip, as the visiting team had not received the support that was anticipated in N.S. W; before their depnrture. The Wairarapa committee immediately agreed to these terms, and set üb'out giving them a suitable reception, Special . train arrangements were made, a public halfholiday was proclaimed, and a Volunteer Band procured for the occasion, a banquet was ordered in honor of the visitors, drags and four greys were engaged to drive them wherever they wished to go during their stay-in fact no atoue was left unturned to give them a welcome, worthy of the district, No word has been sont that would lead anyono to suppose thit the match would not come off in .Masterton on Monday, until the arrival of the Sydney team in Wellington, when it is suddenly discovered that the arrangements of Mr Davy are different to the impreamns of the Sydney manager. Now it is quite evident that both the Sydney manager and Mr Davy knew the match was arranged to be played in Masterton, or why did the former write from Sydney saying they would come and play as long as the expenses were paid, and why was Mr Davy so persistent in his demands for railway i'ures last Saturday if ho did not think the teapi was coming to. the Wairarapa I The real secret of tho thing la that the New South Wales team has broken faith with the Wairarapa Onion in order to play a match with Nelson, for since arranging to play with the Wairarapa, the Nelson match has been put'on the list, as the report by the Secretary of the Southern Rugby Union, published by us on July 26th will show The team have to leave Sydney on August 19th next, they will be absent about six weeks, during whioh time they will play two matches at Auckland, Wellington, Christchuroh, and Dunedin, and one at Napier and Wairarapa—in all ten matches," It is quite clear by this that the Wairarapa Union has been deliberately jockied out of their match, and the parties to the transaction are now trying to get out of the affair by somewhat equivocal statements, In the face of these facts, the Wairarapa Rugby, Union will, no doubt, demand an explanation of the affair, and should alsb be refunded the outlay they have gone to in making preparations to receive their [proposed visitors, In this they should lie backed up by the Wellington Union, who, though they may not have beon a party to the bungling, ought to see their offspring fairly treated over the matter,