OUR FOOTBALLERS AT HOME.

Feilding Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 155, 30 January 1906, Page 4

OUR FOOTBALLERS AT HOME.

The Pink of Condition. ! When Bedell Sivright's team cf - footballers was id New Zealand a , couple of seasons ago they were con i siderably and disagreeably surpi'ise.] at tho "vigorous " play of tbe colonial men. One of the English team politely intimated that if ever the New Zealanders went Home they might meet with equally strenuors ! tactics. However, our men appear to hava survived the tout intact, and r tbe fairness of their play has never a been seriously questioned, while 1 their reputation for strength has reached an almost ludicrous pitch. Witness the skit published in tbe London Evening News, uuder the heading of " Tbe Pink of Condition— Reports of the All Blackd 1908 Visit," from which wo take tbo following excerpts : — " September | 19th — Messrs Hackenschmidt and Sandow, were, after the match, in troduced to the New Zealand captain. Unfortunately, however, in shaking bands with the genial All Blacks skipper, tboy contrived to fracture tbeir arm?, and both bave now to decline ougagemeuts. October 12th —A number of tbe New Zealand fifteen, while passing along Euston road last night, was sot upon by a band of between thirty and forty young men. The young men are to be buried to-morrow. November 5th — The New Zealandere have now abandoned football, and to day were opposed by the 3rd Battalion Middlesex Regiment. Tho New Zealanders were not only barred from carrying weapons, butbad their hands strapped behind them. Our correspondent, tele graphing later, states that tbe casual ties amongst the troops were fifty three killed and ninety five wounded A New Zealander aUo complains of having his finger severely scratched. December Ist— Complications with , Germany have been threatened for soms time, and to-day matterreached a climax when Lord informed the Germany authorities that unless the British demands were satisfied within twenty four hours, the New Zealand fifteen would bo landed at Hamburg. Germany's reply was immediate. ' Every demand conceded. Willingly pay largo indemnity in addition, if required to do so.'"