FOOTBALL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXIII, Issue 16034, 14 September 1912, Page 13

FOOTBALL.

THE LEAGUE GAME. THE NEW SOUTH WALES TEAM. WELCOMED IN CHRISTCHURCH. Tho New South Wales footballers, wlio will meet a Christchurch Rugby League team to-day, a unreel in tlio city yesterday, and were welcomed at a gathering of citizens at the Royal Hotel, Oxford Terrace, at eleven o’clock. Dr Thacker, president of the Canterbury Rugby Leaguo, presided, and said that he had received a number of apologies for absence from prominent citizens. He welcomed the visitors, saying that they were inaugurating a new era of sport in Canterbury. This province was the principal producer of champions amongst tho provinces of tho dominion. It had the champion whale skeleton, it had produced Ilibbcrwocd and Carbine, and it had sent forth many human champions, amongst them being “ Bob ” Fitzsimmons, Anthony Wilding and “ Dick ” Arnst. Even in food supplies there was a champion in Canterbury lamb, and it had champion clothing, made in t.lie Kaiapoi factory. The players would havo a largo number of spectators, and lie hoped that there would bo a good, clean game, representing good, cloan sport. As soon as he saw that the League game was departing from clean sport he would step.out of the presidential chair. Councillor A. S. Taylor said that it gave him much pleasure, as a member of the Christchurch City Council, to welcome the visitors. He hoped that they would make themselves quite at home. The visit was an important one from an athletic point of view. Ho believed that the match next day would show that League football was worthy of support. He proposed the toast of the “New South Wales Team,” which was drunk with enthusiasm. j Mr H. R. Miller, man a per of the : team, said that the members. fully apI preeinted the kindness shown to them and the expressions of goodwill. He did not think that the team bad received in tho North the consideration it ought to have received. He asked those present, as gentlemen, if they thought that it was likely that the members of the team would come over from New South Wales to play in the way stated in some New Zealand journals. They had come solely to carry on propaganda work. The tour would cost hundreds of pounds, and it'was not likely that they would do anything to defame the good name won in New South Wales. Both the “Post” and tho “ Dominion.” in Wellington, had commented favourably on the game they played. A great song had been made of tho trouble with Mr Deane, one of their team, in the Auckland match, but lie could assure those present that tho referee did not sec what actually took placo. He wished Canterbury footballers to see for themselves bow the New South Wales men played. They should give the team a fair trial and take no notice of what happened in the North. In Sydney, their matches had attracted larger crowds than bad ever been seen before in_ the Tonttiall history of New' South Wales. The public over there wero just as keen critics as the public in New Zealand, and if the men had done anything derogatory to the interests of the game they would have bean promptly hauled over the coals. He was somewhat alarmed at Dr Thacker’s description of this City of .phampions. If Dr Thacker had continued in that strain much longer, the New South Wales team' would havo been inclined to get uo and go away without waiting for the match. Apparently, they were in for a very rough time. Still, in the North of England, they had won two test matches out of three, and they felt that they had a chance of giving Canterbury at least a fairly good game. Speaking of the League rules, he saki that the play was far superior to the old methods. It was believed that Rugby could be improved, and it was only right to put the improvements to the test. He asked those present to disbelieve statements in New- Zealand journals that the New South Wales men were out-and-out professionals. There was not one man in New South Wales playing football at present who earned his living at the game. Mr E. J. Blue, another member of tho team, said that he was pleased to see that the peoplo of Christchurch took so much interest in the League game. It was absolutely the best. As to Mr Deane, whose play had been criticised, ho was one of’ the finest exponents of Rugby football. The player who came into contact with Mr Deane had said to the speaker that “there ■ was nothing in it.” | The captain of the team, Mr P. | M’Cue, also responded.. , Mr Miller proposed “Tho Canter- • bury Rugby League.” Ho said that tho New South Wales footballers wished Canterbury footballers every success. The toast was drunk with musical honours. Mr G. Milne, secretary of tho League, returned thanks, and said that he hoped that there would bo a good game next day, and that it would be a clean game. He believed that the Leaguo game would he successful. Ho had seen a match in Christchurch on Saturday last and was impressed with the way in which it had been played. Mr A. Hooper, chairman of the local League committee, also responded, saying that the people would support the Committee in its effort to bring tho Northern game into vogue in Christchurch. Ho was sure that the Canterbury team would give tho New South

