NO MATCH.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17525, 30 April 1925, Page 7

NO MATCH.

BITTER DISAPPOINTMENT. VIEWS OF OLD BOYS. Bitter disappointment Is felt in che ranks of all old boys of the High School and Christ's College at the prospect of there being no Rugby match between the two schools tins season. A reporter interviewed several prominent business men in tbo city, who are old boys of the respective schools, and while some of them were diffident about expressing their views in public they were quite decided in giving their private opinions regarding the attitude which Air Jli. (J. Crosse, head master of ihe College, had adopted over the matter. Not one man who was approached failed t<> express his regret at the cancellation ot the game, and the majority strongly condemned Mr Crosse’s action. Mr F. W. Johnston, a well-known old boy of the College, said ho fully appreciated the very high ideals which wore actuating the head master of Christ’s College. However, as he had stated at one of the uJd boys’ meetings some little time ago in referring to the praise bestowed upon some of the okl head masters, and to the traditions of the College, ho quite appreciated the high sense of duty and the great ideals Mr Crosse had when he left England to come out to his present position, but he felt sure that in order to keep in touch with colonial public opinion, and to take hold and keep bold of the boys and the old boys it was essential for him to jettison some, and modify others, of tjiose high ideals. •‘1 am fully aware that boys can bo obsessed with the idea that their sport is everything, and if I were satisfied that the preventing of this match being a spectacle enjoyed by thousands of the public would bring about the object lor which the head master is •striving I would certainly support him in his action.” said Mr Johnston. “Such obsession, however, could bo neutralised by a head master of Mr Crosse’s calibre appealing to the coinniousensc and intelligence of the boys Iroin time to time to guard against and overcome anything of the ITTud. It would also be a lesson to the boys in self-restraint which in itself is an education. J was not an cid man when 1 was young and I iiope J will never be an old man. I still retain very largely the sporting instincts I had when I was a boy, and 1 feel sure the head master is not counting on colonial opinion or the opinion and thought of the colonial public school boy if lie thinks putting an end to this match will bring about the object at wnicii he is aiming. It is a case in which lie could reveal his strength i’. v ’ullowng hmself to be somewhat guided by the opinions of others, and receding from the position he has taken up.’* Mr H. M. Taylor, a past president of the High School Old Boys’ Associa- ' tion, who took part in several, of the games between these two schools in bis school days, said:—‘Jt. is with regret that I see this game is not to be played this year. Surely it is not yet too late for some compromise to be arranged. It only means that the game is to be played on foreign ground this year as the school ground will be ready’ by the time its turn comes again. The objection to playing the game is so trivial from a sportsman’s point of view that one can draw but one conclusion -that the head master of our rival school j's not what one could term a sport. I fail to see what difference it makes if a boy plays on his own ground before 5000 people or before 10.000 people on a ground a mile or so away. Once the game starts lam certain not one boy’ is aware or cares whether there are 5000 or 50,000 people watching him. Again if a boy is subject to a swollen head it will not grow larger by playing his one game. Jf he happens to make one or two mistakes it is more likely to shrink considerably. Looking mound the town and seeing the number of prominent old boys of both schoois who have taken part in this game at different periods one is inclined to think that Mr Crosse has no reason for complaint. If I were a College old boy’ I should be inclined to express my feelings a little more definitely, so I will content my-, self by expressing my disappointment at not being able this year to look forward to seeing a game of football in which every boy plays the game for the honour and glory of his school quite unconcerned whether the onlookers are station owners or simple working men. Of course this is not a mat- j ter for old boys of our school so much as for those of the College, but the latter can count on our support in any attitude they adopt.” Mr S. J. Barrett, an old boy of Christ's College, said he thought Mr Crosse did not quite appreciate the position, which was that when the new High School ground was ready at Riccarlon, the old custom of playing on the school grounds in alternate years would be reverted to. ft would be no use playing on the present High School ground in the North Park, and for the benefit of the ever increasing body of old boys who like to see this game it. seemed that Lancaster Park was the only place where it could be placed. I he result of the decision not. to plural all has been that the splendid secondary schools competition inaugurated last year, which proved so successful, has been absolutely smashed, and the boys now have to go into the open competitions. This is very regrettable.” concluded Mr Barrett, “and I think every effort should be made to restore the secondary schools competition." Mr T. W. Reese, one of the older generation of High School old boys, said that the most regrettable thing apart from the match was that there had not been a break in the games with Christ's College since 1881. He pointed out that in Melbourne the six great public schools played Rugby on the Melbourne Cricket Ground twice a week for ten weeks, the proceeds going to charity. In Sydney crowds of from 10.000 upwards paid for admission to the great public schools games. I “Take the Canterbury-Otago cricket match.” said Mr Reese. “There has not been a break in 'hese interprovinciaJ matches for sixty-one years, and his is a wonderful record which is probablv not exceeded : n any part of the world. Tn connection with the SchoolCollege match a big proportion of the population of the City ol Christchurch desired to see the game simply on account of the fact that they have in some way or another been connected with either of the schools. The game has been in progress now for forty years and families have become linked up with one school or the other. It has become a tradition. But the beauty about the game is that it is always so clean and bright.” An ex-captain of the Christ’s College first fittecn did not mince matters in voicing his opinions on the situation

that has arisen. "I think it js a. l"t « -t darned rot and it's quite tune tlie old boys got together and placed their views on the subject before Mr Crosse,'’ he said. 'The game has gone on for years, and it was drilled into us as part of our education that we must play the game on the held and also after we left :he College. One school is as good as another, and the. boys have to go out Into :he world afterwards and mix with the public who take a delight in seeing them at play. This 1 talk about making gladiators of the boys is a lot of rot.” Similar views to the loregoing 'reelv expressed ov numerous u In-s----old boys of both schools.