SPORT OF ALL KINDS.

FOOTBALL. The following table- shows the positions "£ the senior t*ams at the close of the first Vvujid;-

The first round is now concluded, and the •Aihombra have a slight lead over their sister club iu the north end of the City. The redoubtable Kaikorai are not far* behind, and, for the first time for many years, they do not find themselves at the top'of the list, Although there is yet plenty of time for 2>uncan and Co. to recover their.old positions. The season so far has been a very Interesting one, and sp evenly matched are many of the- teams that it would have been almost next to impossible for the most experienced observer to Iwve picked the whole four winners' on each Saturday since the commencement of the season. The followers of the game and intimate supporters of the various clubs have displayed a very lively interest in the competitions, and many of them are to he heard already complaining about the season having to be cut short on account of the New Zealand tour of the Otago reps.' The Pirates have come to the front with a sudden rush, while the University are also now beginning to sow some of their true. form. The Zingari-Riehmond, on the other hand, appear to he losing some of their dash, and if their display against the Kaikorai and Alhambra can he taken as a criterion of their strength, they are likely to fall back. The Pirates and* University are the' teams that will probahly improve their positions, and effect more, surprises. . The following shows the matches won, lost, and drawn by the various clubs: Alharabra defeated University, Dunedin, Southern, Kaikorai. and Ztngari Richmond, drew against Union, and were beaten by Pirates. Union defeated Zingari-Riehmond, Pirates,' Dunedin. and Southern, drew against Kaikorai and Alhamhra, and were beaten by University. Kaikorai defeated University. Dunedin, and Zingari-Riehmond, drew against Southern and' Union, and were beaten by Alhambr.i. and Pirates. Ziugari-Richmond . defeated Southern, Dunedin, Pirates, and University, and were beaten by Union, Kaikorai, and Alhambru.' Pirates defeated Southern, Alhamhra, and Kaikorai, and were beaten by Dunedin, University, Union, and Zinguri-Richmond: University defeated. Pirates. Union, and Dunedin. and were beaten by Alhamhra,. Kaikorai, Southern, and Zing;'.'-; Richmond. Dunedin defeated Pirates and Southern, and.were beaten by Alhamhra. ZingariRichmond, Kaikorai, Union, and "University. Southern beat University, drew against Kaikorai, and were beaten by Zingari-Rich-mond, Alhambra, Pirate, Dunedin, and Union.

Tries h.ivo been scored and goals kicked for the-various clubs as follows: For the Alhambra., .King (wing threequarter) scored five tries, Stephenson (wing three-quarter) four, Johnston (five-eighth) tliree, Knowles (serum half) two, Bennett (centre three-quarter), Wallace, (five-eighth),' Bond (forward), and Hobson (forward) one each. Bennett converted four of the tries, and Larkins (full-back) one. For the Union, Bennett (wing three-quar-ter), Whictaker (wine; three-quarter). Walker (centre three-quarter), and Rowlatt (forward) each scored two trie*, Beadle (forward), Thomson (fivo-eighth), D. Muuro (forward), and Howison (wing three-quarter) one each. Howison converted three of the tries, and (low (forward) one. Bennett potted a goal, Howison kicked one from a mark, and also two penalty goals. For the Kaikorai, Sim (whig three-quarter) and Porteous (foiward)i Duncan (five-eighth) and Wilkinson (wing three-quarter) each scored two tries, M'Donald (forward), Ronald (forward), and Booth (centre threequarter), one each. Booth converted two of the tries. For the Zingari-Riehmond, Stewart (fov■w*ard) scored two tries, Thomson (wing threequarter), Abbott (forward), Richardson (wing three-quarter), and Fish (wing three-quarter) one each. For the Pirates, Matthewson (forward), Sutton (five-eighth). M'George (centre threequarter), P. Priest (forward) each scored a try. Hislop (scrum half) converted two of the tries, P. Priest kicked a goal from a mark, and Fisher (forward) one from a penalty kick. " For" the University, Orbell (wing threenuarter), White (wing three-quarter), and Broad (centre three-quarter) each scored two tries, Wi Repa (full-back, but who was playing wing three-quarter at the time), Hotop (forward), Macdonald (scrum half),.M'Ara (five-eighth), andMosley (forward) one each. Broad converted two of the tries and Macdonald one. Macdonald potted a goal, and kicked one from a mark. For the Dunedin, Bragg (wiug threeouarter), Mackenzie (centre three-quarter), Whelan (forward), and M'Kay (full-back) each scored a try. M'Kay converted two of the tries, potted a goal, and kicked a. penalty goal. For the Southern, Olson (forward), Morris (five-eighth), and Bennett (centre threequarter) each scored tries. Casey (wing threequarter) kicked a goal from a mark. It will be seen from the above that the mo.-t successful scoring wing three-quarters have.been King (five tries) and Stephenson (four), while Johnston, a five-eighth player, comes next with three tries to his credit. The other most successful scoring wing three-quarters have been Bennett (Union), Whittakcr, Sim, Wilkinson. Orbell, and White, two each. Walker (centre threequarter), Duncan (five-eighth), Knowles (halfback), and Broad (centro three-quarter) are among the other backs with a similar number of tries in their favor. Of the forwards Porteous, Rowlatt, and Stewart. (Zingari) have both successfully crossed the line on two occasions. In goa.l kicking Howison (Union) ha.4 been responsible for placing tliree goals from tries, ouo from a mark, and two from penalty kicks; Bennett kicked four goals from tries ; M'Kay (Dunedin) two from tries, one from a penalty- kick, and potted one ; and Macdonald (University) one from a, try, one from a mark, and potted one. It will also lx> noticed that each of these four players also scored a trv for their respective clubs. Bennett (Union), besides scoring two tries, potted a goal; Broad, another scorer of two tries, converted two into goals; Booth, who scored a try. was twice successful in kicking at goal; Perev Priest, in addition to his try, kicked a goal from a mark. By defeating the Alhambra and Kaikorai two Saturdays running the Pirates did a, performance of which they might well feel proud, and those people who were inclined to believe that their victory against the Alhambra was a lucky one must now feel.-convinced that the Pirates are a team to be reckoned with. While the wearers of the cross-bones and skull continue to make their gamss as much forward as possible they are sure to prove hard nuts to crack. Their nest big match is certain to largely augment the funds of the Rughv Union,'which body, by the way, must have a fair sum in hand from the takings at club matches this season. The record gates, too, are yet to come-

