The Hawera Star. TUESDAY, JULY 29, 1924. THE ALL BLACKS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 29 July 1924, Page 4

The Hawera Star.

TUESDAY, JULY 29, 1924. THE ALL BLACKS.

Delivered every evening by 6 o’clock in Ha were. Manaia, Nennanby. Okaiawa, Eltbam, Mangatoki, Eaponga, Awatuna, Opunake, Otakeiio’ Manutabi, Alton, Hurleyville, Patett, Waverley, Mokoia, Wbakamara, Ohangai, Meretnere. Fraeer Road, and

The thoughts of thousands of New Zealanders will turn to Wellington to-day, from which port the All Black team is to sail this afternoon. Since the representatives were chosen a few weeks ago lengthy comments have been made upon the team and its prospects in the series of matches in which it will play on the other side of the world. The visit to Australia and the two games played in New Zeailand since the team returned from Sydney served as preliminaries to the great tour, and the players have already begun to understand each other. Whether the games in which the team has so far played were taken seriously by all the members it is not possible to, say, but probably the players did not take risks which they will not hesitate to face when they are engaged in the tests at Home and when the high reputation of the country which they represent is at stake. The 1905 team 's record was one that will be very hard to equal, but some of those who, have commented upon this year’s team and who were closely associated with the 1905 team are of opinion that there is little, if: anything, to choose between the players chosen this year and those of nineteen years ago,; other followers of the game are of opinion that there were better players available than those selected. Such comments and criticisms are inevitable, but we believe that the team leaving Wellington is a very good one, and with careful training it will be able to uphold worthily the great name which New Zealand has earned not only for its Rugby, but for its splendid type of manhood. The men sailing for England are fine types physically, and we are sure that their behaviour both on and off the field will be such as to call forth the admiration and respect of the thousands of British citizens with whom they will come in contact during the tour. The team leaves New Zealand with the heartiest good wishes of the people, who will look forward eagerly to the cable messages reporting the team’s doings in the Old Country. The tour should result in the people in Britain realising still more than they do at present that, this, the most distant of the Dominions, has developed a race of men of whom any nation should feel proud, men who ‘‘play the game’’ in every department of life and are a credit to the country which sends them to represent it on the field of sport.