FOOTBALL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXX, Issue 10108, 5 August 1893, Page 6

FOOTBALL.

RECEPTION OP THE NEW ZEALAND TEAM. [Feb Pbksb Association,! WELLINGTON, August 4. The Wakatipu arrived at 10 a.m., amid a mist which prevented her arrival being generally known. Still there were some hundreds of people on the wharf, and Thomas’ Hall, to which an adjournment was made after Mr Rhodes, had formally welcomed the football team, was crowded. The Premier read a letter from the Governor, and gave the team a hearty welcome which was echoed by the Hon W. Rolleaton and Mr Rhodes. Mr Campbell, manager of the team, replied, sketching briefly the events of the tour, and giving every credit to the New South Wales men for their one win. They would not, he said, have beaten New Zealand by so much, but for the crippled men in the latter’s team; but so well did they play that day that they would have won anyhow. Lavish hospitality had been showered on the men everywhere. The Union Company had done all it could to make amends for the misunderstanding on the voyage to New South Wales.

The reception was of a most enthusiastic nature; cheers and applause were frequent. Mr Bell introduced the Premier, who read the Governor’s letter of congratulation and said that although there had been some objections to the selection, he did not think any one could now say it was a weak team. At any rate, the Australians would not. The one defeat it Lad received was a salutary discipline and had done good rather than harm. Football was engrafted on tho English race, and in this team there was a rapreaentation of our Native brothers too. So long as New Zealand youth took an interest in their physical development there need be no fear of degeneration. In the name of the Colony he tendered these young men a’.hearty welcome for the manly way in which they had upheld the credit of the country. The Hon W. Rollcston said that on an occasion of national congratulation, her Majesty’s Government and Opposition were both accustomed to appear on the same platform. In this matter he was perfectly at one with the Premier. As one who had an interest in the bone and sluew of New Zealand, which was to take the place of their fathers, bo thanked them for their gallant exploits in honour of the Colony. Mr A. E. Q. Rhodes, on behalf of South Canterbury, also gave them £. hearty welcome. The Premier called for three cheers for the Australians.

Mr Campbell, manager of the team, began by praising the Union Company for its efforts to smooth, over unpleasantness and the way it had treated the men. They had found the footballers of the other side worthy of their metal, and let no one think that the team had any soft things. The grounds were fast, and this was why the scoring was high. On the day of the New Zealand team’s defeat the New South Wales men had played magnificently. They would not have wou by so much had not the New Zealand men been worn out and crippled, but they would have won—so finely did they play ; and he was not st all sure this defeat was not a good thing for the team. The hardest match of all they played was that against the second eighteenof Queensland and the heaviest team they met was at Bathurst, averaging over 13sb. The Queensland people were, he said, especially grateful to New Zealand, and warmly greeted the team wherever it went. Mr Tozer, Colonial Secretary of Queensland, wanted it specially to bo known that the Colony would never forget the way New Zealand had behaved, and should a crisis ever happen, which he hoped it never would, when New Zealand needed help she would nob stretch her hand to Queensland in vain. They had been,wonderfully treated everywhere, and had been taken to see everything they could.. He was sure, however, nothing could please them more than the reception of that morning. Mr Hoben, in response to loud calls, said that the whole dispute with the Union Company was caused by a letter, which would have obviated everything, not reaching him for three weeks. The Union Company had done its best to make amends, and he called for cheers for Mr Mills and the Company to show that the incident had been buried. The team will be entertained atthe same place to-morrow night. The football team presented Mr Campbell, the manager, with a large frame of photos of the men. As the men object to play eighteen unless absolutely necessary, on account of their experience against eighteena in Australia, it has been determined to play only fifteen of Wellington to-morrow. The local team is weak, and not likely to make a game of it, as the best of the Wellington players are in the ranks of the New Zealand team. Unless the weather holds up it will be impossible to play, and at present there are no signs of it clearing. The South Canterbury contingent left this afternoon, and the Auckland men go home this evening. The match against South Canterbury has been abandoned.

Tho following will play for New Zealand against the Wellington Fifteen to-morrow : -Full-back, Darcy; three-quarters, Gage, Wynyard and Harper; halves, Butland and Bsyly; forwards, Ellison, Watson, Cockroft, Gray, Lambie, Hiroa, N. M’Kenzio. Oiiphant and Stuart. Tho Wellington team will be as follows : Pull-back, Tripe; three-quarters, Roberts, Bell and Williams ; halves, Bannister aud Wynyard ; forwards, White, M’Kee, M’Lean, Bishop, A. Campbell, Woods, Speedy, Kelly and Howard.