The Timaru Herald TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 1923. BRITAIN’S SPORT

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 18077, 3 April 1923, Page 6

The Timaru Herald TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 1923. BRITAIN’S SPORT

After tJic religious observance of Easter iias ueen made, and (iood rruiay and Easier Day have gone into oblivion tor anotner year, tlio country thinks of its sport; and bowls, goits, tootballs, snoots, rides and races to its heart's content- tNe-w Zealand, m the short century of its existence under the sway of tho white man, has taken to itself the Englishman’s love- of cold water, of healthy athletic sport ; _of horse racing, the horse racing which is not to he separated from its dear old platitudinous second name, “The Sport of Kings.” To us, as a portion of the Empire, English in our hearts though colonial in bur unconventional and democratic outlook, the happy rush to sport- .when national holidays permit, is not unusual. It could not be unusual. British tradition has set the way for her folk overseas, and their feet step along the pathway blissfully unconscious that they are emulating to perfection the race in the older land whence they are sprung. Yesterday, for example, wo could go to the Queen City of racing, Christchurch, and could back our choice; or we could have seen the horses jumping at the Eairlie Show; or we could have Avatched

the athletic prowess of half a hundred young men at Temuka, or applauded lliigby and ’Soccer. There is nothing 'incongruous in mentioning our oath little sphere of existence in the same breath as we do that of the Empire, for Ave are a speck of the whole, and the love of sport is in our veins. We cannot help it, and, it is to be hoped, Ave never will. The Briton’s love of clean sport goes far towards making him the most unpopular man in Europe, and the toy of the foreign secret diplomatist. That was proved by the world war in 1914. A man Avbo has a cold shower every morning; who goes for a dip all through the summer (and, perhaps, during’ a portion of the winter),, becomes physically fit. As lie becomes fit, he loses suspicion. He scorns unclean things and shrinks from performing an unscrupulous act; health brings him that peace of mind and ease of body that can be achieved b> nothing else. Defeats at games make him all the more anxious to improve his physical condition ; and with the physical sturdiness the mental poise becomes perfect. There is much contentment in the life of such a sporting New Zealander. Where the blow of a gloved fist Avould incite murder in the heart of another type, it only improves the man Avbo has given his body the strength to Avhich it is entitled. So with the

Englishman. Members of the Continental nations, whose recreation is not violent enough to soothe their minds, by intrigue have always been able to take a rise out of the Briton, who never realises what lias happened until his back is against t-lie wall. But his love of fair play, while it makes him a tenable antagonist when fully roused, enables him always to err on the side of tender-heartedness towards a vanquished foe. Looking on. that aspect of the Briton, realising how his lack of malice causes erstwhile friends to suspect him, while he continues along the road of sportsman sbir>. one is able to "onieoture Kipling’s reason for insulting the youth of England: flannelled fools at t.lio wickets o-r muddied oafs at tho goals. Is not the present day isolation of the Empire significant? But the game’s the thing, and Drake clayed boAvls under the nose of Philip’s galleons, and many a “Digger” played football within sound of the guns. Eauu if a sporting nation, by its high ideals, becomes unpopular with, a livery Avorld, its flannelled fools •ind muddied oafs haA r e . shown themselves to be men in the truest sense of the word. Perhaps, after conflict, they return too quickly to their games, and forget their wrongs, but their snort,smanship will stand any test.