SOLDIERS AT FOOTBALL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14286, 1 May 1917, Page 5

SOLDIERS AT FOOTBALL.

NEW ZEALANDERS ' MEET . ARMY

SERVICE CORPS

LONDON, February 22.

• 'There was sore disappointment for tht . New Zealand f ootHaile'rs in Franc© win had been promised a week's holiday tc fulfil a short programme* of matches h ! England. They wetfe^ waiting- with all 'the mud of the" >"trdhcbes removed from ; their boots and. uniforms ready to star< iwhen an order, "came, VAII leave , stopped." . There "was-Mio' explanatior , and all the wire-pulling^ on the part oi those who had been responsible /ior tin arrangements of the tout failed' to" get the order withdrawn 1 . No favor was tc be granted even to . these crack foot bailers from overseas. So instead of th< match which- -ha/d been, arranged,, the-all-conquering Army Service Corps (team were opposedwby a fifteen from the Ne\y Zealanders in training on Salisbury t Plain. From the point .'of view of football i( was disappointing, the 1 New Zealahder: failing to do' themselves justice,' but it brouglit together a big crowd, amongst - whom were a pavty; of wounded New Zealanders, who indulged- 1 in playful banter at the ■expense- * of the referee. Their barracking liadv the- saving grace of being touched with .humor. In. the second half the refero? collapsed throug) cramp in the calves. This "was the wounded men's chance. When ih: players went to his assistance a. "voice" h'ekrd all over the ground advised them to "Give him a No. 9"— the army doctor's draught which is guaranteed *tr cijre every possible vailnventi •' A little | later the referee fell again, and the com ! mand came pat, : • 'Stretcher-bearers a | the double," whilst the. whole ' business I Avas crowned when a. policeman lent hi* aid to the distressed official and wat told, "That's right officer; run. him -vin he deserves 1 it. v This 1 last- sally brought' n, s Rmile ; even to the Vace of U>s vefem ns'he stood doubled up rUbbiii"- the paiii out of his. leg. ■ ■' ■ . v:' f Thc Prime Minister of New ZeaLanc and Mrs, Massey> with.', Sir.' Joseph Wan' aiid Lady Ward were present, and then Were many, notable footballers amonj. 1 -, tlfe gathering, -iribluding the Attorney General, Sir F. K; Smith, who. jusi missed His Rugger "Blue" at Oxford 5 1 Lieutenant-Colonel W. S. D. Craven, the . Blackheath. captain, who is recovering from, severe wounds; E. E^ Booth, tht famous member of the original "All Blacks" combination; and W. A-"Millar.---the last captain of the South Africans Captain A. C. McLaren;' the^famous cricketer, who is attached" to the A'rm.v .iService Corps also watched 1 the game.