The Zmgan-Richmond again failed to rise to the occasion on Saturday, when thev were decisively beaten by the Alhambra 'bv 22 points to nii. The Red-and-blacks had the. best, of the game from start, to finish and' were, hardly ever called on to defend their Jme.. Watson and Whinaro—the latter a very clever wing forward—tilled the places of D. M'Kewen and Taylor, both of v.honi were unable to play for the Alhambra, awl so well did the Srst.meiitioned two acquit themselves that, the Match Committee are sure to find H difficult to know who to leave out next Saturday. Dev, who has also been playing well «nce Wallace was hurt, will now Jikely have to stand down , in place of the es-Wellington rep. It is fortunate for the .'Bamas that thev have so ma £7 B<»d average men to fall back ou. llw keen inUa-cst taken in the winter pastime by the female scjc sterns more nouceablo this year than. «n any jjreviocuj sea-

son; -Every Saturday a; fair sprinkling ofladics is to be, seen m the grand stand at the Caledonian Ground. It is to be hoped that the titne will come when their numbers will completely fill the grand stand. The University's score of 33 points against the Dunedin is the record total for this year's senior matches. M'Ara showed some of his old form in this match. Seeing that the Rugby Union are sure to have a large sum in hand by the time the trial matches are over, they -might reasonably take into, consideration the advisability of sending twenty players round the colony. Five additional men would clearly meet all emergencies. The dates for the tour of the Otago team have now practically been arranged. The men will be away close on three weeks, and the first match will bo played at Southland on August 22, should that date suit the SoutMand, Union. The team will then travel to Christchurch and play there on Saturdav, the 25th. They next go straight to Auckland, and meet the Northern reps exactly a Week later. The Taranaki match will be played on Wednesday, the 6th of September, and the Wellington contest on Saturdav, the Bth: The question of playing a fifth match was left in abeyance. Wanganui, Hawke's Bay, and Nelson are also anxious to meet the Dark Blues, but it would seem a pity to play another match and interfere with the present progamme, which is a wellarrajiged one, and quite a big i.iiougb order. At any rate, there is not much likelihood of either Hawke's Bay or Nelson being visited, on account of them owing Otago a visit.

