LAND AND WATER

Otago Witness, Issue 2525, 6 August 1902, Page 54

LAND AND WATER

The filiirlc holds tl.e record for longdistance swimming. A shark 'jas been known to cover 800 miles in three days.

A consignment of 10,000 eyed ova of English brown trout has been despatched from the Masterton hatchery for Suva, Fiji. The ova is carefully packed in a specially constructed box containing ice, and on the vcyago will be kept in a cool chamber.

NET-BALL

The American game of " net-ball," so popular in England and the United States, has come to New Zealand, and we learn that a tournament of teams from all tho Dunedin football clubs has been arranged for Coronation Night, s>t the Garrison Halt. For the ir formation of the uninitiated it may be explained that the game is taken from the English game of basket-ball. It is played in a net enclosure about GOft by 30ft, and has a goal at two corners placed diagonally. Each goal consists of a pole 10ft long, on which is suspended a net basket of 18in in diameter at the mouth. Tho object of the players is to place the ball in the opponent."' Let-basket. There is no kicking, and the play is off-side; in all other respects the game is similar to Rugby football. On the " other eide " great enthusiasm is being displayed in the game — equally as much as in football, and once properly tried here there is no doubt the game will be taken up as readily as it has been in England and the United States, and for that matter in Austialia. It ia a splendid <form of indoor exercise, affording opportunities tor combination of play yet leaving each player to show his individual skill. It brings every muscle into play, and demands the exercise of skill and coolness. Naturally in a game of this kind the smartest man at catching ar.d passing with the greatest swiftneS3 and judgment is the best player. It is anticipated that there will bo a large turnout of all lovers of football to witness the first exhibition of this kind ever held in New Zealand.