OUT DOOR SPORTS

Observer, Volume XXI, Issue 1182, 24 August 1901, Page 17

OUT DOOR SPORTS

By Harrier.

KixrruEs.

May '.Mtu. Tames v. Auckland, at Thames. Northern Wairoa v. Auckland No. 1 team, at Alexandra Park.

Nkw s<»r tii Walks Fixtirks.

August 24— Agaiiwt Otago, at nuiieilin. ' August 28 — Against Canterbury, at ClnistI'lmrch. Angust 31 -Against New Zealand, at Wellington. September .'5 or -i -Against Taranaki-Wangaiiui, at Wanganui. September 7 -Against Auckland, at Auckland.

THK tine weather on Saturday was quite a welcome change to local

footballers, and consequently a very fair crowd went out to Alexandra Park to witness the first trial match of the season. Like most of these games, there was nothing startling about it, and it was only at times that flashes of anything like good play were shown.

There were several alterations in the tennis selected by Air Murray, the most noticeable absentee being W. Harrison, from the Wairoa. For the first fifteen minutes the "B" team made matters rather lively, but after that the " A " team had things all their own way, and at the finish won by 2.") points to 3.

In summarising the play, I noticed several disappointments, notably Sutherland at full. It was a complete reversal to the form he had shown in Cup matches, and it is to be hoped he will be at his best next Saturday. Stevens, for the " R's," was not much better.

The "A" three-quarter line are a speedy trio, but did not over-exert themselves. \Y hat chances Smith had, he always made good use of. McKenzie in the centre, did not seem himself, but his try was an exceptionally clever bit of ]»lay. Absolum is not the player of last year, but should improve. He did not general his team very efficiently, and is in the wrong position in t he honour of captain.

Of the other backs Hay wa« far the best, scoring a dandy try. Magee, I thought, would )>e a weak .spot, and he lias had to give way for (Jerrard next Saturday. Kienian will have to waken up in his play.

There was nothing brilliant about the "A " pack. Dorau was right out of it on the wing, and one missed his line, open playX No one calls for mention amongst, the scrummagers.

Gerrard was in fine form as liveeighths for the " B's." Me wants to give his passes a trifle quicker than he did on Saturday.

Asher was the pick of the threequarters, and MoPifte's quick punting was the best feature of his plaj r . Thomson tackled miserably, but made a couple of fine runs in the second spell.

The form of Gray, behind the " B pack, was a bit of an eye-opener. He never failed to make an opening, and with more experience should prove a top-notcher in that position.

The " U" pack were working well together till Handcock was disabled, and this player and Dunning made au excellent pair of " hookers. Nicholson shone in the open and on the line, while Francis is another good line man, and is worth a place in the rep. team as a place kick. * •

The place-kicking of the " A" team was horrible on Saturday, and Absolum seemed to me to use very poor judgment in his kickers. The excuse is a new ball and change of weather, but most of the attempts were easy and in front of the posts. Francis' kick in the second spell from a difficult angle completely knocked the bottom out of the afore-mentioned excuse.

Mr Murray has picked the following team to battle against Thames next Saturday : — Full-back, D. Sutherland ; three-quarters, (i. \V. Smith, McKenzie, Absolum ; half-backs, T). Hay, Kiernan, (jlerrard ; forwards, Doran (wing), C. lhady, U. Tyler, H. Wilson, A. Wilson, K. McGregor, liakewell, Bonella. Kmergencies : Asher (back), Nicholson (forward.)

The only alteration in the team is (Jerranl, who takes Magee's place, and Saturday's play proved the former to be better in the position. The pack is a {food one. hut Bonella and Rakewell, although as hard toilers as any of the others, could We replaced by better men.

The Thames team is reported to be not so strong as of previous years, and the local men should repeat "last year's win.

While the Auckland No. 1 team is playing at the Thames next Saturday, a second team will meet Northern Wairoa at Alexandra 'Park. The following is the Auckland team : —

Full-back, Stevens ; three -quarters Campbell, MoPike, Thompson ; five eighths, MeCJee ; half -back, (hey wing forwards, .]. Hrady, S. Brown forwards, Harp, Francis, M. McMillan Cawley, Cucksey. W. Tyler, (iun.son.

Considering that the Aratapu team which played North Shore at the beginning of the season was a fairly representative team of Northern Wairoa, the local team should have no difficulty in winning.

The team to represent New Zealand against New South Wales made its appearance on Monday, and the gentlemen who undertook this arduous task have made a good selection. Auckland heads the list with four players, Taranaki getting in three, Wellington two, Canterbury two, Southland two, Dunedin one, and Wairarapa one.

