The Hawera Star. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1924. SPORTS AND THE PEOPLE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 11 October 1924, Page 4

The Hawera Star.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1924. SPORTS AND THE PEOPLE.

n«)i»flr«d e-ary evening by b o'clock in Hawert Wanain. NWnmnby , Okaiawa, . Eltbaiu Patflb, Wav-jrley, ilokoia, Wbakamara Pra«er Road. *nd Otakeni' Manutabi, Alton. Rurleyville Mmigaii.ki. Kapouga. Awatuna. Opunake

The people of New Zealand are keen followers of sport, as are their friends the Australians, and we suppose that in no country in the world is there a finer sense of justice and fair play than in these Dominions. The average Australian or New Zealander takes his sport very seriously, and in the national games the spirit of rivalry is accompanied by respect for opponents and a real appreciation of their abilities. At the present time the progress of the All Blacks in the series of matches in which they are engaged is being followed with the greatest interest, and the people hope that the team will complete the tour with an unbeaten record. But while each result is eagerly awaited, we know that the people will be only too ready to give full praise to any team if it fairly and squarely defeats our representatives. Behind the actual results there lies a deeper meaning and significance. The All Blacks have been sent Home as representatives not only of the best of our footballers, but of the best types of our manhood, and New Zealand looks to them to uphold her good name on and off the field. Viewed in this light Eugby becomes something more than a game.- The All Blacks are setting an example for other players and supporters to follow. The sport, as do our other sports, plays an important part in forming character and in developing self-descipline. The regular player of football or cricket or any other sport inevitably learns to interpret life through the game, and when those sports are based upon’the principles of justice, fair play, and honourable bearing between each player and every other they must surely lead to life being interpreted according to those principles. And such is the wonderful spirit of sport that non-players who watch the games regularly also learn to interpret life according to the principles. Australia and New Zealand do not have a monopoly of the spirit of sport; it is common to all parts of the British Empire, and we believe that if there is one trait of British character which appeals to the world more than another it is the national love of justice and fair play whieh has come down through generations and whieh to-day is playing a very important part in the world. Sport has done much to infuse into the blood the sense of justice and fair play, and as each generation receives the gift it is passed oii. ; and in this way the great British name has been established. Whenever international disputes arise the world eagerly awaits news of the attitude of the British Empire, realising that our" nation will always seek the justice of a cause. Perhaps the highest tribute paid to the Empire in recent years was the suggestion placed before the League of Nations by Dr. Benes, that the British Navy should become the policeman of the seas. The plan was not a practical one, but it at least showed that the Czecho-Slovakian leader had confidence that British justice and fair play would be such that the Navy would be employed fairly in the great task which Dr. Benes desired it to undertake. People do not know to what extent the nation owes its greatness to its sports, and we hope that, into all their games players will enter with the true sporting spirit. The season for summer sports is about to begin, and soon our playing, fields will, on holidays and half-holidays, present happy scenes. Those who take part in the games will assuredly benefit by the exercise, and we hope that, there will, in addition, be cultivated to the highest degree the real sporting spirit, and that there will grow up among players and spectators those friendships which will last throughout life and which are so valuable to the community and the Empire.