GOVERNMENT GUESTS.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 12870, 4 January 1906, Page 6

GOVERNMENT GUESTS.

VmM THE PAPERS THINE ThePxemifer's offer to : pay the ;. Zealand football team back to . tMm WCanada States, asa <- "treat" and as a recognition of the way In which they have ] evoked the following comments in 4ne*ews, papers:—■ WELLINGTON "POST," - % _,..,. ),■ We hope that the couitry will not J approve the project of the Premier to send •New'Zealaid team toongh - the United States and Canada yense-bf ;the J : -*ren,^ s*?& were not burdened with debt, the pro--posakwould be open to serious objection;, but thousands of setters : the back the greatest i Ship for want J of proper tueir lomes,-and- : the .many -pubuc works neces.. sary to the settlement and development of a new couitrv still m the makings ine a-beginning for lack of caprtaL , this national picnic through , North- Amepca, : seems to us a, wicked waste. of pnbbc TCiney The New Zealand team has wortn- ; t upheld the credit of the colonyj but i v reward it'has tasted the sweets of almost miinterrtipted victrtTy, has/ been royally :tr«ated,>rand has: seen: jaore;;of: tiie Old World, and under more agreeable conditions, than comes to the great majority of colonials ; irr. a: lifetime. Yet; the ; : mier!,;, ; taKpig, ,as is 'his wont, the tide; of ' popular favour-at flood, suggests/ihe \ "graceful compliment" of an American tour at the expense of the overtaxed work«rs of country. And if this precedent* be established, when and where is this folly to stop? When our Association players feel equal to the task, why may they not prop6se s^o^cha3lenge v : the Old Country- at the expense ' oi , the Treasury?—or should latent|Micketing talent be developed,,why *houlof,',not a sum be placed on the-Sup-plementary Estimates to pay the expenses of a campaign against Australia, and, later, possibjfy attempt the invasion of the?(Hd. Country? In the case now engaging the attention of the Cabinet iihe expenditure: must be considerable, with absolutelyj'no return beyond the .personal gratificaticgi of some thirty young athletes who have, already had =a very golod'tamey and' be nkostly .concerned to Vgetrbact homa and take up their work again,.; , the threadbare argument of advertieing tfiev colony cannot apply in this case, for by the wildest stretch of imagination: it can•not be" contended that a victorious football 'team,is representative of our "staple industries" or even the "magnificent scenic attractions of New -Zealand." It may-.be said that the propCsed picnicT wfll us into notoriety,'but would it'bring coin-' \ pensatnig "business"? We thinik;.nQt, The team would bring a holiday" crowd who wpuld learn that New Zealanders can play fqojfcball—only that and nothing more. The truth is, the Premier is playing to the football s gallery, which may. applaud the proposition;• but though itis naturaUy.just now a f yery : enthusiastic, gallery, ib.."does not represent the taxpayers of the country, who sbquld .rnot be compelled to provide the means for a piece of foolish extravagance. ' ; < ■ ,r ; - ':. :;■;'. v •';';; ",;•■'•.; .■4-"-, V.i CSRISTCHTJRCH "PRESS." r ' The New Zealand Rugby Union have accepted the Premier's offer that the Government shall pay the cost of the representative team's homeward trip through Canada and the States, but have characteristically added a; suggestion that matches shall be played en route. ' The Union fed previously abandoned itVffl-adviselF proposal thatthe team should'play « r Sei!es' ; '*Egate; money.'VaaatcheS in America,-"J liut they seem to have been unable to resist fire' opportunity of raking in a Httl» 'more money, at the colony's expense. Considering, that the Union has' made; accords iucr to one of its officers, some £4OOO or ' £SOOO out of the team's campaign at Home it could well have afforded to pay for the proposed' trans-Atlantic holiday trip out of its own funds. No one who knows its policy expected it to do -this, but it is equally certain that very few will approve of the "grab-all" policy indicated in its latest proposal. Every man in the team must be sick of the sight of a football by this time, and have all well earned a holiday and a rest. The trip was distinctly suggested by the Premier as a treat to the players, and as " a courtesy and mark of appreciation by . New Zealand of tie worthy manner in which they have represented New Zealand, football in the Mother Country." The general public we believe, • are proud of the way in which the team.

fcriv-a thetosfelY&s, and are pleased that som© such mait .of national appreciation shoxdd b6 .be3towed on. the men. - it wbuld have H&&L' a 'fair arrangement had the Government' 'decided to pay the differ- . #: s th ? te" 11 coming home. direct as . originally and thai of • by thei. more interesting American, route. a proposal, w© believe,' would have met "with- general approval That ,tie JSivr Zealand' jßugby Uhi6ii jhoidd/ .lipwfeyer,' 'be saved all ex- . . penae with theteam's return, /and' money, for itself ;bygetting .the Tyifqrtuhate teain to pliy;»'qmte Mother matter. Wei ever intend- I ed that his . offer, should be used by the , •Union as a means bf adding, to. its already ' pletaoric ba!nk l>alance, and in the minds ] of the the feelihg aroiiaed will be ' "om of timMtigaiied ; \ v TRUTH." ! On the eve of. his depiartnre for West- ; land—to the scenes ofliis youthful digger i days—ih. the.colony's and at the ] colony's' expense, B. J. Seddon, delighted , at the..wonderfril.feats of.our toeballers in the" Motherland, burstsupon an astonished ] world with;.a snggestion that this : already ] heavily-indebted and over-taxed country i should foot the bill for sending the."All .Blacks r" -on; a picnic through'' Canada. and , .the States: AH • lovers of sjjort are more, sthauk pleasM afr the immtonous' achieve- ! ments of our ; at Home,' but is Mr Seddon really justified in. saddling the tax- : payers jofrtms - country ' with the cost of his ! latest con ceptioa of, the duties of statesmanship? The.-ifstir "Zeaiaind-. Rugby. Union, if the wiqf,a member of its Manage- •; ment Committee 'is woth • anything, stands 1 to make t a injodest' £4ooo' or £SOOO profit .out of- the British tour, and- mightn't it ; reasonably be .urged to defray the cost of ; the proposed * ihe, r ltapriland • con- '4 tingent is to iri Canada aid the States? "Ss true that New Zealand has _g<Ai|a fine out of on the other' hand the;" •twentyj qdd in eiders of the ieam have not w® badly %n their travels, and many 1 considered themselves cxtreirrißly lucky in getting; awayjin the instance: How does H. J. Seddon. know that the team waits to turrit tourist? What guarantee We' we - thao when are brought year provision- will not' pe.made'for tfie payment of a gratuity of £750/tp. : the of. _tibe. team " for seiyices rendered," and a compassionate allowance Of £SOO to " JimmyJDuncanfor the~ insults subjected to. by .£250 to the IJniiedin representative, in: the iteam for--his* of the dr'M' in"- principle, as applied to the threequarters 't