With about five more Saturdays to play, the Flag Committee will meet to-night and arrange the fixtures for next Saturdav. It will likely be found that the Kaikorai will meet the Union, the Alhambra the University, the Pirates the Dunedin, and the Zin-gari-Richmohd the. Southern. The Zingari-Riehmond Club have had a pavilion erected on their ground at Montecillo, and as they have to raise £ls towards the cost of its erection they intend holding a concert next Wednesday, for which nearly all the best talent has been engaged. There is, according to Sydney Hies, everv probability of a New South 'Wales team visiting New Zealand this season. Frank Surman, who visited New Zealand with the last New South Wales representative team that toured the colony, and subsequently settled in Auckland and donned the jersey there, has .made his reappearance in metropolitan football in Sydney. He is playing as wing three-quarter for Eastern Suburbs, but on his first appearance his form was very moderate until late in the second half, when he did a little better. _ Though the football season of 1899-1900 m Kngland has ended it has left behind it 'a!, least one matter upon which the attention of the whole football world is riveted. The' grave charges which have been made against HiUma.it. the Burnley captain, in connection with tho match* bet ran Burnley and Notts Forest, have aroused a tremendous sensation, and the result of the inquiry which is to he held into the allegations is'eagerly awaited. In the closing days of the season, it will bo remembered, the two clubs who occupied the bottom position in the First League were Preston North End and Burnley, and one or" other of these two was therefore destined to descend to the Second Division. Both clubs w«re of course anxious to escape this fate, and the decision remained in the balance right up to the close of tho season. . Burnley's last match was with Notts Forest, at Nottingham, and it is alleged that before the match the Notts team were offered a bonus of £2 per man if they would wilfully throw away the game. This offer was, it* is stated, immediately and indignantly rejected, and the gamo started. At half-time Notts Forosf were two goals ahead, and it is said that during the interval the offer of a bribe was renewed, the amount being this time increased to £5 per man. This offer was, however, likewise sternly refused, and ultimately .'Burnley had to r'etii-e beaten bv four goals to nil. These arc the ;il!egcd facts of the matter, and both in justice to the clubs and tho players concerned they call for the most searching investigation oil the part of the authorities. A younj; man named Hesse, one of the best of the district players, died at Ruthcrglen, "Victoria, on June 1. Hesse had been recently injured in a match between Beechworth and Ruthcrglen, and had been operated on without success. Last year, when the- English footballers were in Sydney, the R«v. M. Mullineux, captain of the team, drow attention to several points on which colonial interpretation of tho rules differed from that of the English Union. In one point the New South Wales R.F.U. had deliberately agreed to differ. In this case the N.S.W. Union permit the kicker, when a. free kick has been awarded, to place tho ball; whilst the English Union do not permit the kicker, to handle the ball under anv circumstances. In deference to the English footballers, it was agreed that the English custom should be followed in all matches with them, but the local custom was continued in all local matches, and also in" those with Queensland. Since that date the International Board, composed of representatives from the 'English, Scotch, Irish, and Welsh Unions, have made a pronouncement on the point, and decreed in black and white that "the kicker, ma-- not, under any circumstances, touch the ball when on the ground, even though the charge has been disallowed." BILLIARDS. John Roberts, the well-known billiard player, has been; giving some exhibitions of his skill in Perth (W.A.). In games of 1,000 up he defeated the amateurs Eales and. Ogbourn*, conceding each of them 650. He was beaten two games out of lane at pyramids by Mr H. A. Carter, to whom he conceded 6in 21. He beat A. Scott after conceding him 550 in 1.000, and also won two games of pyramids out of three. _ A match was becun on June 7 at Menkes s Hotel, Melbourne, between F. Weiss, champion of Australia, and F. Smith, champion of Victoria. The match is 10,000 up, Weiss conceding his opponent 2,000, and is for £2OO. At the end of the first day's play the score was: Smith 2,965, Weiss 1.252. Next day the scores were: Smith 4,001, Weiss 2,126, so that the latter had only wiped out 125 points of the handicap. Smith's best breaks were' 73, 57, 46. 46 40 100, 42, 55, 57, 44, 41. 51, 81, 85. 79. 41, 49, 48. Weiss's best were 57, 45, 85, 47. 65. 55, 46, 90, 139, 104. 44, 42, 71, 48, 81, 134, 54. The second day was' Smith's day. He not only, wiped out his deficit, but at the close of the play had a balance on the riclifc side. In the afternoon he ran 535 to Weiss's 601, and in. the evening 501 to the New Zealander's 273, tints scoring much better than the giver of points. The totals at the end of the" fourth se/;'-ion were • Smith 4,001. Weiss 2.126. Breaks : Smith, 149, 85, 81. 79, 57, and 51: Weiss, 134, 133, 81. 71, and 54. On the following Mondav Weiss showed something like his correct form, and at the conclusion of play had once more advanced to the front, and had scored his points 13,750), whilst tho Melbourneite was 186 behind his. The scores were?Weiss 3.750. Smith 4,814. The sc. es at the clr.'se of the two sessions mi June 12 were : Weiss 4,710, Smith 6,000. The breaks were : Smith, 135, 100. 67, 83. Weiss's breaks on Monday and Tuesday Were : 234. 90, 87, I'l6, 141. 130 (126 of this break was off the red ball).

