NEW ZEALAND 24, ST. HELENS 5. A RUNAWAY VICTORY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2805, 18 December 1907, Page 63

NEW ZEALAND 24, ST. HELENS 5. A RUNAWAY VICTORY.

The New Zealandera had formed a very good opinion of the hospitality of Yorkshiremen, but it must be lecorded that our reception, at Si. Helens give* the people of Lancashire the first place in. tbisl direction. Our hut week in Leeds was. a very enjoyable one. ' The whole month we were there two theatres had. open doors for ue. Other* had special nights for ue. After the Wakefield match, we were given a dinner, and. taken to the theatre there. After the Leeds matoh last Saturday, Mr Sheldon, a councillor and prominent Leeds centleman, entertained us at a. champagne banquet at the Pavilion, Headingiey. Some of its were invited to Hull on Sunday, and feted. On Monday we proceeded to Wakefield again, and were met by Mr Cook, president cf the English Northern Rugby Union. He showed ua around some large works there, the proprietors of which entertained us at their private residences in the afternoon. Mr Bretherton. the member in Parliament for Wakefield, entertained us at dinner in the evening, and took us to the theatre to see the " Mikado," afterwards. On. Tuesday we left Leeds for St. Helens and Wales, where we play — at Merthyr— next Saturday. The people of St. Helens had been looking forward to our visit, and cent a pressing invitation to v* to stay a few days with them, instead, of travelling down and bade the day of the match, which has been, our custom *o far. We gladly acceded to. their request, as all of us had been looking forward to visiting the birthplace of our late Premier. That the people appreciated our action was made manifest at the station when we arrived. We were again surprieed. as we were at Leeds. Some thousands of people, a-waited the arrival of our train. The street* leading to the station was packed with them, and we received a fine reception as- we left th& platform. The streets through which we passed to the hotel were lined with cheering crowds. Sooa after we had got " home" we were driven to the Hippodrome, and entertained there by the proprietor. At 11 o'clock -Mr Kay, a St. Helena gentleman entertained us at a champagne supper. The morning of the match— Wednesday — •turned cut to be a very wet one. W« all got up early, and at 10 a.m. were conveyed in a special electric oar to the house wbexe our late Premier waa born. Needles* to say, we were all very glad to be shown around by Alderman Maiwey. who now ; owns the house. He is pleased to extend th» same courtesy to any New Zealanders. j The boys regarded the visit more in the light of a pilgrimage. The car then conveyed ua to the Town Hall, where we were accorded a civic reception. The Mayor and councillors officially welcomed iw to the t»wn. -Pleasant speeches on both sides were made at the luncheon provided in our honour by the City of St. Helens. We met the leading citizens of. the town, and found that all regarded New Zealand in the same light as we New Zeajanders do St. Helens. In spite of the rain and the " off day " about 6000 people assembled to see the match, the ''gate" being approximately £300. Just before the match the rain stopped, but the prospecj; of more was

always apparent. This _made«the ground very heavy. Mr Norman Pillrington, an old Cambridge University Rugby player, kicked off officially." Following a custom we have established in instances of this kind, the ball was brought back and a scrum formed on the half-way line. Turtill played a fine game. His attack — an unusual thing for a- full back — was brilliant. The others all played up to form — that is, the form which they have acquired on the voyage and since landing. The forwards played magnificently. For . the first time they controlled the twill in the sortma. I noticed we received in St. Helens a fine ovation from the crowd as our players left the field for the pavilion. In the evening we were given a banquet in the Town Hall. Prominent citizens were our entertainers. Fine speeches were given, and we had a royal time. i On Thursday 'morning Messrs Pilkington showed us over their enormous glass works — the largest in the world. Colonel R. Pilkington, a fine old gentleman, and- his sons— the proprietors of the glass works — entertained us at dinner at the leading hotel in St. Helens afterwards. ■ On Thursday afternoon Mr Beecham personally showed us around ' his famous pill works, and entertained us for a few hours. In the evening the proprietor of the theatre entertained and invited v* to his place. We enjoyed the play immensely. This morning we are to be shown around big glass bottle works before leaving for Wales. Our team against St. Helena waa:— Turtill, Lavery, Smith, Messenger. W, Wynyard, Todd, R. Wynyard. Lile, Cross, Gikhxist, Pearce, Johnston, Wright Against Mertbyr on Saturday, Rowe, Byrne, and Trevarthen will replace Smith* Pearce, and Lile. I