WARBRICK'S FOOTBALL TEAM.

[Fboh our London Cobbbsfondent.] Notes of their Tour. General Gossip. " The Last Matches. London, Jan. 26. GENBEAL eOSBir. ... Since I lass wrote, the New Zealand football team — atill making Maachester their headquarters— have played five matches, viz., against Stockport, Warrington, Castleford, All Yorkshire, and CleeJrheaton. The Maoris (as people will, persist' in calling them) won two games, loßt two, and drew one. The victories •gainst strong teams at Cleckheaton and Warrington were altogether creditable, and the Stockport match was practically drawn in the New Zealanders' favour. Of the defeat at Wakefield against all Yorkshire one can only say the home team was perhaps as strong a one as could be made up •in Great Britain, aud completely overmatched the Colonists. They do not expect to meet a more formidable fifteen against All England on Feb. 16. Still, the Yorkshiremen wonld not have ecored so many points had the Maoris, instead of feeling " stale/ and conscious. of the onlookers' partiality, been ! in first-rate fettle. Their defeat at Castleford waH brought about by similar causes. This next week the team go West to play I I a series of matches against Somerset (at Wellington), Devon (at Exeter); Gloucester 1 ! (at Gloucester), and the Midland Counties I (at Coventry). After that come the crucial games of the tour, viz., against Blackbeath, Oxford University, aud All England. If the team can win one of these matches they will be covered with glory. > • The team are not favourites in York- ! shire. There can, I fear, be no doubt of that. At Huddersfield the crowd absolutely pelted them with pebbles and mud; in tact, a slab of the latter struck Elliott in the face.

NOTES ON THE HATCHES, &C. The team went down from Manoheeter to Stockport early on the 12th inst, in order to have time to visit Storkington and Co's hat factory. They all wore their oldest head-gear and were significantly interest in the manufacture of " bowlers" but alas! the obtuse Storkington failed, (to use "SmilerV favourite expression) "to tumble." He took them, however, to an hotel and provided the "sweeteßt spread " the boyß have enjoyed since that for too regal lunch at Sheffield Park. The subsequent match was conducted in the friendliest way and ended in a most satisfactory " draw." „

As the Warbricks' have some relations at Stockport, they were oP v course anxious to show to advantage there, and Joe himself made a point of playing. He was not. however, in at all good form. Madigao, vho has been on the sick list ever since the last Cumberland match, also, rejoined the players, and did very well, everything considered.. ■

