Notes and Comments.

Feilding Star, Volume II, Issue 530, 25 March 1908, Page 2

Notes and Comments.

It is almost safe to predict that professional football, so far ;is Now Zealand is concerned, received its death-blow in the last of the test matches that was played by the New Zoalandcrs against the Northern Tnion at Cheltenham last month. The details of the game that were cabled over from Sydney yesterday indicate ! that tho game was wholly discrcditj able to both sides, and the scenes I enacted upon tho 'field of fight — it would lie hardly fair to say that it was a field of play — must leave such a bad impression upon the people of England as to almost wholly discourage tho enterprise of another party of men who may have had an idea of taking Home another team. Cross, of Petone, who had not the reputation in Wellington of being an angel, ended his career in England hy being ordered off the field for striking an opponent; and tho cable adds that; "there Mere several other instances, which created considerable unpleasantness to everybody concerned." Further on in the report we are informed that some more fighting took place, "Dunning using his fists pretty freely." The English papers made such reflections upon the game as must make the New Zealanders heartily ashamed of themselves. The Daily Express, for instance, says that many spectators "left the ground heartily disgusted at the foul, brutal tactics' employed." The sober and unbiassed Chronicle refers to tho "brutality and ruffianism" of the game, and gives the impression that on two occasions the .spectators had extras furnished for them in the way of prize fights. The Daily Chronicle came to the conclusion that the cause of professional Rugby football had not been advanced much by the third and final test match. It would appear as if, having the end of tho tour in sight, some of our men pot out ot* hand, and forgot that tliey had a larger reputation than their own to maintain. Probably th atwill always he ihe temptation of professionalism, which is a purely moneymaking venture for players and promotors. A liL'MOini has reached Wellington that there is talk again of straightening "the railway track between Levin and Marton. We havo not heard of this talk, but it revives an old story and an ancient agitation. Tho alternative route mentioned cuts in a straight line across the country from Levin through Foxton and on to Marton, passing about lo miles behind Palmerston and some five miles from Feilding. The story of this line, which raises a crop of rumours every once in a while, dates hack some ten or twelve years, when Mr J. '!'. Stewart, an enterprising engineer, promoted a company which offered to fin.ir.ee and construct the line if tlie (.Government would use it and pay a moderate rate for the right of use. Mr Stewart had the route surveyed and went thoroughly into the subject. It is claimed tliat the. line would save about seventeen miles in the railway journey, and would serve Foxton, Rongotea, and Bulk; directly. But it is doubtful whether the lino would open up enough good land to make it worth the while. Therefore, another rumour is dead afUl buried. TirKitrc was a football club down the line, not a thousand miles from Feilding. that rejoiced for a while in tlie name of the Immortal F.C. The members got a great deal of bara-k both on and off the field. It was claimed for them tliat they were dead birds, because no one could be a living immortal. But they could have survived that sort of barak. The thing that killed the Immortals was the inevitable misunderstanding and misprint. When a club gets the name of the Immoral Football Club, it is time for its members to climb in hastily out of the sad, wet, misprinting'worW. The annual meeting of tho Immortal Club was held this week, and it was unanimously decided to change tho name. Quite right ! Im his annual report to the Hawke's Bay Education Board, Inspector Hill complains that too much attention is paid to flowers and too little to the need of the kitchen in the develop-ment-of tin? school garden system. In the Feilding district, opinion is the other way about. liere our school gardens have been devoted almost wliollj' to the utilitarian, whilst the ornamental side is chieHy conspicuous by its absence. It is hoped that some more attention will be given to tho ornamental in the Feilding district during the coming season ; and probably over in Hawke's Bay the utilitarian idea will receive more attention in future. A veiiy prompt and practical result lias followed tho recent visit to the Feilding district of tlie Minister ol Education, the Hon. G. Fowlds. The Wanganui' Education Board yesterday received information that the Education Department had authorised the acceptance of Mr W. Richardson's tender (£298 15s) for the erection of a school and outbuildings at Tokorangi. This will be good news for settlers in that district, as education at present is being imparted there in Mr Morrison's wool shed. The site for the new school is directly opposite Mr Morrison's place. About one-third of the school children in Tokorangi are natives.