Stratford Evening Post With which is Incorporated “THE EGMONT SETTLER” (Established 1890) TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 1935 The Return of Football

Stratford Evening Post, Volume III, Issue 347, 30 April 1935, Page 4

Stratford Evening Post With which is Incorporated “THE EGMONT SETTLER” (Established 1890) TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 1935 The Return of Football

I APPROPRIATELY enough, with | the end of Summer J ime, comes ; the opening of the football seajsen. And with it is decided, for ' thousands of persons of both ! sexes in the community, the ques j tion oi the manner in which Sati mclay afternoon shall be spent For the public does not share with Rudyard Kipling the estimation in which he holds football. It is not an exaggeration to say that football—or, to be exact, Rugby ] football—is the national pastime ! in New Zealand. 1 here can Le nr j question - about the popularity of Rugby football or about the skill with which it is played in New Zealand. The game asserts a sway over the multitude that may possibly be most accurately ex- | plained by the fact that it pre j sents a spectacle of constan i movement, o t swift action, of concerted effort, of attack and cle fence which is not provided ir

any other game. The crowds tha attend football matches are arc! ent supporters of one or othe of the sides that are playing

Moreover, they are intelligent ob servers of the game. Where the all derive their knowledge of tlv rules ma}/ be a mystery, for it i understood that there is only s limited sale of the publications in which are enshrined the laws Rugby, not themselves so fr* from obscurity as to be completely comprehensible by those wlv

administer them. Yet the referee in a match rests under no delu- ( sion concerning the competence ; and the readiness of the spectatcrs to condemn him if, not being j infallible, he awards a free kick when he should net have done so, or overlooks a pass forward. He takes his reputation in his hands when he enters the field and exj poses himself to the risk of being I angrily and menacingly informed |by hundreds of voices that the 1 spotlessly white jersey which he j wears should be exchanged for I that of one of the opposing j teams. At the very best, his mis- | takes will be remembered against

j him for the rest of the year. For j the players themselves the seaj son which is now beginning is one iof unusual importance. A great ! rheny of them in all parts of the Dominion will be spurred on to the best of their endeavours by ;hc hope that they may win places in a team which is to leave New Zealand in three mon ths’ time on a visit to England. Ihe selection o th ose who will be fortunate enough to be included in j the team will be an invidious task.

j the thanklessness of which will | hardly be mitigated by the dec-- | B'on of the New Zealand Rugby j Union to hold a series of trial | matches with a view to the graj dual sorting out of the most eli- ! gible candidates. 1 here is, howi ever, one test which the selectors, j if the}' arc wise, will not neglect jto apply. A New Zealand team I visiting Great Britain has the good name nf the Dominion in j i ! s custody—the good name of j the Dominion not only in respect j of its football ability, but also of j its sportsmanship and of its man j rr rs on and off the field. The best ! of plavers may inflict harm on i New Zealand if he is a poor j sportsman or if he is churlish in i behaviour. I j ' I Mr. Coleman’s Appointment I { TUB appointment o£ the Judge and j members or the Court of Review mij (lor the Mortgagors’ Final Adjiist- ; meat Act will givo general satisfacI Lion. His Honour Mr Justice Johnj ston lias been well known in legal j circles in the Dominion ror many | years, and Inis gained a splendid re-

]mt;itiou since his elevation to the

Dench. Mr. Chadwick has held tin 1 office of Dominion Treasurer of the 1 Fanneis’ Union and can he said to | have a sound and full knowledge of ; fanners’ affairs. Particularly gratifying is the appointment of Mr. A. Coleman, of Stratford, which is not only an honour to him, but also to 'the whole of Taranaki, where he ! stands very high in his profession I and in public: estimation. For a long ! ‘ time it has been recognised that Mr. I i : Coleman's sound knowledge and im- i I partial judgment had made an im--1 pressiou far beyond the confines of | his own province, and the Govern- ■ meat has done a very wise thing in • making use of his services. It is posi sible that Mr. Coleman’s appointment I may necessitate his departure from ■ Taranaki, which is very much to he I j regretted for ho has rendered this I S town and district much valuable ser- ] : vice in a variety of ways. In coni gratulating Mr. Coleman we are sure that our good wishes will he echoed { in all parts of the district and that j satisfaction with his appointment ' will l>e expressed throughout the whole Dominion. '