A match of .1,500 up between Weis.s and S. Woods was concluded at- the Arcadia Hotel. Sydney, on June 1. Weiss, who had conceded 900 to his opponent, won by 250 points. The winner's best breaks were 102, 82, 60, and 59. CRICKET. The Yorkshire team began their season in brilliant style by defeating Worcestershire in one day with,.an-innings to spare. Ruin,, which fell heavily jn the North of England on Sunday night, had considerably, affected the Bradford wicket, and the bowiers had an opportunity to distinguish themselves which they did. not hesitate to- seize. Thanks chiefly to Rhodes, who 'captured eleven wickets during the day for 36 runs, Worcestershire were twice dismissed for an aggregate total 0f.'94, which fell 5 short of the.number made by Yorkshire. So completely did the ball master the bat throughout the -match tl\at the highest individual score was only 54, and this was made by Wain wright. It may be noted that this match was the instance of a first class contest being begun and ended in one day.

Report says that this season Mr Lionel Palairet will return to first class cricket, and Mx Palairet is. the chief ajjastlc of sijlein

-batting; 'Cricket is'seldom so deceptive m when Mr Palairet is at the wicket. A couple ofseasoris ago he made a century at the Oval, and the innings was without: fault or flaw. Surrey's partisans mustered in force m thp pavilion, and again and again expressed themselves at a loss to understand why Richardson and Lockwood were bowling so badly. But it is not only the pavilion cricketer who is deceived—if deceived, indeed, he the legitimate word to use—by the man who bats in perfect style. Of style, as we understand the word, the Australian cricketers are guiltless. Yet the Australians themselves appreciate, if possible, more than we do the quality in which they are defiClen i' J , Tlle lir ' st g en «-atiori of Australians candidly said that they wondered how Mr A. P. Lucas ever got out. The present generation of Australians have made the same remark about Mr MacLaren.— '' Westminster.' . CYCLING. It may be taken for gospel that a bad smash-up such as experienced by the clever httle Catford cyclist J. Platt-Betts the year before last, coupled with the minor but still nerve-shaking spill, he sustained last summer, has not improved bis* powers, so one can only speculate as to what sort "of a wheeling wonder Betts would have been had he escaped the ills a racing cyclist is heir to. On the Crystal Palace track on May 7 Betts with motor-pacing, broke the reeords for six, seven, and eight miles, covering the distances in lOmin 25 4-ssec, I2min lOsec, and lomm 54 l-ssec, beating the previous best tor the last-named distance by- Palmer bv 3 2-sscc. - . . •" GOLF. On Saturday, at the Belleknowes links, the St. Andrews Golf„Club p l a yed (l , natch for the captain's medal. The day was fine and the ground in splendid order, consequently-; the-scores of all pjavers showed an unproyement on previous Saturdays. Mr .fames, Gow proved an easv winner, with the fine score 0f.88—4—84, Mr R. Smith jun being second ,rith 95. Mr Campbell third with \)(. It was evidently Mr Gow's day out, his score of 88 gross being a'record for the present round of the and will, it is hoped, prove an incentive to others to further lower the record. TURF. The man who scooped the pool over The Grafters City and Suburban win was Bob ! 0 ™" r ' *" h s> j s said to have takeu over £20,000 out of the Ring. Color is given to this report by the fact that Mr Siever is now spending money ris;ht and loft in the purchase of blood stock. He lately bought Jam Jar for 400 guineas after the horse had won the April Selling Plate, and he has also purchased privately several reputedly Smart two-year-olds. The New Zealand-hred Malachite won the Commons.Plate at Cashel a few weeks ago, but an objection was raised by the owner of Modest Moll, which ran second, on the ground thai a foreign certificate had not been lodged. The Cashel stewards investigated the case at Clonmel and upheld the destlTon ' Sl; ' kC beiMg awarde(l to Mo-. FIELD ATHLETICS. At New Haven on May 5. the inter-uni-versity track athletic contest (California v. lale resulted in Yale winning by 8i points to oi .points. The summary of events is as follows, lusts only being counted, but medals being awarded to winners of firsts ana seconds:— One Hundred Yards Dash.-Cadogan (California) Richards (Yale) 2 ►Time, 10 3-s S ec. -two Hundred and Twenty Yards Dash.— l ' Cado^»'^Woriiia.r 2: Four Hundred and Forty Yards Dash.— Boardmaii (\alo) 1, Dramm (California) 2. lime, oo 2-ssec.

