NOTES.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVI, Issue 957, 9 July 1908, Page 10

NOTES.

A Southern scribe in commenting on the display of the New Zealand team in their second match against the Britishers says:—The Otago representative, Patterson, is a splendid forward, and his meteoric career caused a lot of discussion. Though new to the elements of big football, the Zingari player, should soon develop into the Seeling type.

A popular Rugby official in Southland has shown his broadmindedness by sending a liberal donation to the Baskerville benefit fund. In forwarding the cheque he expresses his appreciation of the energy and ability displayed by the late Mr. Baskerville in organising the professional tour in the face of powerful opposition, and his regret at the untimely death of the promoter.

An unrehearsed incident which might easily have resolved itself into a tragedy, occurred during the progress of the Thames-Auckland match on Saturday. One burly spectator whose only post of vantage was a corner of the balcony adjoining the grand-stand, became so excited at a critical juncture, that in his wild enthusiasm, he lost his balance—in more ways than one—and toppling over with gyrations that made more than one onlooker hold his breath, was only saved from a broken neck by a friend who seized him by the

extremities with more force than politeness and hauled him back again.

A friendly game of football was played at Panmure on Saturday between teams representing the “Sporting Review” and the “Auckland Star,” the former team being returned victors by 12 points to 8 after a close and exciting match. Before leaving for town both teams dined at the Panmure Hotel where Host Bell regaled the players with a recherche repast. On Saturday next the “Review” team will try conclusions with the “Herald” fifteen at Panmure,

and in the evening the players will dine together at the Panmure Hotel.

The injury received to his arm in the inter-island match will probably be the means of preventing Thomson, the Wellington threequarter, from donning the jersey again this season.

Wrigley and Callum, two members of the late professional team, have left Wellington for Sydney. The former is going Home to play for Runcorn, while Callum Intends to settle in Australia.

The result of the second Test match has done a great deal to revive interest in the British team’s tour. Whatever may be the result of the intervening provincial games, the final struggle at Auckland on July 25 is certain to arouse a lot of attention.

In its account of the match played at Sydney by the Maori footballers, in which they defeated the local team by 23 points to 20, the “Sydney Morning Herald” contains the following:—Apart from the casualties the most remarkable feature of the game seems to have been the “hurdlejumping” tactics, of Asher, the Maori captain. . . . The excitement of the crowd at times reached a high pitch. Asher was everywhere. He lost part of his guernsey, and he tore the sleeves off, but Messenger objected to him playing thus. Another guernsey was brought out, and it was found to have but one sleeve.

Allan Adams, Otago University and Otago representative threequarter, was a spectator on the occasion of the second test match at Wellington. He left for England last week, and has been induced by Tuan Jones, captain of Guy’s Hospital team, to consider the advisability of going to Guy’s instead of to London Hospital.

The second test has been played—and drawn. The result came as a surprise to every follower of the game in the Dominion, but few—l venture to say—were displeased with it (says “Shinpad” in the “New Zealand Times”). There is no doubt that interest in the tour was on the wane. The defeat of the visitors by the only three big unions they had

met,, and the crushing victory of the Dominion representatives in the first test, had almost convinced the greater proportion of the public that the British team was a failure, and the tour seemed likely to end disastrously, at least so far as. finance went. The loss of interest in the team and its doings is best judged from the fact that the match against Wellington, played on a Wednesday, attracted 18,000 people, while there was an attendance at the test match, played on a Saturday, of less than 10,000. Obviously then, something sensational was needed to make New .Zealand wake up to the fact that there was still a British team within its gates —and the draw did it. No sooner had the Britons left the field after having scored a try to a peaalty goal against the pick of New Zealand’s players, than they were again the heroes that they were wheu they first took the field at Masterton.

The most amusing incident of the voyage of the British team was enacted on Wednesday, April 15. Father Neptune on that day, in the person of F. Jackson, ably assisted bj' Edgar Morgan, Kyrke, and Green, demanded the usual victims. As the number of those crossing for the first time was a large one, lots were drawn to see who should be sacrificed to the demands of the “God of the Ocean.” Excitement ran high as each unwilling candidate drew forth his number. The unfortunates were Gibbs, Thomas Vassall, Griffiths, Chapman, and J. L. Williams. At 12 noon all assembled on the lower deck. Here Father Neptune, tenderly fondling a hugh wooden razor some two feet in length, calmly stood behind a chair awaiting his victims. His chief assistant, near by, bent over a large bucket containing a curious pink-looking lather, which proved to be a mixture of treacle, flour, and cochineal, and, with a large paintbrush in his right hand, gazed with fiendish delight upon his trembling, unfortunate victims. “Green,” hose in hand, took up a position beside the tub prepared to give the finishing touch to the work of his chiefs. To the delight and cheers of the assembled multitude and the clicks of the numerous kodaks, one by one the chosen few were lathered, shaved, and tubbed. J. L. Williams was the last on the list, and suddenly, upon a given signal, the victimised turned upon their persecutors, and, to the delight of everybody, Father Neptune and his assistants were quickly but surely put through the same performance, and then the hose was rapidly turned upon the interested spectators, who were scattered in all directions, whilst their roars of laughter soon gave way to shrieks.

To see the Hawke’s Bay v. British match 5899 persons paid for admission.

The following team has been selected to represent Wanganui in the match against the British team on Saturday.:—Fullback, Reed; threequarters, Meuli, Abbott (captain), and Southcombe; five-eighths, Mitchell and Seeling; halfback, D. Do we; wing forward, Suiter; forwards, Murray, Leahy, Milne, Irvine, Jno. Hogan, and Dustin; emergencies, Paton, Kilpatrick, and Corby. The Rev. C. C. Harper will act as referee.