The following is the team :- Fullback, W. H. McKenzie (Auckland); three-quarters, (J. W. Smith (Auckland), R. Mc(!regor (Auckland), Jacobs (Southland), L. Allen (Taranaki) ; half-hacks, Humphreys (Taranaki), Wood (Wellington), Duncan (Dunedin); forwards, Dodd (Wellingron), Udy (Wairarapa), Drake and Cross (Canterbury), Cunningham (Auckland), O'Dowda (Taranaki), Purdie (Southland). Out of this team four of them were members of the last N.Z. team, Smith, Allen, Humphries, and Duncan.

The backs should make a splendid combination, and the only doubtfuls to me seem to be Allen and Humphries, who are reckoned as backnumbers, but, as reports come from Taranaki that their form is better than ever, and as Mr Bayly, one of the selectors, has seen their season's play, they should justify their inclusion. Humphries has only to play up to his old form to earn his position, as the only half-backs who were eligible to the position were Meredith (Wellington) and Kiernan. The former has gone off in his play in the rep. matches, and Kiernan has not shown anything like the form he shbwed last year.

Auckland has three backs in, McKenzie, Smith and McGregor. The former is not new to the position of full, and is undoubtedly the. ; man for the position. Smith is quite .as good as lie was three years ag6, while McGregor's inclusion is a very popular one up this way. He proved himself last year to be one of the best allround backs we saw in the . rep. matches up here, and is playing as well as ever.

The forwards are a big, heavy set ; in fact, I think, rather too weighty,

wards would, L imagine, have been an improvement. The pack must average nearly thirteen stone ; will they be successful to cope with the lighter pack that New South Wales have in the open ? Cunningham is the only Auckland representative, and for two years he has been reckoned as the best "lock" man available. Perhaps it was the fact of Auckland getting in four men to the team that the claims of A. and 11. Wilson were overlooked, but they were fully qualified for their positions.

Want of space prevents me from going into further details, but the team picked should worthily uphold New Zealand's reputation on the 31st inst.

The "evergreen" Duncan will pro bably captain the N.Z. team.

The Auckland reps, are using the spacious I'onsonby Football Club's shed to train in.

Wallace's poor form in the recent Wellington tour seems to have settled his N.Z. rep. chances.

On their last tour in N.Z. , the New South Wales team scored in every match bar one- against Wanganui.

Congratulations to " Scobie " iMcKenzie, " Dick " McCregor and Cunningham on winning their spurs as N.Z. reps.

"Dick"' I'helan has not played a game since the Aratapu-North Shore match, and will probably be missing from the Northern Wairoa ranks on Saturday.

It seems rather peculiar that the Taranaki - New South Wales match should be deleted in the latter' s town, when Taranaki can get three reps, in the N.Z. team.

It was rather unfortunate that " Bob" Handcock got knocked out on Saturday. lie is one of our cleverest hookers, and should have found his way into the re}), team.

Canterbury's win over Otago and Southland proved their win over Wellington was no fluke. The last time Canterbury heat Otago was in '93, and it is nine years since t lie Canterburyitcs heat Otago on their own ground.

New South Wales made a good showing against Wellington in their initial match last Saturday. The game was brimful of excitement, and must have reminded Aucklanders of the match New South Wales played here in '94, when Auckland snatched a victory by 14 points to 11. The New South 'Welshmen should improve in their coming matches.

On Saturday, a member of the Onsekver .staff paid a visit to the bakers and confectionery house of Mr W. Buchanan, Karangahape Road, and in the hour that he was there saw enough to convince him that for magnitude and up-to-datedness there is no house on this side the Line to beat it. In the bakery, measuring 50 by about 100 feet, with a floor right across, one is at once struck with the cleanliness in every part, the walls, floor, and ceiling being spotless. In this department there are six large ovens, all kept going, and capable of turning out 2000 loaves in one batch. At Buchanan's there is no haudling of flour. Machinery does it all. There are machines for sifting and mixing it, trollies to convey it from mixer to trough, and from there — after it is dough — to oven. There are -machines, also, for shelling aiul peeling almonds, for cutting lemon .peel, for making almond paste, for cutting and dividing dough into scones and cakes, for moulding pies into shape, for making yeast, and for many other things. Power is supplied by a gas engine, 7 h.p. nomrnal. The storeroom is like a warehouse, and stores such as eggs, butter, sugar, etc. — to the tune of £5000— are put through annually.- Weddingdecorations valued at £280 have been imported in the last eight months. Forty hands are employed, and nine bakers' carts and thirteen horses are kept going. Everything is worked with a high regard to system, and the great success that has all along attended this business, and which is attending it now, argues that the man wlio makes perfection his