lhe Sfcockport team had the assistance ol several first-rate outsiders (notably Coulthwaite and Hotckies, of the Swinton Club) in their matoh gainst the Maoris. Of the latter, not only Joe Warbrick, but M'Causland, were dead out of form, and the New Zealanders would (a local papei says) certainly have been defeatedbut foi the splendid exertions of David Gage. The Athletic News, on the other hands, declares that the superb play of Tom Coulthwaite, for Stockport, alone prevented the New Zealanders scoring an easy victory. Who shall decide when newspapers disagree ? David Gage played on Saturday weei for East Sheen againßt Manchester, and averted defeat from his side by a beautifully dropped goal, which made the game a draw. • ■ It is quite untrue (as stated by the British Australasian) that the success oi the present New Zealand football tour will lead to the arrangement of a second. For one thing, the' promoters they have paid expenses) have certainly not made enough to recoup the risk and trouble- ol the journey, and, for another, they would never get a New Zealand team together again on similar terms. Some of the best players vow, once they get home, they will never kick a football again. ' ■ I am told that at Wakefield on Saturday the Maoris were doad "stale," and at first scarcely made an effort to thwart the powerful All Yorkshire team against them. Scott really onght to give them a good rest before they meet " Englund." This next week the Maoris go down to Exeter, to play three or tour matches in the West of England. Mr Scott tried tc get out of these, as the expense of the. long journey to Manchester and Devonshire will be considerable, and the gates are not likely to be large j but he couldn't arrange mattera. ■ ■ . . The Leeds Mercury, in a short leader on the Yorkshire match, says : — ".It was in foot work, and in passing more particularly, the Maoris were beaten. W. Warbrick, at full-back, was very reliable, and did good service by his telling returns. M'Causland also played a grand game, while of the forwards Ellison and Taiaroa were to the fore." •The Athletic News says:— Our friends the New Zealanders outrht to be thankful for the attention the Yorkshire ■ Bugby Union lave paid them. The proceeds of the "gates" of both matches played by Yorkpnire County against the '• o^rkieß " havA been given to them, and last Saturday's Jittle bill amounted to .£l9O odd. The "gate" at Warrington, on the occasion ot the Maori match at. that place, realised .£l4B 9a lid. About 6300 people were present. A benefit is being organised for the purpose of raising iundß to maintain and pdu.'ate poor Bob Seddon's youngest brother. The benefit will tafee the form of a match between Shaw and Shrewsbury' 6 New Zealand and Australian team, and Swinton, on Feb. 4. The following have all promised to play for the Anglp-Aus-tralasian side: — A, Paul (back), A. E. Stoddart (captain), Haslam -and Jack Anderbon (three-quarters), Bumby and Nolan (half - backs) , Eagles, , . Kent, Penketh, Sam. Williams, Mathers, Thomas, Dr H. Brookes, Basnet, Clowes, and A. Laing (forwards). The affair is expected to be a big success. • , ■ All the members of the AngloAustralasian team have filed the .required affidavit as to the receipts and expenses of the trip, so far as they are individually concerned, except one. ■ •■■' " It is surprising, to say the least of it, that, considering the -number of matches of their own the Maoris have to play, and how stale some of them appear to be, that they, out of good nature, should allow themselves to be persuaded to play on off days for English Clubs. Yet this is what many of them constantly do, and very often get laid up or unfitted to play in their own fixtures. I-'-" ' '• • At Warrington the .New Zealander3 visited the famous Dallam and Bewsey forges, and the glass works of Bdbinson, Son and Skinner. Elliott and Wynyard were the heioes of the Warrington match, seeming, according to the Warrington papers, " far in advance of their brother players." . . After this match there was a dinner at the Conservative Club, and any. number of speeches. Mr Kneen (a manufacturer of footballs) presented M'Causland (as captain of the Maori team) with a ball, of his own make. M'Causland, in returning thanks, said he had never seen one' of the sort before. It was put. together in quite a novel way. NOTES BY A MBMBEB OF THE TEAM. A propos of the Yorkshire match, one of the leading players of the Maori, team writes to me as follows : — "By paper accounts I suppose you think we made very poor fight of our match against Yorkshire County. ■' The score against us would certainly produce that impression; but the results of the Yorkshire match is. as much misleading ..to ,a reader as that of our match" with Castled ford, where the score stood nine points to three against us, inasmuoh as it does- not represent the game. lof course do not grudge Yorishire-their win, and do not in

