“SPORT MAD”

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 246, 31 July 1935, Page 5

“SPORT MAD”

RUGBY SECOND TO RELIGION.

INDIAN VIEW OF THE DOMINION.

COMPLAINT OF TEAM’S TRAVEL.

e ‘DISG USTING ARRAN GEMENTS. ’ ’

(United Press Association —Copyright) (Received This Ray, 9.5 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day.

P. Gupta, referring to the Indian hookey team’s tour of New Zealand, said: “The arrangements were disgusting. We played in 'ram, sleet, slush and mud, and how we managed to win a match remains a mystery to me We were once forced to travel IUU miles in a motor ’bus in extreme cold. The manner in which we were raced through the islands to play 29 matches did not allow us to see much ot the beauties of the country, but what we did see-impressed us greatly. The people in New Zealand are sport-mad. With them Rugby is second to re^ on ’ Although we got crowds of 20,000, 1 think 80 per cent, were attracted by the fact that we were Indians.”

NO AUTHORITY TO COMMENT.

THE MANAGER’S SATISFACTION

(Per Press Association). CHRISTCHURCH, This Day

“Mr Gupta is not manager of the Indian team and has no authority to make any comment on the arrangements for the tour of New Zealand,” said the .secretary of the New Zealand Hockey Association (Mr W. H. Down), referring to the cablegram from Sydney reporting Mr Gupta’s criticism of the arrangements of the tour. The New Zealand Association, Mr Down said,- had already received from the manager of the Indian team (Mr Behram Doctor) a letter.expressing entire satisfaction with all arrangements for the tour.

Mr Gupta was merely an official travelling noth the team, and before he left Auckland he wrote to the New Zealand Association expressing his regret that certain statements he had made in the newspapers had created a different impression from what he intended.