SPORT IN 1918.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16407, 30 December 1918, Page 3

SPORT IN 1918.

As in previous years, sport in Canterbury has been seriously affected by the war. though many branches of athletics, particularly llugby football and cricket, showed a considerable improvement owing to largo numbers of returned soldiers going 011 the playing fields again. It had been feared that very few soldiers would feel disposed to actively participate in sport after undergoing the rigours of aetivo service, but> lurtunately quite the reverse appeal's to hove been the case. Now that tho Germans have surrendered o nd the New Zealand boys will shortly be returning to their native land, the heavy burden of the few who kept tho field games going through the lonor years of war can be safely laid down. Tho revival of public interest in llugby football wjiich demonstrated itself towards tho closo of tho previous season continued last &eaton, and! crowds reminiscent of pre-war days assembled at the Show Grounds where tho games were played. Representative fixtures were also renewed after a lapse of sumo seasons. Tho League and Association codes were also able to report an improvement in public interest, and representative fixtures in • their 'cases, a$ -well as in the case of hockev, were resumed. Tho adherents of cricket have been once more enabled to keep tho old gamo going, .and i J lunket Shield fixtures have been resumed. The losing of tho shield by Canterbury to Wellington in the first match is 'undoubtedly a blessing, as it does not tend to the improvement of the game when trophies of this sort remain in the same possession for too long a period. Swimming and rowing are two sports which have been particularly badly hit by the war, but a few enthusiasts have been keeping the clubs going, and by the time another summer comes round both these pastimes should have recovered all tneir old-time vigour. Lawn tennis has also been quiescent during the "war, but has not been nearly so badly hit as the aquatic snorts. Even bowling has felt the effects of war, particularly this past vear, when married men were called to tho colours. Other sports like polo and hunting should be reinstated 011 a sound basis during the comnig season. Rifle shootinr is, ofcourse, more than a.sport—it ls'.reallv a necessity to every man in the land, .it has been keenly pursued by its maJiv devotees during the year, and a successful South Island championship meeting was held at Itodcliffs lastfaster. It is hoped that ere long the Trentham meeting will be revived. An effort is to bo made to save Lancaster' Park. The amount to be tfaised is large, but the cause i 3 a good one, and tho canvassers are enthusiastic.