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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 5, Issue 2 (June 2, 1930)

[section]

There is a natural association between railways and sport which arises from the inter-related interests of the two. The sport lives because of public interest, and part of the living of railways is derived from their activities in enabling that public interest to gain expression.

In England the great concourses of people for race meetings and Cup finals have, for many decades, been possible only through the special efforts of the railways. In New Zealand. likewise, the popular sports are those which draw together the greatest masses of people. For a full enjoyment of the game the presence of the crowd is essential. It is this that creates the electrical atmosphere and makes possible the most dazzling play—a play inspired as much by the wildly excited cries of the multitude as by the momentous importance of the occasion.

It is for the conveyance of people in large groups that the railways are particularly well fitted. Hence, when sports events of outstanding importance, such as the visit of the British Rugby Football Representatives takes place, it is upon the railways that the bulk of the people must depend for transport over any considerable distance.

Members of the railway service who are engaged in train operating, are, of course, precluded by the nature of their occupation from sports in which teamwork is required. But amongst these much individual prowess has been shown in such fields as boxing, golf and bowling. In the main centres, however, where members of our large workshops or other non-operating staffs are located, there is hardly a provincial football team that does not include one or two outstanding players drawn from the ranks of the railways.

Bzeing equipped with facilities for dealing with sudden peaks of passenger traffic, the railways in New Zealand have done a great deal to help popularise travel to sports events. Thus we have excursion rates to race meetings of any importance, we provide concession rates for competitors at most of the field meetings, and special rates are available to teams of various sorts for all kinds of contests. As all the world knows, Rugby football is by far the most universal sport in New Zealand. It is the ambition of every boy to play in his school team, and it is the height of ambition with many to play in representative matches for their Province. Island or Dominion. With womenfolk, too, interest is very intense amongst some sections, whilst a knowledge of the game is surprisingly general.

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In these circumstances it is not to be wondered at that national interest has been stirred to a high pitch by the present series of matches between the representatives of Great Britain and the principal New Zealand teams. Those who have witnessed the games have been impressed by the fine spirit displayed by the visitors and the dashing game they play. It may be expected that the three tests to be played will draw record numbers of spectators. The interest of the Department lies mainly in conveying the traffic which all forecasts indicate will be exceptionally heavy; but the human interest in the result of the games will be intensified still further for railwaymen should some of their own fellow workers, such as H. Lilburne and M. Nicholls, be included in the New Zealand team.

It has been the privilege of the Railway Department to arrange all the transport for the British team. We hope that whatever their success in the tests may be, the standard of comfort with which we can provide them on the trains may be such as will help them to recover from the strain of their preceding games and bring them fresh and fit and full of confidence for the following ones.