‘They are never beaten’

London, November 20: The All Blacks to-day met Oxford University, which is regarded as one of the strongest sides in England, and contained in its ranks a number of overseas players. After a spirited game the New Zealanders emerged victorious by 33 points to 15. The New Zealand team was as follows: backs Nepia, Robilliard, Cooke, Steel; McGregor, Nicholls, Dalley; forwards Porter, Donald, Irvine, M. Brownlie, Masters, Stewart, Guppies, White. The conditions were excellent, as the weather was fine, though dull, and there was no wind. The ground was soft. Oxford abandoned the usual dark-blue jerseys to avoid confusion, and played in all white. The second half was thrilling and full of excitement, Raymond, Aitken and Wallace stood out among the University backs, Nicholls was the hero of the match, converting every try and dropping two goals. Cupples, Brownlie, White and Masters were the best of the forwards. Although the earlier messages gave the score as 33 points to 15, the details of the play show that the actual score was 38 points to 15. The 1905 All Blacks beat Oxford University by 47 points to nil. Colonel Philip Trevor, in the Daily Telegraph says: "My opinion of the New Zealanders’ cleverness and resource has been increased by the Oxford match. They are never beaten. They always have an alternative plan and they adopt it with apparent ease. The finest side we can find will be up against it to beat the New Zealanders if they play as they did against Oxford."

 

Tongariro National Park has rejected by a narrow majority a proposal that the park should be regarded as an absolute sanctuary for New Zealand flora and fauna. There have been various indications of an intention that the park should become a sporting domain. One indication was provided in the introduction of heather into the park. It may be perfectly true that the native flora which it is desired to preserve in Tongariro National Park may be able to maintain itself in the presence even of an aggressive plant like the heather, and that the introduction of this stranger from the Highlands of Scotland may not be attended with results prejudicial to the preservation of the native plants. But why introduce it at all? The answer is suggested by the recent introduction of a few pairs of grouse. It is not, however, merely for the satisfaction of acclimatising grouse in New Zealand that these birds are being liberated. It can only be with the object of increasing the winged game that affords sport in the country. And, that being so, the national park is not the place for grouse. It has been explicitly stated that the park is to serve as a sanctuary for native birds, for which purpose, with its great area of more than 120,000 acres, it is admirably suited. But it is impossible to argue that the preservation of native birds can be accomplished in a park in which grouse-shooting is to be permitted and encouraged. It must be perfectly obvious, and it is to be regretted, that one of the objects with which the national park, originating in a splendid gift by a Maori chieftain, was established is to be defeated through the introduction of grouse and through the creation of suitable conditions for the breeding of grouse. The acclimatisation of grouse is desirable, but it should not be necessary that Tongariro be robbed of what should have been one of its finest attributes. — editorial 

— ODT, 22.11.1924