The Close of Their Tour.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6553, 23 May 1889, Page 2

The Close of Their Tour.

Final Match. Notes and Gossip. [Pbom ottb London Cobeisfondent.] London, March 29. The New Zealand football team wound, up their English tour at Leyton on Wednesday afternoon with a clever victory over a South of England fifteen. Mr Scott did eo well in Lancashire latterly (the "gates" being uniformly good and expenses small) that he would have liked to stay another fortnight there, playing local clubs, had it been possible to postpone the team's passages to the next steamer. He did approach the Orient Company on the subject, but they proved impracticable, wanting .£loo,or something of that sort, for making the alteration. Financially, I fancy the tour^has turned out fairly satisfactorily. Mr Scott will not say that the promoters' profits are substantial, but he admits he is not disappointed with general results. The experience he has purchased (sometimes dearly enough) on this tour will be invaluable should he —as he seems to think likely —presently wish to engineer another team on the round. The Bugby Union, I am ashamed'tossy, has allowed the New Zealanders to leave without offering them the faintest valedictory hospitality. The lack of courtesy with which the team has from first to last been treated in London has been scandalous. NOTES ON THE CLOSE OF THE TOUB. There was a fine gate at Hull on Saturday, on the occasion of the second visit of the " Maoris," the receipts amounting to £23116s lOd, of which the New Zealanders took 60 per cent. The " boys " were particularly anxious to " wipe out" their defeat by Hull earlier in the season, but were disappointed, the game, which was splendidly contested throughout, ending in. an even draw, each team securing a try and three minors. " Smiler," who is just now in capital form, secured the try for the visitors. After the match the Hull Football Club entertained the Maoris at an excellent dinner. Mr Scott, iu replying to the toast of " Our Visitors," said that in all the places visited in their lengthy tour, they had never received a heartier welcome or more hospitable treatment than at Hull, and amongst all the applications for return matches, Hull had always stood at the head of the list. (Cheers.) It was a pleasure to come again, and he felt sure when his boys got back home they would all remember " good old Hull.** (Cheers.) ! Mr Scott concluded by. calling for three i cheers, which were cordially given. ! Charlie Simpson, the Hull captain, in ! a capital speech, returned thanks on behalf of the Home Club. He remarked i that they had now the proud distinction of being the only Club in England which ■ had met the Maoris twice and had not • been beaten. He hoped the visitors would be as successful in Australia as they had been in England. AGAINST WIDNES. This match, like the preceding one, was a " return " arranged by Mr Scott. The result was an easy win for the New Zealanders by one goal and three tries to a try. Owing to the strong wind blowing in their favour, the Widnesians pressed the New Zealanders at first, and forced a couple of minors. Elliott broke away once j or twice, and at length got in near the I touch line. Williams failed to improve. In the second half, Gage and Williams secured tries, one of which Ellison converted. Within a few minutes of "no side " being callod, the Widnesians crossed the line, and Farrell scored near touch. The place kictc failed, and the game i resulted as above. There was a large and enthusiastic crowd present, and the choerirjg at each individual piece of good play was tremendous. As the Maoris were leaving the ground in a two-horse break, some of the crowd stopped the van, and took out the horses with the intention of dragging the visitors to the hotel. This t they did,.but-an- unfortunate accident

happened before they bad gone' a dozen* yards. It appears that a number of chiP'f dren were helping to pull the Maoris ; along, and as the pace rapidly increased, ; several of them fell down and were run ■ over. A report circulated Miatone of them was killed, but the rumour .was not con- 1 firmed.