'THE TIMES' AND THE NEW ZEALANDERS.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13008, 9 January 1908, Page 7

'THE TIMES' AND THE NEW ZEALANDERS.

A CORRESPONDENTS CRITIOISMS.

United Press Association—By Electric • Telegraph—Copyright. (Reorired January Bth, 10.10 p.m.) SYDNEY, January 8. % The reference to "Th© Times" comments on tho Now Zealand professional football team, cabled on December 3rd, was an extract from a lengthy article by a correspondent who, in the coarse of a review of the players md their doings, says that the visit is a ranch moro serious affair than was genero'ly .anticipated. Tho team ar© certainly not so good, man for man, as Gallagher's team, but th© writer's impression is that, at their best, they ar© quite as strong individually and coliectiyely as a fair international sido in this country. Unlike Gallagher's team, however, they have not been careful to keep in good condition. Tho financial success of the tour—the 70 per cent, of the gross gates, which is theirs by th© arrangement with the Northern Union, having aireidy brought in nearly twice the guaranteed £3000—seems to have demoralised several members of th© team who, when, at home, are merely wage labourers, well content to earn £2 a week in the field or the factory. It is highly probable that the majority of th© visitors will eventually accept engagements with Northern. Union club*. In the course of the article the writer says that no doubt the New Zealanders havo been, and still em*, handicapped by the wnfaimifa-r end unnatural rules invented by the Northern Union. They have not yet overcome th© natural desire to try to fak© th© ball away from a tooMed player.