Lacklustre Otago beats Auckland

Otago 11 points, Auckland 3 points. The play was very disappointing, and very much below interprovincial form. In their match with Canterbury, Otago won, but the play of the Blues on that occasion lacked finish. Against Hawke’s Bay, the team went better, but even then the inside backs were not too sound. Against Auckland the Otago team secured their third win, and, incidentally, played easily the worst game of the series. It was stated by the manager of the Auckland team that only eight of the first 30 selected as possibles for the tour came south. The

Aucklanders were, therefore, a very weak combination, and their star back, Ifwersen, was suffering from injuries received in the north, and really should not have been playing. This being so, Otago does not seem a strong combination, and on Saturday she was not. The weak passing and faulty handling of the Otago backs were there for everyone to see. There were several causes to account for the display. In the first place the Otago backs would not run up to their opponents before passing. To sum it up, two of the most exasperating faults of the Blue backs — and the forwards, too, for that matter — was their failure to run up to an opposing man and the reckless manner in which they got rid of the ball at the time they did decide to pass. There is one point that appeared to me as one of the causes of the poor display of the Otago backs. Fea was apparently trying — in answer to direct appeals from the powers that be — to play what is termed the orthodox game. Fea has played in big

football games all over the world in his own particular style, and he cannot change it now. When Fea started towards the end of the game to “go on his own” he certainly had the opposition thinking, and one try at least resulted from a jinky run by him.

Council to regulate parking

The city council has in hand at present the matter of providing parking places for motor cars in various parts of the city. One of the first to receive attention will be a parking place in the vicinity of His Majesty’s Theatre. An objectional practice has grown up of backing cars on to the kerb, and when theatregoers are leaving the building they are invariably treated to a fumigation of petrol vapour from numerous exhaust pipes. This will no doubt be remedied under the proposed regulations.

Tempered justice for boy

A youth, just over 16, who had pleaded guilty to stealing a cheque for

£1 19 shillings from his employers, was brought before Mr J.R. Bartholomew SM in the Police Court on Saturday morning for sentence. Chiefdetective Bishop said inquiries had elicited the fact that the boy had previously been in other employment, and had proved dishonest, his parents having made reparation on two occasions. The probation officer (Mr F.G. Cumming) said the boy had become attached to a band of youths of about the same age, and had indulged in drink. If given the chance, accused might yet make good; but he recommended that strict conditions should be imposed in connection with any term of probation granted. The Magistrate said that, considering the age of the accused, this was as bad a case of the kind as had ever come before him. The boy had had chances, but had not profited by them. It was really his duty to send the accused away for reformative treatment. However, he would be given a last chance. — ODT, 21.8.1922