“THE IMPOSSIBLE”

Taranaki Daily News, 6 June 1930, Page 14

“THE IMPOSSIBLE”

SCHOOLBOY’S FANTASY. MR. BAXTER AND PORTER. ' Pupils at Rongotai Boys’ College were last week required by one of their masters to write an essay 'on something beyond the realms of possibility,. The master first of all read them as a model a fanciful story in which palm trees sprang from umbrellas and other impossible things happened, . Then they were set to work to think up their own version of “the impossible,” and commit it to paper, One boy aged 13 yearg, whose mind runs strongly on Rugby football, like that of most other New Zealand boys, chose for his subject an impossible “Extract from the Report of the Rugby Match, Britain v. Wellington.” The humour of it, and the sly irony, warrant, says the Dominion, reproduction of the essay in full as follows:—

“When the bell sounded to , warn the players, the only visible spectators in the grandstand were two members of the Press and tho wireless announcer. The players streamed out, being’ led by Mr. Baxter and. Mr. Porter, who walked arm-in-arm to halfway, looking the best of friends.

“Wellington’s wing-for ward took up his usual position, five yards from the scrum, the ball was heeled out to the visitors’ half. Mr. Porter waited until the latter had possession of the ball and then called out, ‘Are you ready, Mr. Sobey? I am coming round right.’ “The wing-forward’s anticipation was here at fault. He omitted to warn Mr. Sobey which side of the scrum he was coming round, and arrived before the half had ‘given his pass. His British sense of fair play forbade him collaring the half, so he stood aside until the ball was transferred. This manly action was loudly cheered by little Eric. “The visitors were obtaining the ball from most of the scrums,' due .to the courtesy of Wellington’s wing-forward; In placing the ball in the scrum, he unselfishly made sure that it. was put between the British .hooker’s feet. “At half-time Mr. Porter called his team together and told them that they must on no account dump their opponents, especially Welshman Scot, who was eagerly looked forward to in Dunedin, preferably in one piece. “At the final whistle 1!-. Baxter, the manager of the British team, rushed on Jo the field, threw his arms round the wing-forward’s neck, and exclaimed, ‘Mr, Porter, you have indeed converted me. When I return to England I will be the strongest advocate' of the wingforward that it is possible to be.’”