EVENTS OF THE DAY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5735, 2 November 1905, Page 4

EVENTS OF THE DAY.

THE WING FORWARD IN SELF. DEFENCE.

Tho two features of the play of the Now Zealand team in England that have aroused most comment on the part of English critics have boon our scientific method of “packing” and the tactics of tho “winger.” On both these points tho New Zealand captain, D. Gallaher. had some interesting views to enunciate when, according to our London correspondent, he was interviewed by the “Daily Mad.” “Tho spectators,” ho said, “are not unkind as a whole, but some writers’ criticisms are hardly kind, I think my play is fair—l sincerely trust so —and surely tho fact that two of the referees in our matches, fairly representative of English and Welsh ideas, have taken no exception to it ought to have some weight. I do not think that it is easier for me not to infringe tho rules while behind a winning pack. If they are getting beaten it will not make any difference. 1 have studied this style of play very keenly, though i have played in every position on tho field. Some exception, I nolTce, lias been taken to my wearing shin guards, one critic being very severe on tho point. I am afraid I caught his eye because mine were outside my stockings. As a matter of fact, tho whole team wear shin guards, but mostly inside their stockings, and I fancy many of your English players do also. We all must do it. We have a very long tour to get through, and • only those who have had a bad kick on the shin know what it means. Wc are, of course, delighted with our three victories, though wc do not over-estimate them. I fully realise that English clubs are only just commencing the season and have not yet got ‘going.’ Devon and Cornwall showed evident signs of this, and lacked combination; but I thought Bristol a good side, especially in the front rank, and I think this is our best win up to date.” Questioned as to the prospect of the team. Mr Gallaher said:—“Well, it is hard for mo to say yet. Wo are looking forward very much to our match with Durham, as 1 hoar they are always a very good side, and I have also heard a very good report of tho Leicester ‘pack,’and shall be more than interested to see whether we can hold them. with our seven forwards, as we shall not play more than that number in the ‘scrum’ in any match.” With regard to English methods of play, the New Zealand captain remarked: —“With regard to tho merits of our ‘packing’ as compared with English methods, every man in my team has his allotted place—not that he cannot play elsewhere —and on ‘scrumming’ each man goes down in his own place. We' do not waste time in this way. having put in a great deal of practice, and as the result has been that with seven men wc have held eight opponents, surely further comment is unnecessary. Your threc-quartere hardly run straight enough. There seems scarcely room enough on tho ground sometimes for four three-quarters. Some of tho men wo have met go beautifully straight, but others, I fancy, are inclined to ‘boro’ towards tho wing too much, and consequently often waste the chance of tho wing man, who is thrust right on to the touch-line before ho gets Ins pass, and cannot then do anything, even if ho were the finest sprinter in tho world. I notice that our methods have met with some amount of admiration. Imitation is said to be tho sincorest form of flattery, and in our match with Bnstol they pulled a man out of the ‘scrum’ to play as a ‘wing’ forward; while Northampton are goihg to try their hand with three men in the third line.”

MORE ROOM TO BUILD. A largo extension of the business area of our crowded city has been made by tho Harbour Board. At the last meeting of that body it was decided to offer for lease a centrally situated block of reclaimed land suitable for the erection of factories and warehouses. Tho block, probably several acres in extent is situated at the foot of Lower Taranaki street, between tho Wellington Rowing Club’s premises and the approach to tho Taranaki street wharf, now in course of erection. Tho block (bounded to tho south and south-west by Victoria street and Jervois quay, and to tho cast and north by the extension of Taranaki street and the harbour) will be traversed from east to west by a chain-wide thoroughfare to bo called CaKle street (after tho present chairman of the Board), which is now in process of formation by the City Council at tho cost of the Board. The sections to the south of Cable street, with two or three exceptions, which face the Taranaki street extension, will have a double frontage to Victoria and Cable streets, while those on the harbour side will have a frontage to Cable street only. Tile back of the latter sections will abut on to a ten-foot strip of land that runs along the sea-wall, but the lessees of such sections will have no harbour frontage rights.

THE WAITOMO AND RUAKURI OAVES. . Another attraction has just been added to the many wonders that hare combined to make Now Zealand unique as a tourist resort. With commendable foresight the Government has acquired the Waitomo Cares, in the King Country—really one rast underground care opening out into a series of chambers, each of which seems to boast distinct forms of stalactite and stalagmite formation. Of these the “ Organ care and the “Blanket” care are remarkable for the grotesque manner in which the growth of hundreds of years has shaped itself into a semblance of those from which they derive their names. The Government has known of the value of these caves as a show place for a long time, and did its best to develop them; hut the preponderating inhas been held by natives, and they have been against everything suggested to improve the place. They have been bought out at last, and steps will at once be taken to improvg the

accommodation at Waitomo House, and arrange conveniences for sightseers. Mr and Mrs Gonvier have been appointed caretakers and managers of Waitomo, which is some six miles from Haugatiki, on the Main Trunk Hue, a distance that is covered twice a day by coaches. Close by are the recently-discovered Kuakuri Caves, said to he even more beautiful than those at Waitomo. Those ha-vci also come under the control of the Government. Here are innumerable, stalactites of pencil-like thickness, pendant: from a shimmering roof, some of which almost connect with tho earth. The delicate needles of calcareous matter indicate (hat these caves are much more modern than those of Waitomo. Bunkuri, too, beasts an underground river, whose inky turbulence can only, he descried at the bottom of an ugly chasm. Both sets of caves should ba revenue-producers in the future.

“PROCURATOR OF THE HOLY SYNOD.” There is nothing near or startling in! tho announcement, made in our cable news this morning that M. Pobicdonostolf. Procurator of tho Holy Synod ol Russia, has resigned. We'have nob hoard very much lately of the old gentleman with the long name and high office; but, strange to say, tho last w«l did hear—some months ago—was that ho had resigned. This morning’s message—if it has any value, which i« doubtful—indicates that tho former statement was ■ wrong, and that M. Pohiodonosteff has at any rato clung to his position until now'. Ho has hold office as Procurator for nearly a quarter of a century, during which time ho has probably done more than any man living to dam tho stream of political freedom' and progress in Russia. History has it that when Alexander 111. ascended tho throne in 1881 ono of hia very first- acts was to convoke a council of tho principal dignitaries, asking their views, on tho question that is agitating Nicholas 11. to-day—namely, tho convening of an Assembly elected by tho nation for tho discussion of tho affairs of tho State. Tho council declared for tho scheme, and Alexander said, "I share this opinion of tho majority, and wish that tho reform ukaso shall bo published.” The ukase, however, was not published, as M. Pohiodonosteff succeeded in discrediting it in tho oyos of his Imperial master, declaring that it) would only create excitement and increase tho then existing fermentation. The Czar then issued a manifesto dot daring that ho would “keep firmly tho reins in obedience to tho will of God,” and it was not long before tho moral Liberal Ministers disappeared from office. But tho fermentation lias now grown into open and terrible revolt, the reins are slipping from tho Autocrat, and M. Pobiedonostoff’s resignation (supposing tho latest message to bo correct) is an indication that he, too, is losing his influence, and in his seventy-eighth year is forced to retire before the ever-pressing wave of real Liberalism.