"DEMORALISED."

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 90, 9 January 1908, Page 5

"DEMORALISED."

A " TIMES" WRITER ON THE All BLACKS. ' FINANCIAL SUCCESS. COMPARISON WITH AMATEUR TEAM. BY TELEORArjI—I'IIESS ASSOCIATION—CQrrHIGHT. (Rro. Jan. 8, 10.5 p,ra.) Sydney, January 8. Tho extract from "The Times" cablet] from London on December 3—commenting, inter alia, that the finanoial success of the tour seoms to have demoralised sevoral of the New Zealand footballers—is part of a lengthy article contributed to that paper by a correspondent. In tho course of a review of tho players and tboir doings,, the writer says that tho visit js a much moro sorious affair than is generally anticipated. jTho team aro/ certainly. not as gopd, man for mail, as was Gallagher's toam, hut the writer's,.impression is that at thoir best they arof quite as strong, individually, and collectively, as a fair international side in the United Kingdom. The correspondent adds:— "Unlike Gallagbor's team, however, they have not been careful to , keep in good condition. The financial ' f success of the tour —the seventy per . centum of gross gates, which is theirs by arrangement ■with the Northern Union, having already , brought in nearly twice the guaranteed £3000—seepis to have demoralised several members of the team who, whoji at homo, are morely wage labourers well content to earn £2 per week in field or factory. It. is highly probable that the majority of the visitors will eventually accopt, engagements with Northern Union Clubs." > In the course of tho article the writer says that no doubt tho Now Zealanders have been, and still are, handicapped by tho unfamiliar and unnatural rules invented by the Northern Union.' Tlipy. liavo not yet overcome their natural desire to try to take tho ball away from a tapldecl player, THE DEWSBURY AND BATLEY WIN. ■ * (Rec. Jan, 8, 7.49 p.m.) i : Sydney, January 8. Tho mail brings English Pros? comments on tho gjjcteqn'th. iristcn of tho tour of the New Zealand footballers, played against Dewsbury and Batley on November 30,- Tho New Zealanders won by 18 points to B—3 goals and 4 tries tp 1 goal 2 trips. Tho London " Daily Telegraph'' says that tho Now Zealanders showed a gratifying improvement in their match against the combined side of- Dewsbury and Batley Clubs. Tho game in tho early stages was very evenly contested, tho only score in tho first half being a try obtained by the Home team. ■Tjie sccond half was crowded with, exciting inqidents, marking exceedingly clover play on tho part of the colonial baoks, This, howoyer, not liefpre Dewsbury had added another try.' Prom this point the "All Blacks" nttapked very strongly, find in quick succession tries were obtained by Johnston, Smith, and Wynyard, while three goalq were kicked by Messenger, tho colonials winning by 18 tp 8.