CORRESPONDENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 200, 22 August 1904, Page 8

CORRESPONDENCE.

■ LACRYMAE BEITANNORUM—TELE WALL OF THE BRITONS. (Te the Editor.) Sir, —I hope that you will find room for this mournful letter in your issue of Monday next, so that it may accompany tbe British team on their voyage to Sydney, and if seasickness does not banish thought, may give them food for reflection—food which will not go ultimately to feed the fishes. Let mc as an Englishman, and an old Englishman, tell the team that we English are bitterly disappointed, and most grievously annoyed at their ignominious defeat in Wellington and Auckland, and their almost equally ignominious draw in Isew Plymouth. If they really represent the best players in the United Kingdom, let them stop there, and not come out here to make British football a mockery, and an object of scorn to the colonials. Englishman though I am, I have none of that ridiculous contempt for colonials that some Englishmen make very manifest in their conversation and behaviour. Considering that I have about 16 colonial children and grandchildren, it would be almost unnatural for mc to entertain any such sentiment. But it is not inconsistent with all good feeling towards colonials to expressing my very grave doubts whether "this travelling team does fairly depresent English Rugby football. .It seems to mc incredible that out of at least 42.000,000 of inhabitants, among whose forefathers the present game originated, it is not possible to find 15 men who can play at least as well as any team that can be picked out of less than a million people in New Zealand. Just think of the odds in favour of a British team! They have at least 46 to 1 in their favour, estimating our population at 900,000, and that of the United Kingdom at 42,000,000. I put aside any excuse on account of "•'stateness" from sea-sickness. The captain must have known that some of his team would be sea-sick, and should have made his arrangements accordingly. What I want to know is how came t_e authorities in Britain to choose such a team? They were, not chosen for their manly beauty certainly, for an uglier score* of young men it would be. difficult to pick. They need not be offended at this remark. ' I always was an ugly man, and am uglier now than ever. But then I am not a representative of the United Kingdom. Were they chosen as amateurs, who possess sufficient means to be able to leave home for several months without any remuneration beyond their travelling expenses? If so, tbe defeat is easily accounted for. The number of young men who have sufficient private property, to ennble them to travel for six months without rernunfration is extre.melv limited, and out of this limited number a very large proportion either do not care for football, or prefer other athletic games, or hunt or shoot, or are physically unfit for such a game, if such a game it may be called. I know nothing of tbe game. I have only seen two matches played, and all I could make, out of them was that thirty half-naked maniacs were struggling, fighting, rolling in the mud, running off with a large football. Kicking it occasi'onallv. and generally incurring far more risk to life, and limb than any of our troops did in the Boer war after the first, six months. There was only one man on the field who seemed in possession of his senses, and he waft dressed in the ordinary attire of civilisation and was armed with an umbrella and a whistle. He showed great dexterity in-avoiding personal injury, and when the combatants came dangerously near him he blew his whistle and then (I suppose) in accordance with the rule* of the game they suddenly ceased hostilities; and for a _"ew moments btcame rational beings. Why thjs game should exert such a fascination as it does on players and spectators has always perplexed mc; but the fact is unquestionable. Naturally it follows from this that different communities should compete and try their relative skill iv the game. To do this fairly no other consideration should be allowed to weigh in tbe selection of players than skill and physical strength to e.ncouuter tbe dangers and fatigues of the game. To insist, as I understand is required, that amateurs only shall be selected is perfectly absurd. It '"penalises," to use their own word, some of the best players. Besides the player's income ought to hage nothing to do with the question. A certain sum sufficient liberally to compensate all young men of moderate income for the loss of their time during the tour, and for the loss of business or employment that may be the consequence of absence from home for the period required, should be assured to each member of tbe team, whether he needs it or not. And to prevent unpleasantness no member should be allowed to refuse the remuneration. If there are special circumstances in the case, of some player whose presence is considered indispensable, an addition to the average sum might be voted by the team itself. •But, anyhow, the very best men should be procured, and no nonsense about amateurs and professionals should be tolerated. I if this were done, and the British team were victorious, we should have no reason to brag, and if it were again defeated we should have to confess that we are inferior to the youth of the colonies. But until I am informed on good authority that this travelling team has been selected in the manner I have described, I shall continue to hope that forty-two millions of Britons cannot Le beaten by 900,000 colonials. —I am, etc., R. H. BAKEWELL, M.D. Fonsonby-road, August 20, 1904.