CARDIFF MATCH

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21900, 19 December 1945, Page 5

CARDIFF MATCH

KIWI HIGHLIGHT BOXING DAY EVENT CHRISTMAS IN LONDON (Special Correspondent.) (10.30 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 18. Dinner at the Fernleaf or the Milestone Clubs in London on Christmas Day and then off to see the Kiwis play at Cardiff on Boxing Day—-that is the programme of a large number of New Zealanders here. Cardiff has not been beaten in 16 games and the opinion i s generally expressed that, if any team can beat the Kiwis, it will be those Welshmen. There will be some 2300 New Zealanders in Britain for Christmas, of whom 500 are members of the R.N.Z.N.V.R. and 770 of the Army, including headquarters personnel and club staff and those on bursary attachments, also 200 from Italy on leave, together with ov.er 800 R.N.Z.A.F. men, though some of these latter may have to be with their squadrons on the Continent. Christinas dinner will be served at mid-day at both the Fernleaf and Milestone Clubs, where Captains R. C. Cooper and R. A. Prebble are catering for 400 at each. The menu will include turkey, goose or chicken, Christinas pudding, ice cream and tinned New Zealand cream. There will be no charge for dinner, nor for the first half-pint of beer. General Sir Bernard and Lady Freyberg will visit during the dinner. Holly from General Freyberg’s home at Godaiming will decorate both clubs—some mistletoe is also being imported. Fast, Hard Game Expected The game at Cardiff on Boxing Day can be expected to be fast and hard. In view of the Kiwi's unbeaten record the N.Z.E.F. men on leave have found that fewer people will invest an odd naif-crown against them, but many apparently see in this Welsh match the opportunity of recouping themselves. Several New Zealanders who indulged in Christmas shopping have been much impressed with the prices. What most of them have sought have been shoes, since there is no issue of shoes in Italy and only those on the staff get them in Britain.

Coupons cause difficulty, with the result .that there has been a minor migration of New Zealanders every Sunday morning to Petticoat Lane in London, where it is found that an extra few shillings will have the same effect as coupons.

Those who arrived from Italy with silk stockings have not found it hard to win popularity, though one Kiwi who was offered seven coupons for stockings that cost £2 10s was not impressed. After Christmas dinner the only thing New Zealanders are looking for to make the festive season complete will be a victory over Cardiff. Nobody doubts that they will be in good voice.