•ay way infer that we can beat them, bat on the contrary will say that they are about as good as ttiey make them, and can beat any team -in England. The following are a few notes on our three last matches, viz., Castieford, Warrington, and Yorkshire County: — AGAINST CABTLJEFOEJD. The game was splendidly contested throughout, and if either side had a little tie best of the fight, I think we had. "Tabby" Wynyard drew first blood for us, bat Mac's attempted goal wa3 a very poor one. After this we were hard pressed, but were awarded a free kick in our own territory. Mac. panted out, but the Castleford right wing three-quarter, taking the ball beyond the half- way flag, dropped a eplendid goal. Immediately after we dribbled over their line and Elliott scored a try ; Mac. again failed to improve. Castleford, by good play, managed to get over our line, improving the same from a difficult angle. Score at half-time : — Castleford, two goals; Maoris, two tries. In the second spell both sides scored a try; Castleford converted theirs, but Mac again failed to register the major point for as. Keogh 1 got the last try. Dave Gage's absence was severely felt. Barlow and Madigan played a poor game, mulling dreadfully and not kicking enough. ' M«Caui.land was a bit off at roll-back,; and dead out at place kicks. •* Tabby*: played a grand game. The halves, Keogfc, i "SmHer," and Elliott, played very ydL t and of the forwards, Taiaroa and ElKboh were specially noticeable. AGAINST WASHINGTON. "Tab." Wynyard was the hero of the day, scoring three tries in splendid fashion. Gasre, as usual, was well up to the mark, kicking in grand form; Madigan atill off colour. Mac's place-kicking, was an improvement on Monday's, as he managed to convert two out of the three tries, the last one juet missing. W. Warbrick was not in hiar late form. Keogh was too well watched to do much, but played a good game. The forwards all worked well together. Scores— Maoris, two goals one try; War- 1 rington, one try. AGAINST TOBKBHIBE. Ellison was scorer in chief, securing' two tries, one of which M'Cansland converted. W. Warbrick collared well, but kicked indifferently and Mao played a very poor game, though at times he kicked in his old form. Gage pJayed a good half-back game. Madigan, as one of the Yorkshire men said, " waß not the Madigan we saw atWakefield and Dewsbury." T«b Wynyard didn't : show up in his Warrington form, missing peveral good chances of " potting." Williams and Kaurauria played a very poor game, the former kicking too hatd in the dribbles. Lee was lamed at half-time, but the rest of the forwards played up like "demons."— Score, Yorkshire five goals one try ; Maoris, one goal one try, . THB TOBKSHZBB MATCH. The following account of the xnatoh against Yorkshire match is taken from the London Sportsman I—The1 — The New Zealand football team, who 'a few weeks ago defeated a junior fifteen of Yorkshire County players, met the County team proper of. the same shire on Jan. 19, at Wakefield, on the ground of the Wakefield Trinity F.C. The victory of the "darkies" over the second string infused more than ordinary interest into Saturday's encounter, as it was well known both sides meant thorough business. The conditions under which the match was played were everything that could be desired, the day being beautifully fine and mild, and the ground in excellent condition. There was a large tarn-out of spectators for the Wakefield ground, the number present being estimated at between five and six thousand. Yorkshire had to deplore the absence of A. L. Brooke at three-quarter' back, and of Hick-, son and Toothill in the forwards,! but efficient substitute were forthcoming in Bradley, of Goole, Holmes, of Manningham, and Binke, of Wakefield, respective^ The Maoris played a strong team, Gage coming in at the hist moment for F. Warbrick. Loßing the toss, Yorkshire had to commence the game uphill, Jackette kicking off. The Tykes being too eager, had to concede an off-side penalty, but in not more than three minuies from the start they gained a substantial advantage, Holmes completing a fine display of running and passing by Stadden, Sutcliffe, Lockwood; and Bradley, by running behind the posts. Sutcliffe easily placed a goal. Ellißon kicked off, and Yorkshire gave away two more free kicks by off-side play. Keogh, Gage and Madigan on the one side, and Stadden, Lockwood, and Bradley on the . other, were conspicuous for pretty exchanges of back play. Lowrie, halfway through the first half, rushed away splendidly from a line out, and the ball getting loose, Jowe't picked up and got in between the posts, Sutcliffe again kicking a'goal. Jowett scored his second try soon afterwards, Jones giviDg him the opening after a strong run. and goal No. 3 was duly recorded by Sutcliffe. Near the close of the first half the Maoris atttacked strongly, and after M'Causland had all but landed a goal from a penalty kick, Elliott struggled over. No goal followed, and the interval whistle sounded with the score—Yorkshire, three goals ; Maoris, one try. Ellison re-started, and for fully twenty minutes the visitors had to stave off a I series of Btrong attacks. Bradley quickly dropped a grand goal, and then Lockwood made the run of the match from mid-field, getting a brilliant try u>.der the posts, and Sutcliffe kicked the fifth goal. Stadden scored the fifth and last Yorkshire try, and then the Maoris, pulling themselves together, attacked, a fine run by Elliott terminating in a try to Ellison. M'Causland, by a capital kiok, improved the point, and "time" was then called, with the score — Yorkshire, five goals and one try; New Zealanders, one goal and one t*y> _____