THE BRINDISI MAIL. THE MAORI FOOTBALLERS. CONCLUSION OF THE HOME TOUR. London, March 29.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 370, 22 May 1889, Page 6

THE BRINDISI MAIL. THE MAORI FOOTBALLERS. CONCLUSION OF THE HOME TOUR. London, March 29.

The Kew Zealand Football Team wound up their English tour at Leyton on Wednesday afternoon with a clever victory over a South ot England team, and sail to-day for Adelaide per Oroya. Mr Scott did so well in Lancashire latterly (the "gates" being uniformly good ana expenses small), that he would have liked to put in another fortnight there, playing local clubs, had it been possible to postpone the team s passage to the next steamer. He did approach the Orient Company on the subject, bufc they proved impracticable — wanted £100, or something of that aori, lor making the alteration. Financially, I fancy the tour has panned out iairly satisfactorily. Air Scott will not say that the promoters' profits are substantial, bnb he admits he is nob disappointed with general results. The experience he has puichased (sometimes dearly enough) on this tour will be invaluable should he — as he seems to think likely — presently wish to engineer another team on the round. The Rugby Union, I'm ashamed to say, have allowed the Now Zealenders to leave without ollering them the iaintest valedictory hospitality. The lack of courtesy with which the team have from first to lasD been treated in London has been scandalous

NOTES OF THE CLOSE OF THE TOUR. There was a fine gate ab Hull on Saturday on the occasion of the second visit of the "Maoris," the. receipts amounting to £231 16s lOd, of which the New Zealanders take 60 per cent. The "boys" were particularly anxious to wipe out their deteab by Hull earlier in the season, but were disappointed, the game, which was splendidly contested throughout, ending in an even diaw, each team securing a try and three minors. " Smiler," who is just now in capital form, secured ihe try for the visitors. After the match the Hull Football Club entertained the Maoris at an excellent dinner. A convivial evening ensued, several well-known Hull vocalists obliging with song?. Mr Scott, in replying to the toast of " Our Visitors," said that in all the places visited in their lengthy tour they had never received a heartier welcome or more hospitable treatment than at Hull, and amongst all the applications for return matches Hull had always stood at the head of the list. It was a pleasure to come again, and he felt suie when his boys g-ob back home they would all remember "(Jood old Hull." (Cheers.) Mr Scott concluded by calling for three cheeis, 1 which were cordially given. Charlie Simpson, the Hull captain, in a capital speech, returned thanks on behalf of the Home Club. He remarked that the game on both tides had been capitally contested, and Hull had done far better than her most sanguine supporters had expected. They had now the proud distinction of being the only club in England who had met the Maoris twice, and who had not been beaten. He hoped the visitors would be as successful in Australia as they had been in England. The proceedings were brought to a close with the singing of " Auld Lang Syne." The Maoris, after driving to Wei ton on Sunday afternoon, left Hull in the evening for Widnes.

Y. WIDNES. This match, like the preceding one, was a " return," arranged by Mr Scott. The result was an easy win for the New Zealanders, by 1 goal and 3 tries to a try. Owing to the strong wind blowing in their favour, the Widne&ians pressed the New Zealanders at first, and forced a couple of minors. "Elliott broke away once or twice, and at length got in near the touch line. Williams failed to impiove. In the second half Gage and Williams secured tries, one of which Ellison converted. Within a few minutes ot " no side " being called the Widnesians crossed the line, and JFarrell scored near touch. The place kick failed, and the game resulted as above. There was a large and enthusiastic crowd present, and the cheering at each individual piece of good play was tremendous. Aa the Maoris were leaving the ground in a two-horse brake, some of tho crowd stopped the van and took out the horses, with the intention of dragging the visitors to their hotel. This they did ; but an unfortunate accident happened before they had gone a dozen yards. It appears that a number of children were helping to pull the Maoris along, and, as the pace rapidly increased, several of them fell down and were run over. A report circulated that one of them was killed, but the rumour was not confirmed. On Tuesday the Maoris arrived in London, and put up at the Salisbury Hotel in Fleet-street.