CORRESPONDENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 201, 23 August 1904, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

FOOTBALLEKS. (To the Editor.) Sir,—As an Englishman I protest against Dr. Bakeweli'e insinuations re tae English football team. Ido uot consider it has been proved tliat the team are not really a good representative team. Of co-iac it is well understood mat the very best men cannot go away on a six inontns' tour, for niaiiy reasons, and should New Zealand send a, im to England some of the picic will . it impossible to get the time allowca them for the tour. Even pleasureloving New Zealanders must draw the line to within reasonable bounds. Theie is not the slightest doubt that the present British team were played out before they arrived here, and were therefore not a representative team in the true »sJise of the word, nevertheless they proved themselves gentlemen, and if they were beaten they took their gruel like gentlemen. I protest against inviting any team here, and then insulting them. In the first half of the game even our Auckland wonders were unable to score against them, although one man was a cripple from the first and another was injured 13 minutes after the game started, to say nothing of the others •.vho were not in fit form owing to various reasons. Then look at their record throughout the tour —15 wins, 1 draw, 1 losf, including Auckland —not a bad record'for a duller team. I have always been an admirer of Dr. Bakewell's letters, for one can generally find some- 1 'hin'g good in them, but as to this last >rod°uetion, it would have been better ad he kept his pen dry. One can excuse 'jolonials for being carried away, and orgetting that the English team were heir visitors, and that they should be treated with courtesy; but 1 cannot nake such an excuse for an Englishman and a man of education so far forgetting nmself as to kick them on the very point of leaving our shores. Of course it is well understood that from a colonial point of view their representatives are little tin gods, but this is only the colonial's idea. I shall be very surprised if any other English team ever re-visits these shores.—l am, etc., AN ENGLISHMAN.

Mr R. H. Colebrook also strongly condemns Dr. Bakewell's comments, which he considers unworthy of an educated Englishman; and Mr J. Thornes writes to similar effect. He wonders how the doctor could have written such an unkind and discourteous letter about a gallant and defeated team. Another correspondent- remarks: — "The millions of people in the United Kingdom seem to frighten the doctor. It is quite possible to pick a team of 15 men from 10,000 to beat another 15 men from 100.000,000 in another country, just as it was possible to unearth Fitzsimmons in New Zealand to beat the world (mind you, not 42,000,000) with those sledge-hammer fists of his, or for a succession of Australians to win and hold the world's championship for sculling." Mr. J. W. Taylor is also aggrieved by the doctor's remarks. He says: "To have played over 20 matches and only lost three shows the representative character of the team, and is everlastingly to tbeir credit. The doctor says he°never saw an uglier lot of young men. wbich is contrary to fact, as the general opinion is that a finer set of young fellows never landed on our shores."

Mr. J. Chalmers considers that the defeat of the British team by opponents of the same stock was in no sense ignomy, and they're not the best repiesentative team in the United Kingdom —every New Zealander knows that— and they don't make football a mockery and object of scorn to colonials. This last statement of the doctor's is absolute balderash. Dr. Bakewell neel not have proclaimed the fact that he knows nothing of the game. He made that so very apparent in his letter. His description of the two football matLhes he has seen is as funny as a Frenchman's description of cricket. Dr. Bakewell's handling of figures is as hazy as his knowledge of football. The odds in favour of a British team beating New Zealand are, says he, 46 to 1, estimating our population at 900.000, and thit of" the United Kingdom at 42,000,000. He loses sight of the fact (if he ever sighted it at all) that nearly the whole of°our population here are devotees and keen followers of Rugby, New Zealand's national game. I can safely say that more than four-fifths of that 42,000,000 at Home don't even know the rudiments of Rugby. They excel at other games as well as Rugby. Few New Zealanders prefer other athletic games to Rugby. I'll go further and say that the Home crowds assembled to witness the prowess of the New Zealand team next year will not in any instance eclipse that of the Wellington crowd of last Saturday week in point of size, thus proving that Rugby is nat the game at Home. The crowds that witness Association matches range from 75.000 to 120,000. Dr. Bake well's aspprsion on the beauty of the British team falls flat because it is rude, becomes natter because it is untrue. They are, on the whole, a very fine body of young men possessing many points of manly beauty, albeit some of them have what are termed hard faces. Handsome faces, however, are minor points when judging manly beauty.