le o R r im — Smi,h < Ya,c > 1. Service (California) 2. Time, 2niin 0 2-ssec Mile Uum-Wcalon (Yale) 1, Sneer (Yale) 2. lime, 4mm 46sec. • ' One Hundred and Twenty Yards Hurdle Hiomas a'alc) 1, Hamlin (California) 2. limo, 16 4-ssec. '

Two Hundred aud Twenty Yards Hurdle Thomas (Yale) 1, Woolsey (California) 2. limn, Zo 2-ssec. Ellsworth (Yale) and Broughton (California) tied in the broad jump, and the one point is divided. Distance, 20ft Bj[in: Shot Put.—Beck (Yale) 1, Plaw (California) 2. Distance: Beck, 41ft lliu; Plaw, 39ft . f ?°}°: yaulWohnston (Yale) 1, Hoffman (Calif orna) and Adnance (Yale) tied for second. JtlClHfllt, lilt. /v ls j a ! ,,mcr Throw.—Plaw (California) % Clark i" le >?- Distance: Plaw, 139 ft 3in; Clark, 127ffc 7m. High Jump.—Woolsey (California) 1, Hoffman (California) 2. Height, sft 8 7-10 in. THE AMATEUR. QUESTION. A writer in 'Athletic News' has the following remarks on the subject of amateurism : —A field-marshal is not an amateur, but he is a professional soldier. The same applies to every, officer, yefc the terms officer and gentleman are synonymous and inseparable both in traditional popular esteem and in military law. Why can we not openly as we secretly have professional encketers, whose status on the criclcet field will correspond to that of officers in the army? We have them as it is, but with that charming inconsequence which distinguishes us an a nation we veil in hypocrisy a so-called secret which is a matter of everyday knowledge, a mere commonplace known of the world, and not of the inner circles of officialdom merely. It is no more a slur on the average cricket professional to say that the paid amateur is, as a rule, his superior in education and by birth than it is to tell the private soldier that he follows blue blood in a red coat, and should follow brains if education and apportnnity cau produce, or, at least, cultivate them* Nor is it any reflection upon a poor gentleman that, being a great cricketer and fond of the game, he combines business with pleasure by receiving pay in any form, direct in expenses, indirect for nominal and real services in some clerical capacity. The real hardship rests on the fact that such a man is a compelled hypocrite. His birth calls him to be a leader, and an hypocrisy lays him open to the cheap success of the gossips. Cricket is a business just as war is a business, and there is glory to be won on the fields of both. Why,* then, continue the farce? Let us call the cricket spade a spade, and recognise our cricketers as we recognise the army, as professional cricketers when they are professional cricketers, and that too without any greater reproach attaching to the paid amateur than attaches to the paid " officer and gentleman." It is in the .decit that the disgrace lies. Onj certain effect of such recognition would be to increase the supply of talent, and the effect of that increase would be to raise the standard of cricket excellence.

An excellent Scotchman had for thirty-seven years brought, home his full wages every week. Once attliOieudDf a period he gave his wifo sixpence less - than tho full amount. This so distressed the thrifty woman that she went to cbusult the mcenistcr on the subject. He tried to comfort her by saying that sixpence in thirty-seven years was not a large amount; "It's no the monoy I'm thinking of," she replied, -'but I'm fearing that Mac has been taking to drink and batting may be, and other worldly pleesures."

Tobacco has taken rank among tho necessaries of life. Only one brand is included animiff tho luxuries—namely, Golden Baclo [Advt.] : . v ■

Club. a J5 e a g n Poi 1 n to. ia 'S a. a Alhambra... 7 T 1 ~T 64 "iir ~n Union 7 4 1 2 5S 8 10 Kaikorai ... 7 3 2 2 37 17 8 Ziogat-i-Richm'od 74 3 0 18 51 8 Pirxtea .- 7 :i 4 0 23 20 (i University 7 3 4 0 47 32 6 Bunedin ... • 7 2 5 0 23 78 4 Southern 7 1 5 1 13 49 3