PUBLIC SERVICE RUGBY TOURNEY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 58, 6 September 1909, Page 3

PUBLIC SERVICE RUGBY TOURNEY.

SOME LOADED POLICIES. A Rugby tourney between teams representing various Government departments, was begun at Miramar this afternoon. There are nine departments taking part in the contest, which will spread over three more Saturdays before it reaches finality. The conditions "one loss and out." Four games were played this afternoon, and some interesting football waa seen, though tha condition of some of the players was better from a butcher's viewpoint than an athlete's. The closest game was that between the combined Education-Audit fifteen and the team representing the Customs, which the former won by 3to nil. The winning score was a try, gained by Auton. The Public Trust had a hard set-to with the Public Works, but though the workers were attacking for quite three quarters of the game, their opponents proved the truth of the old saying that "Trust is a good dog," for they piled up thirteen points to nil during the transient times that they managed to attack. The Works forwards were the heaviest and best, but the Trust backs, guided by veteran "Tom" Hales, pulled the game out of the fire. Elliffe scored two tries, and Fairo one, two of the three being converted by Hales. The Government Insurance loaded the Railway policies with five points, but as railway replied witb an eleven points way-bill, the insurance account was posted to debit. Tries for railway were scored by M'lnerney, Treahy, and Powe^r, one being converted by Hoare. The insurance policy (a try) was drawn up by Sturrock, and endorsed by Maze with "a fine kick. The Lands Departments beat the Treasury by 9 points to 3. M'Caw got two tries for the winners, and Curtayne kicked a penalty goal for them. Moroney got a try for the moneybags. A POST OFFICE GAME. The Stores Branch of the General Post Office met the Clearing-room staff in a Rugby game, and defeated them by 8 points to 3, after a fairly close game. Robertson scored two tries for the winners, and from one of them a goal was obtained. The losing team's score was a penalty goal, kicked by Loader. WELLINGTON FRUIT EXCHANGE v. HARBOUR BOARD. A match between teams representing the above, was played this afternoon, resulting in a win for Harbour Board by 11 to 3, after a very evenly contested game. For the winners, Cartwright, Reed, and Garwood among the forwards, Smyth and M*£lwain among the backs, played very well. For the losers, in the forwards, Taylor, Stewart, Newson, Marshall, and in the backs, R. Thompson, Murray, Downey, and H. Baker were prominent. The Harbour Board's scorers were:—Reed, M'Elwain (2). For the Fruit Exchange, R. Thompson scored after a sensational run from his own twenty-five. Mr. A. M'Elwain refered to satistiou. The Masterton Club's third fifteen— the unbeaten team in their class in the Wairarapa—icame down to Wellington on Saturday, and played a game against Polhill Gully third fifteen. After an open and interesting game the Polhill team won by 29 to 5. Mr. L. Keys was the referee. A team representing St. Augustine's Young Men's Club met a fifteen from St. David's Bible Class at Petone this afternoon, and defeated the latter by 89 points to love. In another match under Rugby rules, also played at Petone, McEwan and Carter's team beat J. B. MacEwan's representatives by 21 points (all unconverted tries) to 3.