There was an attendance of 30,000. The New Zealand team was at its best, and gave its finest all-round display yet provided on tour. Their passing was superb and the backing up unfailing. With their height, speed, and stamina they were overwhelmingly superior. Leicester adopted the New Zealand scrum formation, but in this they failed, mainly on account of insufficient weight in the side and back rows to give the hookers the opportunity to beat the New Zealand pair for the ball.
After the interval they occasionally had three in the front row. Leicester’s passing movements were weak, the exchanges being of the slow, singlehanded lob style, and vastly different from the fast, low style characterising the play of their opponents.
The final score: All Blacks 27 points, Leicester nil.
Bell tolls for toll gates
Now that motorists are taxed for the use of roads it seems to be an injustice that certain roads are closed except upon payment of a toll tax. The day of the toll gate is evidently over as far as New Zealand is concerned. Mr M.H. Wynyard, of the Highways Board, informed the recent motorists’ conference that the board was at present negotiating for the removal of toll gates from roads.
Go down the middle
The City Council is moving in a somewhat mysterious way in evolving recommendations respecting a route for a service to meet the traffic requirements of the Exhibition.
Its first selection was Union street. Presumably it was in view of this that the construction of the bridge at the University was undertaken of a class so substantial as to be wholly without justification for the purposes of ordinary traffic, no fewer than 27 iron girders awaiting use in the construction of this bridge.
Abandoning Union street in deference to the representations of the University, the Tramway Committee came back nearer to the heart of the city, Frederick street. Requested by the council to recommend a route that would not pass the Hospital, it now permits its choice to fall upon St Andrew street. By progressive stages the route favoured has thus crept something like half a mile nearer the Octagon than that originally proposed. This route would indifferently serve the convenience of that portion of the community for which the committee proposed to cater when it recommended the adoption of a route lying further north. If the Union street route was suitable, and if the Frederick street route represents the best selection of all, it would seem reasonable to conclude that Albany street, which lies midway between these two streets, would represent the next best thing. — editorial
Putting glee in league
In the course of a speech at a social gathering of the Otago Rugby League on Saturday evening Mr H.A. Millard expressed the opinion that the body referred to should not confine its activities to football. He intended to try to persuade the authorities to form League lawn tennis, cricket and swimming teams in every centre, thus keeping its members together all the year round instead of only for one season. Even a Glee Club might be formed, said Mr Millard.
Lambs for Christmas
The arrangement made last season by the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board to deliver to any address in Great Britain a single carcase of prime New Zealand lamb has met with such gratifying results that it has been decided to continue the scheme again this Christmas season. Numerous letters were received by the board from different recipients all over Great Britain eulogising the quality and condition of the lambs received. — ODT, 6.10.1924
Compiled by Peter Dowden
