MR: GUPTA’S RESENTMENT

Taranaki Daily News, 16 August 1935, Page 7

MR: GUPTA’S RESENTMENT

OPINION OF NEW ZEALAND CABLED STATEMENTS DENIED, s GOOD IMPRESSION OF COUNTRY. HOCKEY TOUR ARRANGEMENTS. By Telegraph—Press Association. . Wellington, Aug. 15. Mr. P. Gupta;- of the Indian hockey team, has forwarded' to the Press Asso- ‘ ciation a copy of a letter in which he disclaims certain statements attributed : to him in an interview with an Ausi tralian paper’ and subsequently republished in New Zealand, Mr. Gupta says that the way the .story has been featured would give the impression that he was a very discourteous ■ person; and that’ he had nothing good to say about New Zealand. He must, he says, express strong' disapproval and resentment.. , . ■ ; The team went to New Zealand not only to play hockey but 'to establish a better relationship between. the Indians and New. Zealanders. He was positive they, had been able to - achieve their objective, and that the friendships made would last a- long time. There was a danger that all the good work done would be ruined; and that the friends he made in New Zealand would think he was a very ungrateful person. He did not remember using the word “disgusting” in the interview, he says, and this statement was supported by three friends who were present. The word “sleet” also was not used by him. Portions of the interview had been published leaving aside the context, and the intention was liable to be misconstrued. The people of New Zealand had been extremely kind to the team during the extensive tour of the two islands. It would be difficult for him, he says, to forget the kindnesses shown by the New Zealanders, who had made a great im-, pression oh his heart. In his interview he stated that the tour proved a great physical strain on .the team and they all felt it was a strenuous one. The number of matches ’did not worry them much, but the continuous travelling in a strange climate, ; with strange food' and among, strange ’people at times made them feel if would have been better if that could have been avoided without injuring the Interests of either party. He confessed that the itinerary was strenuous, but that did not .mean that he wanted to run down the 'New Zealand Hockey Association. It >was an expression of opinion made with an honest intention for future guidance, and he had been told the. reason • why the itinerary was arranged, in such *a hurricane manner. He denied that .the team was “forced” to travel in a ‘motor-bus. He had stated that they ‘travelled once a thousand miles (not a hundred) in a motor-bus. They felt this

should have been avoided, but they were ;told why the bus journey was arranged. ■He commented on the matter with the 'honest intention of pointing out that they . other transport than a motorbus. ■ * He did not leave New Zealand with ■any feeling other than a pleasant one. The New Zealand Hockey Association in his opinion was one of the best organised associations he had seen in the . world, and if he was disappointed with any of the arrangements he did not express his views with any object’ of run- <. -ning them down. The criticism should ; 'be taken in the spirt in which it was '•/madez- ■ '■■■?