SOCCER ASHES.

j AUSTRALIAN TEAM. TROPHY CROSSES TASMAN. CIVIC WELCOME ACCORDED. With the Australian Soccer team who arrived at Auckland by the Wanganella this morning came a real casket of ashes tci be the stake of the three Test matches that are to be played between the Commonwealth and New Zealand. Admittedly the idea of playing for "the ashes'' is cribbed from international cricket, but on the outcome of this season's matches between Australia and New Zealand, depends the custody of a casket of actual ash. :5 •

It happened this way. At the conclusion of the New Zealand eleven's tour of. Australia in 1923 George Campbell, captain of the New Zealand team and Alec Gibb, captain of the Australian team, sat puffing' cigars at the farewell banquet, and dropping their ashes into the same tray. 'Mr. H. G. Mayer, who, with Mr. H. I. Graves.' wiiS managing the New Zealand team; sug: gested that the ashes in the tray should be 'made the stake of future Sdccer matches between the Commonwealth and the Dominion.

The ashes were placed in a plated safety-razor case 4in long by tin deep ancl 2in wide, which Mr. W. Fisher, secretary of the Queensland Football Association that year, had carried with him at the historic landing at Anznc Cove. He gave it to Mr. Mayer, who offered it as a suitable receptacle for the ashes. With the cigar ashes in it, the metal ease was soldered, and subsequently enclosed in a casket of Australian and New Zealand woods. The body is of Australian maple, and the lid and base of rewarewa—New Zealand honeysuckle. It is surmounted with a Soccer ball of silver, with a silver kangaroo between the twin fern leaves of New Zealand, with the letters "N.Z." in bine enamel. On the underside of the lid an inscribed plate tells the story of the ashes, while the base bears a>silver plate with the following inscription: "New Zealand and Australian Soccer Ashes. This casket is made of NewZealand and Australian woods, and was presented by H. G. Mayer, manager of the New Zealand team touring Australia, 1923 season. The ashes are contairted in a canister inside this casket." There is a small receptacle in the base of the casket for the key, and the back carries a plate for the recoiding of the results of the Test matches. Of the three series of tests that have been played across the T.isman, New Zealand won the 1922 rubber, before the trophy came into existence, and the 1023 rubber, but the Australians were victors in 1933.