FOOTBALL.

; NOTES BY FULL BACK. The annual meeting of the West Taieri Football Club was held in the Societies' Hall on Friday evening, when there was a good attendance of members and supporters of the club. The following officebearers were elected — President, Mr James Blair; vice-presidents — Messrs T. Mackenzie, M.P., Messrs Wills, James Patrick, jun., Townsend, Hartley, James Little, Morey, Thompson, and W. Murray; practice captain, J. Little; secretary and treasurer, R. Neill; Selection Committee — Captain, deputy-captain, «nd W. Ccott; delegate to 0.R.F.U., Mr John White; General Committee — Captain, deputy-cap-tain, and Messrs Watson, Wilson, and j Leask; auditors, Misses Neill and Snow; ■coach, ~hlv E. Morey. A deputation consisting of Messrs Brookes, M'lntyre, and MTLeod was present from the Taieri JRoveis with the view of amalgamating the two clubs, but after discussion it was thought best- to remain separate. It was resolved to arrange a match with the Rovers Club at an early date, and to open the season on 27th inst. >, • E. J. Jackett,'Hr H. Vassa.ll, R, Dibble, and H. Archer, who toured New Zealand with the last British team, T?ere chosen to play lor England againsib France, • Having in view the extended leave obtained t>y the members of £be Australian team for the tour of Britain and America, -and the very short ' period Tsetween their return and the next playing season, the council of the New South Wales Rugby Union arranged with the New Zealand Rugby Union ' to postpone the visit of an Australian team to New Zealand from 1909 until season 1910. The terms and conditions of the interchange of visits are still under the consideration of the council. Strange' things might happen one way or -another in the .space of time, and one , thing which I think w.ill happen will be •the declaration of the independence of the Rugby Unions of New Zealand and New South Wales. As sure as I write theße lines payment for broken time will be sanctioned some day in Maoriland ; it is merely a question of time (says an English writer ir the Sporting Chronicle). Speaking, at the smoke concert of the Rowing Association, Mr G. H. Mason said iibat the trouble with regard to professionalism in football had ' arisen from the large amount of money which had" come into the coffers of the New Zealand' Rugby Union, though the union had used it in the main in- the best - interests of football. The trouble -which now existed witn respect to the matter 1 of professionalism had grown out of the triumphant 'career of the. All Blacks, which had resulted in so large a sum of money coming into the" coffers of the New Zealand' Rugby Union. He hoped ie -should jie'ver live to see the ' money thus obtained used for the payment of individual plaj'ers or clubs. No fewer than New Zealanders • were j In the Eastern Counties team which de- j feated Surrey at West Ham in the Rugby County Championship series by a goal and two tries (11 points to 9). And the ■ New Zealand element was responsible for , all the Eastern Counties' scoring, Alan Adams scoring a try and A. C. Palmer ( two tries, the last of which he " converted, and so won the match for his side. The other players were D. G. Macpherson, A. S. Heale, J. Mehaffy, and G. M. Chapman. All six are London Hospital men and e3C-Ota.go University .students. Blair I. SwannelL the new secretary of <the Metropolitan Rugby Union, has a world-wide reputation as a footballer. He first came into prominence as left centre t -three-quarter for Northampton Club and j East Midland County. Afterwards, keeping his pace and putting on weight, he went " into the scrum," and as a forward has represented his county, twice been to Australia as a member of .a British team — j 1899 and 1904 — and lias also represented Metropolis, New South Wales, and Australia; indeed, Swannell holds the unique .record of having represented Britain, New South Wales,- .and Australia. He claims -that he has played Rugby -football in evevy part- of the world where the game is in vogue — France, Germany, South Africa, North and South America, and India. Mr D. R. Bedell-Sivright, who captained the 1904- British team in Australia, wrote to the English pvess (says "The Cynic'" in the Sydney Referee) denying- that the ■members of his team received 3s per day for personal expenses xner and above hotel and travelling expenses. Sis letter was republished' in the Referee. Its contents and his opinions surprised Australians and Now j Zealanders. -I have -since had a. chat with Mr B. I. Swannell, whose views differ from those of the Scottish forwards. I cannot cay what financial arrangements were made during tihe South African tour," said Mr -Swanmell, "-but as regards the Anglo-Australian 1904- tour, Sivright's statements are emphatically wrong. Sivright, as J 'captain amd conumitteeman of the 1904 British team, ought to be aware of the incorrectness and, at the present juncture, unfairness of his statements. Coneideriag how splendidly the 1904- British team was treated in Australasia, Sivrdght's views are ' regrettable. The truth of the matter is that ] every member of the 1904 British team, Sivright included, received 1 an allowance of 3s per day from the time they left Eng- ' land until the final match, and in addition w.are paid a sum of money representing a first class fare to London, and allowance of 3s per day until arrival, and transit expenses from London to their homes. I can vouch for the accuracy of this statement," continued Mr Swannell, "inasmuch as towards the end of the tour I was acting as manager of the team vice . Mr O'Brien, who remained in New Zealand. Sivright didi not accompany the team home ; in feet, he and I were for some time staying up-country together as guests on a station. In view of his extraordinary attitude towards the 'allowances question,' Sivright having received this money, perhaps the Scottish Union will make further j inquiries." The question as to when the proposed alterations to the rule 3of Rug-by football should come into operation was discussed at a meeting 1 of the oonimifctee of the Canterbury Rugby Union recently. The matter was brought up by the receipt of a notice from the New Zealand. Rugby Union of a special (general meeting to be held in Wellington on Matrch 18 to discuss the following motions : — By the Otago Union t ; " That a copy of the amendoneirfs in the laws of the geane, as approved, be transmitted to the English Union, -with an intimation that it is the intention of this

. union to bring the amendmein<ts into force in tiie coming season, and with the request ttiat the English Union will sanction the modification :n: n New Zealand of the iiaws in* tibe manner .that ie contemplated by this union; that copies of the preceding resolution be forwarded' to the New South Wales and Queensland Ri^gbv Unions for their information." By the Welliaagton Union: "That the alterations bo the laws of the ©aroe of Rugby football, as decided by the delegates of the New Zealand Rugby Football Union, at a special meeting of the said union held on October 8, 1908, be not carried into force until such alterations have been adopted by other Australasian Rugby Unions." The chairmasa. (Mr G. H. Mason) said that the matter resolved itself practically into two issues : whether the New Zealand Union, would deliver what amounted to an ultimatum to the English Union, and bring the proposed alterations into force without referring to Queensland and New South Wales, or would follow I the suggestion of the Wellington Union, and suspend the operation of the alterations until Queensland and New South Wales, | had had an oppontunitv of considering' them. He thought that in any case it j would be advisable to obtain tbe co-opera-tion, or at least the opinion, of the Australian Unions 'before applying to the English Union. It w«9 not certain that the English Union would decline to accept the proposed alterations, bu) to .adopt the aliteratione, and to deliver an ultimatum to the Einiglitih Union was not the best means of obtaining Its conearrence. It was suggested that possibly the alterations could b-3 adopted for matches in New Zealand, but th£ English Tules would have to be followed in games with British teams. It was decided that the representative of the union at the special meeting should be instructed to support the Wellington proposal, with the modification that the alterations should not com© into force until the Aiistralia.n Unions had. had an* opportunity of expressing an opinion on them. Mr Miason was -appointed the -committee's representative at the meeting. ' It 13 now stated that the profits on the British football tour amounted to only about £S00 — a result which is considered somewhat disappointing. Although some months have elapsed since the tpuir was concluded, the New South Wales and Queensland Unions have mot yet made a final settlement of accounts with the New Zealand Union.