j Wales players a good gamo. | Mr C. Corbett, a member of tho Now ; South Wales team, in proposing the .! health of tho chairman, said that Dr j Thacker's fame as a sportsman had exI tended, to Australia, where he was well ! known. j The 0 toast was drunk with musical ' honours, and cheers wtero, given for Dr Thacker, who replied, and said that, : in his welcoming address, he had ornitj ted to mention the greatest of all New I Zealand champions, a champion of champions, the late Mr R. J. Seddon. TO THE EDITOR, Sir, —I was very pleased to see “ Anti-Blatherskite's ” letter in your issue of September 11 in reply to Dr Thacker’s remarks. Not having been long in Christchurch I was wondering whether the Rugby people knew Dr Thacker better than 1 oid when they did not reply to his remarks which appeared in Monday’s issue. Dr Thacker says that last Saturday’s League'match was the first played in tile South Island l of New Zealand. That is incorrect. Over two years ago an Otago team journeyed to Invercargill to play Southland, and a return match v,jus played at Dunc-din the same year, but c-ince then League football in Otago at any rate is never heard of. I was present at the match played at Dunedin, but was not impressed with the game. Some of the Otago and Southland players that were disqualified for playing League football have since applied to their respective Rugby Unions to have their disqualifications removed, but without success. Some of them were very promising Rugby players, and now they are done as far as Rugby is concerned. One of. them has had tho satisfaction of knowing since that three of his fellow clubmatos have represented Otago at Rugby. I should like to know how many light, clever men there are kept out of senior football that never get a chance to rise. If they cannot rise in Rugby with eight clubs to choose from then thev cannot rise in League football, which is the same gamo as Rugby with slight alterations in the rules. I hope Dr -Thacker will remember that one of the Cnrteri bury Leaguo team rose from third grade iu one year to New Zealand reI presentative the next as a Rugby | player. I ask, has this player improved himself in the football world? and there is only one answer. This player on Saturday’s form was not even up to representative Canterbury form. As far as brute strength is concerned I hope Dr Thacker was present at tho Otago-Canterbm-y Rugby match and saw tho light, clever men there playing great games, not forgetting the, Otago midget, Drvden. I may say that I saw more mistakes at last Saturday’s game than. I have seen in a President’s Cup match in Christchurch. I should like to ask Dr Thacker how is it that some players of League football in New- Zealand are every year asking that their disqualifications be removed to enable them to play Rugby again? I hope all players, junior and any other grade, wili seriously consider tho position before joining tho League. Judging by the recent match in Auckland, which the napers described as the roughest matcli ever seen there, I am of opinion that the less wo have to do with that style of play the hotter, as Rugby is rough enough.—l am, etc., EX-DUNEDINITE. ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL. BROWN SHIELD MATCH. Eight members of the Wellington Association Football team, together with Mr Paten, the manager, arrived by the Mararoa yesterday, and the remainder will come on by the Maori this morning. A representative Fifth Grade team, under Mr Howard, accompanied the Seniors, and will play a local schools team prior to the Shield gamo. Dress-ing-room accommodation has been kind--3v provided for both Canterbury and Wellington teams by the Young Men’s Christian Association. , NEW ZEALAND RUGBY UNION, j [Pick Press Association*.] WELLINGTON. September 13. 1 A Special Committee of the Now Zealand Rugby Union, comprising Messrs Galbraith, Wylie and Croinbie. conferred with Dr Bohrsmann and Mr Hill, of tho New South Wales Union, and adjusted tho financial difference which had occurred over the trip of tho Californian University team ; threo years ago. The result is that ; New South Wales will pay New Zealand £SO, and this will settle all claims and counter-claims between the two Unions. At a complimentary dinner last night, Mr Camnbell, who presided, said that the New South Welshmen wore going as missionaries to America, and ho telt sure that they would uphold traditions. Mr Hill, responding, said that, now the financial dispute had been settled intor-Stato matches between New Zealand and New South Wales would be resumed.