MAORI FOOTBALLERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13781, 20 June 1908, Page 8

MAORI FOOTBALLERS.

FINE PLAY IN SYDNEY. SOME INTERESTING EVENTS. [FROM OCR own- CORRESPONDENT.] Sydney, June 13. The Maori -footballers, who have come hero to play matches under arrangement with the New South Wales Rugby League, suffered defeat in their first game, played at the Royal Agricultural Society's showground, Moore Park, on Monday (when the Prince of Wales' Birthday was observed). Though the visitors did not display sufficient combination, and appeared to be handicapped from not having practised the game often enough under the new rules, or from not having played together more frequently, they gave some excellent individual exhibitions of football. Asher, the Maori captain, distinguished himself at threequarter, and Pouwhiuwliiu was also prominent on the same line, but the trouble was that the back division was not well supported, and hence the dash of individual members of the team was to,a large extent nullified. Alter the Maoris have thoroughly learned tlie new game, they should constitute a very strong team. Their fine physique attracted immediate attention as they walked on to the field, and their brilliant passing rushes at various stages of the day showed of what they are capable. They were clever in running, dodging, and kicking, and but for good collaring on the part of New South Wales on the line the Maoris must have scored more than once. The Maori fullback, Riki Papakura, was remarkably alert, and strong in attack as well as in ■ defence. Though the team opposed to the visitors was not the strongest that New South Wales could have put into the field, it had a redoubtable footballer in its ranks in Messenger, one of the threequarter backs. Messenger, who went to England with the Pro.-Blacks," is one of the best players of the State, whose achievements in Kicking goals in England were one of the features of the tour. On Monday he did not appear to be in his best : form, but nevertheless he was of the greatest assistance to his side. About 30,000 people witnessed the match. In the evening there was "A Night with the Maoris" at the Town Hall. The hall was crowded, an extraordinary rush of people anxious to see the natives having set in soon after half-past six o'clock. The Maoris, stripped to the waist, and wearing the native mats began with a war-cry, and then followed tableaux illustrative of native games and customs. They uttered an enthusiastic po.wh.iri as a welcome to their Australian friends, j gave weird waiatas and incantations, and - danced the haka. A Maori visitor to ! Sydney, Ngawaka, who has been singing ! at various concerts here for some months, was heard in two solos, displaying a plea- ; sant light baritone voice j The Maoris were welcomed by Mr. Hoyle, president of the New South* Wales ) Rugby League, who said that by their 1 spirited play they had assisted the* league '■ in carrying out their promise to present one of the best football programmes the public had ever seen. (Applause.) The ' public, he supposed, did not care whether : they watched union or league football, ' but they did demand a real live game, and that had been splendidly placed be- ' fore them that day. (Cheers.) He wished j to take the opportunity of paying a tribute of gratitude and respect to the New South Wales Rugby Union for their fine behaviour in calling off all matches on the afternoon that the game was to be t played as a benefit to the mother of the t late Mr. Baskerville, organiser of the " Pro.-Blacks" team. The league thanked * " their friends the enemy" from the loot- ( torn of their hearts. (Cheers.) It showed ' they were all one in that- hour of mutual sorrow. During the week the Maoris have been t seen a good deal about town, and have naturally attracted considerable attention < from Sydney people, chiefly by reason of c their _ fine physique. The New Zealand ' Maori is miles and miles ahead: of the * Australian aboriginal. (