THE NEW ZEALAND FOOTBALL TEAM.

Evening Star, Issue 10342, 16 June 1897, Page 2

THE NEW ZEALAND FOOTBALL TEAM.

[SrECIAL TO THE STAB.] WELLINGTON, Junk 16. This morning a deputation consisting of Major Steward, Mr Hutcheson (senior member for the City), and Mr Hyams (treasurer of the New Zealand Rugby Union) waited on the Miniet*#»t>f Defence with a view to obtaining leave for Pauling to accompany the team to Australia. The Minister declined to establish a precedent for members of the Defence Force to travel outside of the colony on sporting pleasure, and emphatically refused to accede to the I deputation's request. The vacancy is not ! yet filled, and correspondence is passing between the Selection Committee on the subject. .- As a great deal of misrepresentation and capital are made out of Mr GalbraitMi alleged refusal to go to Dunedin to select the South Island team on account of the exclusion of Southland players from the New Zealaid team, I have unimpeachable authority for giving the statements an absolute denial. When Mr Galbraith was appointed he was • under the impression that the team would be selected by correspondence or as otherwise arranged by Mr Garrard and Mr Torrance, the remaining members of the Selection Committee. The first he heard of the selection of the team in Dunedin was from the secretary of the Otago Rugby Union, who wired requesting Mr Galbraith to come to Dunedin, and also a message from Mr Garrard to the same effect. To each of these messages Mr Galbraith replied that it was impossible for him to go to Dunedin; and it did Lot matter, as no Southland players were available for the match. Mr Galbraith had only returned from a month's holiday, and it was out of all reason to ask for another two days on this particular business. Nothing would have given Mr Galbraith greater pleasure than to act on the Committee, and only for the decision of the Southland Union and players not to take part in the match he would have acted had the selection been conducted, as be was led to believe, by correspondence. These facts should silence the small minority of footballers and others in Otago who take every opportunity of attacking the New Zealand Union by unfair means. Pauling is determined to go with the team, and put in his discharge this afternoon. He will probably endeavor to enter the Permanent Force in the sister colony.