Feilding Star. Oroua & Kiwitea Counties' Gazette. TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 1914. The Feilding Spirit.

Feilding Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2318, 24 March 1914, Page 2

Feilding Star. Oroua & Kiwitea Counties' Gazette. TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 1914. The Feilding Spirit.

Happy is the town whose people boost it, and particularly happy is the man who has a good town to boost. Speaking at the official welcome given to the Australian cricket .team in Palmerston yesterday afternoon, the Mayor of Feiltfing, who is also a member of the Manawatu team playing against the Australians, said the right thing in the ■right place at the right time. The Standard reports that Mr A. M. Ongley, speaking on behalf of Feilding, which he described as the smaller but the better sporting town, said he hoped that some time in the future he would have the opportunity of welcoming the Australians to Feilding. Hβ referred to the half-holiday controversy— Palmerston shopkeepers refused to close one afternoon for the mateh — and said that if he ever welcomed them to Feilding they would have a week's holiday there. (Laughter.) He hoped, if any of the visitors had the time on the morrow, to take them around the district and show them what a good place Feilding was. Many Feilding people had placed their cars at the Australians , disposal for the purpose of seeing the district. That is the Feilding spirit. They not only say, come over here and see us-.-but they bring the distinguished visitor right along. The district is worth showing c>2, too. Which leads us to ask: How long is Feilding going to provide sport for Palmerston for so little reward? This town and district could piit a better team, in the field against the Australians than Palmerston can provide, yet only three Feilding players are picked in a team of 15! It is always the same. In cricket, in football, and in hockey Feilding provides sport for Palmerston. crowds. If only Feilding would rise to the occasion and become self-contained we should have all the good play her. The Feilding district has some splendid material, and if only the Kowhai Park had two good wickets put down, we > could have Australian teams playing here in future seasons. District football, too, could be developed here if our clubs ran a union of their own, instead of providing the blood that revitalises Palmerston every season.