AUCKLAND BANDS. (To the Editor.) Sir. —After reading the outpourings of our friend "Musicus" in your columns of the 19th, I am at a loss to know what hi<? true purpose was in writing such a letter. I am quite certain it was not out of good feeling for the bands that play in the Albert Park. PerTiaps it was more for the purpose of procuring a cheap ad. for the sect he so well champions. What, in the name of harmony, have our bands been doing to provoke him to air his opinions in such an unedifying and vindictive tone. As a member of one of the much-nbused bands I am curious to know what particular leaf he would suggest us to take from the Salvation Army band. Is it the class of music we play, or is it the rendering thereof which displeases him? If it is the former, then I am sorry to say that we are not at liberty to alter the style of our Sunday programmes to satisfy our friend, because \vp are bound to satisfy the taste of our supporters — the people. But, if it is the latter, then I am sure that a little kindly advice, with less of that beastly sarcasm, would

tend to improve, and would probably be the means of bringing our bands up to the required standard. But I don't think we do so badly, after all, judging by the audiences we command. All we ask is kind treatment, seasoned with, an "equal proportion of encouragement, and there is no knowing what we might do yet. Of course, Ido not deny the fact that our bands are far from being in a state of perfection, and when we rea.;on things out in a justifiable manner, the cause of our inefficiency is very soon ascertained. The first cause of all is in the fact that so many changes take place in the membership of bands during the course of a year. A perusal of the rollcalls, which are never the same far two years in succession, would verify this statement. Another cause of our inefficiency presents itseif when we take into consideration the number of rough-and-tumble engagements we are bound to attend. These in themselves are gui c sufficiently injurious to knock the corners off or to prevent the cultivation of a first-class combination. Our hon. members are not so numerous that we can afford to confine ourselves to special functions or the Park rotunda. —I am, etc, W. J. COLLIER. (Tβ the Editor.) Sir, —It is generally admitted by the majority that our city bands are hardly up to the standard they should be for r place like Auckland. We pride ourselve greatly in many ways, but I'm afra we haven't a tissue of pride/ in having really first-class combination in Auckland, whether brass or military instrumentation. One reason for this is the lack of support from the leading and most prominent citizens, including the civic authorities. On inquiry I am informed that in many towns in the South the local bands are assisted in various ways and encouraged to improve. In some cases the corporations subsidise the local band nearly up to £ 100 per year, besides other support from business men and leading merchants. Who ever heard of an Auckland band receiving such encouragement? further, the bands are to blame for the half-hearted way in which they produce their music. A look in at the practise room of most of our 1 Auckland bands reveals this—l£ hours spent on empty cornet and drum dance music, and a half hour laboriously and indifferently spent on good selection. Result on appearance in public, a wretched performance, an unenthusiastie audience, and a bad name for the band — and not altogether undeserved, either. »

The great band contest comes on in February next; all round, even as early as this, bands are preparing for it; several hundreds of pounds will be expended in prizes, and 1 venture to predict that unless (1) the Auckland bandsmen, and especially the bandmasters, wake up to their responsibilities, and (2) the Auckland public give the bands more assistance and encouragement than hitherto, we shall not have the pleasure or the honour of keeping one prize in our city.—l am, etc, V ALLEGRETTO. THE VICTORIOUS FOOTBALL TEAM. (To the Editor.) Sir, —As my suggestion in Thursday's "Star" to take the Auckland reps, to Rotorua was not entertained, I would now suggest that the Auckland Rugby Union present to each member of the a solid gold medal as a souvenir for their glorious victory over the Britishers on Saturday last. If funds are not available, then let the hat go round at the Taranaki match, when I guarantee the Auckland public will subscribe enough to defray the cost. —I am, etc, J. GRAHAM. Victoria-street. HOSPITAL EMBROGLIO. (To the Editor.) Sir, —The lay mind may not be able to rightly appraise the value of the conflicting statements made at the Hospital Board inquiry, and we are led to cry, "Who shall decide when doctors disagree?" But the admitted statements make one stand aghast at the determination of the chairman of the Board to put an end to the honorary staff, the one-sided-ness of the inquiry, and the decision arrived at. The chairman, Mr. Garland, says is "sick of the whole business." Well, Sir, there is an easy way out, for I do not think the public are so enamoured with him as to compel him to stay tnere. I hope for the sake of all concerned that a Royal Commission will be set up to go thoroughly in*o the administration of thia important institu-

