NEW ZEALANDERS CRITICISED.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14355, 27 October 1908, Page 10

NEW ZEALANDERS CRITICISED.

The Daily Express has been putting twt awl two together from the letters nf moml»ro of this Anglo-Welsh team, and today 'livings out a rather severe indictment of New Zealand methods. It says: — "When judging the. recent pe'rfovmnncc, of the Anglo-Welsh team of Ruejby footballers in New Zealand it. is as well to remember the fac* that in very few of the matches the visiting team wax at anything like lull strength. The nnprecedented number of accidents to plavcrs was Jhe cause, and it is certain tliat'thc last "as not beer heard of the rough play of the. New Zoalanders.

Fully 25 members of the team were irom time to time- Jaid out.'and the croekings' were generally had ones. «opacly would have grumbled if the injuries had been the result of accidents in ilie real sense of the word, but t'lere was more than a doubt in fcveral cases. 'J''yen the leading journals of New Zealand felt compelled to appeal to the wttei inetincta of their tonntrvmen, and to point out the demoralising effect 0 f scientific" brutality. 1». F. M'Evedy; .himself a Maorilander bv birth, has also rcferrct, to the subject iii let tern Home. At the conclusion of the tour in aew Zealand a banquet was given nt Auckland, and Mr George Harnett, the' manager of the Anglo-Welsh side, felt it his duty not to ignore tho subject. He praued the skill, tho speed, and the brilliant combination of the New Zealanders, wit he emphasised his men's opinion "of certain tactics which be was charitable enough to ascribe to over-keenness. "1* is to the credit of, Australian payers that they are equally indignant at the methods of some New Zealanders, and their comments as to 'incidents' are not disguised. It is an open secret in Jinglwli Rugby circles that in future tho governors of the game may think twice before sending another team to New Zealand or issuing an invitation for them to visit us. " It was not without great difflculty that the team was sent out earlier in the* year and faith was thus kept ..with the New who stated that a visit from he Home Country would do a lot to assist ™ ■"? th «'' fight against professionalism, lhat the Maorilanders have, returned the light.sort of thanks is open to criticism. , » lien one recollects tho grand sportins qualities of the South' African footballers ono must necessarily make a comparison. For nothing else the "Bokken" are worth cultivating. It will be interestmg to note liow the New South Wales men deport themselves during their tour. Ilicv. come over here with a good reini- . tation. • ■ "Nobody wishss for 'kid-glove' foot»a». but there is an unwritten law in every game." NEW ZEALAND PLAYERS. Duncan M'Gregor, who has signed on with the Merihyr Tydvil Club for •.he season, is recognised as the crack of the du>. Last Saturday, playing against Jtattey./he tackled rather too lustily early m the game, and sprained his ank'le. Both Todd and Johnson scored in Wigan's winning game against Hunslet Yorkshire. Todd played'. a very good game. George Smith was the initiator of one of Oldham's winning scores Wrigley has signed on with Bradford and should have played against Huddersheld on Saturday, but was not quite in condition. ■J- Hammond, of New Zealand, is on the tirce-quartei line of the resuscitated Blackheath Club (amateur) this.scawn. DEALING- IN FOOTBALLERS. The Northern Union Clubs arc quietly preparing to barter .for the services of any stare who may arrive with tho " All Blues" (the Australian .-professional team). Before Baskeryillb's team arrived, last year the union decided not to' '■• approach " 'any members until the conclusion 'of the tonr. the union has decided in regard to the Australians that they must not be staled o:r with English clubs until March 6 1909, and then only if the consent of their clubs in Australia, has been secured. This move gives to Australian clubs all the protection which the Northern Union clubs POE«6S. The Athletic News contributor explains tlio_ reason for this step.- " The Northern Union is determined to do. all it can to discourage any of the Australians who contemplate following "All Black" methods. I do not say the New Zealanders now with English .clubs are not welcome, but the " All Blues - ' are comimr under different . conditions. . Northern Unionism is firmly established in Australia. Tho British section do not desire to stifle.the. movement in the colony, and they have decided to give the Australian League'the advantages which they now possess in the way of capable players. If the league and the clubs desire to 'dispense with their 'sUts,' welt and good, but the transfer will have to be on orthodox lines Such a course- was not possible with the New Zealanders, who had no organisation at ' home.'" t , AMATEUR PROSPECTS, • In the opinion of experts tho amateur clubs are.not likely .to show much improvement this season in respect to' personnel. -Amateur cliibs do not exactly skirmish round for talent, and there is nothing startling in' the way of acquisitions. Still the lessons of the past three years cannot fail to have improved tho standard of the amateur games. Gilray will probably be in the field for Scotland during the season, and undoubtedly will again represent Oxford. J Meliaffy, oHnverca-rgill, will captain the London Hospitals again, and ho will have with (him, the following New Zealand phalanx.—A. C. Palmer,-Neaje, B. Lindsay, P. 0. Foots, A. A. Adams, and D. G. Macpherson, almost all Otago University representatives. THE "SOCCEIf" GAME. Here are some of the attendances at Saturday's Association games:—Chelsea, v. Bury, 40,000; Bradford City v. Manchester City, 25,000: Blackburn Rovers v. Liverpool,.2s.ooo; Idahchester United v Middlesbrough. 25,000; Sunderland v Sheffield United, 25,000; Evertoh y. Prefil ton North End, 25,000; Sheffield Wednesday v. Notts County, 20,000; Woolwich Arsenal v. Newcastle United, 20,000; Leicester Foreee v. Bristol City, 16,000 • Nottingham Forest v. Aston Villa, 15,000'. This gives an aggregate for First Division League matches of 236,000, or an avera«{ of nearly 24,000. Li the Second Division, Tottenham v. Barnsley, attracted 25,000) and West Bromwich and Fulliam 20,000, - whik Blackpool had a record in thoir match with Oldham Athletic of 11,000.