UPHELD NZ.’S SPORTING REPUTATION

Northern Advocate, 27 November 1937, Page 6

UPHELD NZ.’S SPORTING REPUTATION

[Per Press Association,. — Copyright.] WELLINGTON, This Day. That the New Zealand cricket team had maintained the high reputation which the Dominion enjoys for sportsmanship in the Old Country was made abundantly manifest in the speech delivered at a reception to the team by the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage, at Parliament House yesterday afternoon. The reception was attended by several members of the Cabinet, members of both Houses of the Legislature and representatives of sports bodies. The Prime Minister said he had been filled with pardonable pride when he had heard representative British sportsmen, such as Lord Desborough, paying highest tributes to the New Zealand cricket team’s sporting attributes. Good Name Untarnished.

While New Zealand statesmen in the past had done much to uphold New Zealand’s prestige at the seat of Empire it was questionable if New Zealand soldiers, Rugby players and cricketers had not done even more to put the Dominion on the map. If the team had not brought bask the

“Ashes.” they had at least brought back New Zealand’s good name for sportsmanship untarnished. The manager of the team, Mr T. C. Lowry, said he would like to wager that; the next New Zealand team to visit England would not lose many matches. Unfprtuhately, cricket tours cost money and the present tour would cost New Zealand about £IOOO. Cowie Among World’s Best.

The last South African team to visit England was losing money on the tour until it had unexpectedly beaten England in a -test which aroused public interest and the South Africans had ended up the tour with a profit of £15,000. The tour had been worth while, as Cowie now ranks among the throe best fast bowlers in the game today. Wallace was among the first half-dozen batsmen.

If the New Zealand guarantors would only once again give their suppert, New Zealand might yet be'at England in a test match on English fields.