tion. — I am, etc, BEX. DEVONPORT MUNICIPAL GASWORKS. (To the Editor.) Sir, —I always supposed Councillors were elected to do mc beat they can lor the weiiare of the town they represent. Evidently "Disgusted Ratepayer" is surprised tiiat the four .Devonport Councillors did- their duty when they iert tne Council Chambers when JVir lagan's motion came forward. They at least knew what was best for tne town. At l>evonport consumers have for years been privileged by the Auckland Uas Company, giving them cheaper jjas than it would ue possible to nave in any other way, because they can buy coal, pipes, and other material required, with the Auckland requirements, in much larger quantities than would otherwise be possible, and therefore at a cheaper rate. Another saving is effected by the same management and oitice staff attending to both works. Now, let us look at facts. It is well known that the larger the works the more economically the produce can be manufactured. Take as an example Dunedin Corporation gas works. By &| recent return I note they are about five times larger than Devonport, and yet their price for gas is 25 per cent, more, viz., 6/3. On these lines Devonport consumers should pay about 8/ per 1000 cubic feet for gas used, and as a matter of fact that is about the usual price for gas from works of that size in New Zealand, and the Devonport inhabitants should not only feel grateful to the Auckland Gas company for giving them gas at a cheaper rate than it would be possible to get in any other way, but especially so to those four Councillors who left the room rather than see further burdens cast on the Devonport ratepayers.—l am, etc, HFTRAP GAS. (To the Editor.) Sir, —Some of our wise councillors of Devonport have refused to entertain any proposal to purchase the local gas works on behalf of the Council. Will you please publish the following par. from the "London Daily News" for their enlightenment?—l am, etc., W. The South Metropolitan Gas Company has now a "Co-Partnership Journal," pdited by an employee of the company, Mr. C. T. Drumgold, and the latest number contains Sir George Livesey's address

on the fifteenth profits amongst the £*£$"**■< Ihe annual bonus has » Wrvan t« to £32,000, the £ ««* to 8* per cent, on the Sa X an,Ou »U>i S of the year The *£%£**£ draw their bonus for immediat? " * ture or to invest it tTaJ « UP ° H,t stock. So many of the mil latter course that the South f<? th « tan Gas Company is in g°S operative society. Mai4 m™ a the gas which they theSeha* hTU" ,, make, while as ehareholdis iSf* * pany they make dividend 9 V* «* selves, and as workers for the I they gain in the presenty ear equivalent to 8i per cent nwv Onu » they have draw/i^l may thus at once be empWr ployed, arid his own customer the employees have been given 2S? ° ! the directorate of the company amount of stock owned by em D vl 6 has reached £200.000. It be added that employees O f ares^dwxthgaaatc.st^ OUR SPORTS.- V (To the Eaitop.) Sir,—lt is well-known by this tim; ' throughout the British Empire Wi few more unimportant countries not ide of it that New-Zealand 1» tfo hrone of wkdom. Thia being »a, m ust be an unpleasant surprise toHSeaj f its people, from its Ministry down wards, suspending business, upsetUne public train services, delaying itetnim and losing its head generally Vecguje a few individuals come here to ki<& i ball. Even pur Mayor and Ooundß must so far forget its dignity as to an official welcome to a team of \ bailers! A few years ago our leading dailies waxed virtuously because a similar honour to the aotor, JKt Wilson Barrett, was proposed. Where's the difference? I am as fond of gpqrt as most pepole, but when it is. aljpweo a position so out of all proportion to its real place and value in our natioiial life, surely it is time to cry ! 'ha)t! u —I am, etc., A. CHQY%. :'•■ .