THE BRITISH FOOTBALLERS

Evening Star, Issue 12964, 29 May 1908, Page 4

THE BRITISH FOOTBALLERS

THE CITIZENS' RECEPTION. The citizens' reception to the British j footballers took place at the Town Hall at ! noon to-day, when there was a repreSenta- | tive gathering of citizens, the 0.R.F.U., | athletic bodies, and the City Council. The , Mayor (Mr J. M'Donald) presided, and was ; supported by the Minister of Labor (the Hon. J. A. Millar) and Mr J. Hutchison (president of the 0.R.F.U.). Mr J. P. Arnold, M.P., and Mr T. K. Sidey, M.P., were also present. . The Mayor said that he had much pleasure in welcoming the visitors to Dunedin. They were always glad to have visitors here, and more especially when they were part of our own people. When they re-, raembered that the team camo from that great country England, which was loved so much in the colonies, they were specially glad to_ hiive them for the purpose of competing in the national game of football. It helped to bring the people of the Old Land j and the New Zealanders closer together, and should their Empire ever again be enI gaged in warfare it would mean the cementing of a strong and loving brotherhood that would grow from one end of the Empire to the other.—(Applause.) He regretted to notice that Captain Harding and Vice-captain Dr M'Evedy had met with accidents, but he trusted that this would be the last chapter of accidents their visitors would meet with. On behalf of the citizens ho extended them a hearty welcome, and be hoped that they would bo impressed with the brotherhood that would be extended to them, not only by the players on the field, but by the citizens.—-(Ap-plause.) The Minister of Labor said he was pleased to be present to assist the mayor in welcoming the visitors to out City. They knew very well tliat they had come to teach I them how to play the game.—(Laughter, .and cries of "No" from the visitors.) Well, then, they were prepared to receive lessons, anyhow, and he could assure them that it was read with pleasure throughout the Dominion when it was made known that a British team intended to visit them. They had an experience of a similar team a few years ago, and the impression left <n the people of the Dominion by the visit of those footballers was one of the pleasantest. He thought that if their was one thing that brought the people of the nation closer together it was the visit of sports teams such as this one.—(Applause.) They regretted exceedingly that accidents had already occurred to members of the team, but he trusted that before the big matches commenced they would all be in a fit conditio a to take the field. They wanted the visitors' best, for they intended to give them their best, and might the best team win.—(Applause.) Mr Hutchison said that his duty was simply to accord the visitors a hearty welcome" on behalf of the largest body of sportsmen in Ota go. They knew that the visitors would provide them with a good, clean game, and they knew that they wouli not have been here at all if their reputa tion as footballers, sportsmen, players, and gentlemen had not been of the highest. They also welcomed them because they were the representatives of the English Rugby Union, the supreme authority. There were some of them who were disposed to regard the parent body as thoroughly conservative, but there were none among them who did not honor the English Union for the uniformly high principles set by it and for the endeavor it had always made, and successfully made, to maintain a high standard of purity in respect to the game.—(Applause.) Mr Hutchison then propsed the toast of the British team, which was drunk in bumpers. Mr Harnett, the manager, who was loudly cheered, thanked the citizens for their reception. The mayor had started by raising a very high standard of patriotism. If theTe was a thing which most Britishers loved it was that patriotism.— (Hear, hear.) He must say that within the List few years a certain party had sprung up who forgot their duty to God, the'r Kintr, and their country. Tt was a gre.t disappointment that Scotland had not seen fit to send any of their men with the team. For some reason that no one could understand they were not with them, and thev missed them. They were here to uphold the principle of amateurism. Even if ti.o Welsh Union had not helped them in the way they had done it would still have heen their duty to have sent a team here. They were to have a visit at Home shortly from New South Wales, and he was sorry to say that Scotland had refused to play them. Why that, also, they did not know. Since ho had come to New Zealand he had been told that it was a case of sixpences.— (LaughteT.) Ireland did not refuse them their players, but there were none present, and that, he thought, spoke for itself. He proposed the health of the mayor and citizens of Dunedin, and might the game they had como to play continue to flourish not only here, but in 'Wales, where they had had some difficulty in fighting the common enemy. He did not mean Scotland when he said the common enemy.—(Lan.7liter.) The toast was duly honored, after wh : cb Mr Harding rose, and was warmly applauded. On behalf of the team, ho thanked them very much for the enthusi- '' astic way in which they had received them. Ever since the dav they landed in Wellington they had been given glorious receptions. With resrard to the team, they were jierliapa a little unfortunate. They l were unfortunate to get ten men hurt in two matches, but they wore more or less minor injures, and th'ey hoped before the ' first test match to be pfetty well fit. The last time he was in Dunedin they gave the British team a hard game, and he took it that they were in for just as hard a i game to-morrow. Of course, their team j might_ possibly have been stronger with the inclusion of Scotland and Ireland, but no one here had any idea of the difficulty thev had at Home of getting a team away for a six months'tour. Mr Harnett had worked hard in the matter, and a good deal of the credit for the team coming out at all belonged to that gentleman—(Applause.) ' He (the" speaker) was here himself four years ago, and was very keen to come out again. Although they lost in Wellington on Wednesday, he asked them to remember the fact that five minutes after the start of the second spell they had 14 points against them, and they finished up by putting on 13 themselves. He thought that they would be of the same opinion as themselves that they-could play a little football after all.—(Applause.) He had a certain amount of confidence in his team to win the first test match.—(Hear, hear.) In no way had he lost confidence on account of the display in the Wellington match. In fact, he was more strongly of the opinion than ever that they were going to give the New Zealanders a great game m that 'test match. Most of them by that time would be fit, and they hoped to give their opponents a great time of it in more senses than one.—(Applause.) The Mayor mentioned that Cr Burnett was captain of the Blackheath Club for the year k 1862-63. On being called to speak, Cr Burnett said he felt proud of the visitors in th<»ir game against Wellington. They played pluckily and well. He hoped that they would never have professional football h«Te. —(Applause.) A special train will be despatched from Port Chalmers to-morrow at 12.10 pm arriving in Dunedin at 12.41. It would be advisable for the Port people to take advantage of this special, as the ordinary train, leaving at 1.9 p.m., which will have to be limited in length owing to taking crossing sidings, is likely to be crowded