SOCCER SIDELIGHTS

Food For The Football Fan CHINESE TOUR TO EVENTUATE. (By "Goalie.") The annual general meeting 1 of delegates to the N.A.F.A. will not be held so early this year as intended. owing 1 to the opposition of the ot ago centre. Sec. Spedding, who helps to control the affairs of Otago, strongly objects to the meeting 'being held early as (so he states) there are too many half-yearly balances to be got ready this month and delegates would not be able to attend. He advises the N.Z. centre that Easter Tuesday or Wednesday would suit him and his brother delegates perfectly, they then beclear from business worries and would also have the benefit of reduced fares during the holiday season. No doubt it would all work out very nicely for the southerners, who evidently want to combine business with pleasm-e, but what about those m charge of affairs m Wellington. If such were allowed to be I don't see Sec. Salmon having much relaxation during the Easter week-end. Some people are never satisfied, and . like inese, the Otago centre finds time to do a lot of grousing. Otago, whether by misfortune or intent, is always up against the governing , bodies. If it isn't soccer, its rugby, cricket-^-or the exhibition.

No doUbt some amicable agreement will be reached, but if Sec. Salmon's word goes for anything (and I think it does) the meeting won't be held directly after Easter. Either the 9th or the 29 th of next month will be set down for the holding of it. Clubs and associations throughout N.Z. are reminded that May 1 is the Chatham Cup competitions, as it is the intention of the Centre to have these fixtures dr"awn up as early as possible. Provided grounds are available games will be played on dates specified, wet or 'fine, and there will bo no postponements whatever. Undoubted the Chatham Cup competitions are the most important fixtures connected with soccer football. Qualifying matches will be played between clubs m each affiliated association to determine tHe leading club m its own area, the finnl of the qualifying competition to be completed by July- 7.". When this is done the competition will be divided into four districts, viz. Auckland, Wellington* Canterbury and Otago, minor associations being grouped under these divisions. The winning clubs from each affiliated district will then bi> drawn m pairs, to compete one against the other until a final is reached which must not be later than August 18. The semi-finals of the two successful clubs m both the North and South Island will then 'be played any time up to the first week m September, and the final at the end of the month unless otherwise arranged by the Council. A new rule of interest to clubs and nssoclations competing for the Chatham Cup states that the proceeds of all matches, after paying thereout advertising, ground and other expenses of the match and approved hotel and second-class railway fares of players of. the visiting club, shall be apportioned as follows:— (1) In the matches prior to District matches, 25 per cent, to the N.Z.F.A., 50 per cent to the affiliated controlling a«soclatlon, and 25 per cent, divided amongst competing clubs. (2) In district matches 50 per cent, to N.Z.F.A., 20 per cent, to each affllated controlling association, and 10 per cent, divided amongst each club. (3) In semi-finals and finals, 50 per cent, to N.Z.F.A., 20 per cent, to each affiliated controlling association, and 5 per cent, to each club. Each match shall be considered on Its own basis unless otherwise determined by the Council. For the purposes of this rule, a team shall be deemed to consist of twelve players and a manager. A suggestion put by one of the members at the last meeting of the N.Z.F.A. re club and members' subs overflue is of interest. It was suggested that under a reciprocal agreement between various sports bodies and associations that should a player fall behind m his sub or a club become In arrears to its association such player or players forming such club be debarred from entering into any othor game or sport. Each body to inform the other of such action being taken after the lapse of reasonable time given to pay. Should such a rule come into being it would certainly do away with the everlasting item ono Bees on an association's balance sheets and statements such as outstanding subs due. This method would certainly clean up tho undesirables who get their sport, both cricket, football and hockey for a period each yi-ar free. Attached- to the Soccer game throughout N.Z. are a number of vwy vulutibW* cups and shields for competition among the various associations, nnd this years finds another valuable addition to them. Without doubt tho Chatham Challenge Cup is the moßt valuable trophy to be competed for. Its monetary value is somowhero In the vicinity of £150, and It is doubtful if this keenly sought trophy could be replaced at that figure. Then comes the Brown Shield, also open for competition among the associations of both Islands. Tho Daw-

son Cup, another valuable trophy, is played for m the south alone, while the Skerrett Cup, is open for competition among all secondary schools throughout N.Z. Now comes what is known "The Ashes," really tangible ashes, a relic of a pow-wow between the captains of -the N.Z. and Aussie teams which played some time ago. These ashes are contained m an 1 old safetyrazor case (itself a relic of Gallipoli) and mounted, in a beautifully stained and carved oak container. No doubt the battles to bis fought for the ashes will be the hardest of all the matches to be played during the coming seasons. ■ > The balance sheet of accounts of the Chinese team to Australia last year as presented m the annual report of the N.S.W. Football Association is rather interesting when compared alongside the table of expenses for the N.Z. team which toured that country during the same playing season, also presented m the annual report. The receipt of gate moneya_of the Chinese matches as compared, with those of the N.Z,.matches, show a difference of close on £ 4000. Granted there were nine more matches played against the Chinese team, the attendances at matches must have 'been comparatively larger or else gate charges were higher. But even with this big difference m the initial takings, the net profit of the two tours only show a difference of £339 5s 6d. Expenses for the Chinese tour on the other hand were rather heavy, and no doubt account for the small showing

of profit on the tour. Accommodation, ground hire, entertainment tax, advertising and travelling expenses accounted for £4568 12s. Sd, while for the N.Z. tour the same items ran into approximately" £2291 4s 2d, just over half the cost of the Chinese tour expenses m that direction. Another big item i,n the Chinese tour apart from travelling expenses already is passage money, set down as £1615 0s 6d, Tind with sundry other big items to be deducted one can readily understand where all the profits went to. The only thing connected with the balance sheet of the Chinese tour that is open to criticism is the lack of detail of accounts shown as compared with that on the N.Z. one, but as the tour was financed by the Australian Tours Ltd., perhaps they decided that details of expenses need only be submitted m brief, v. Word has been received by Mr. Bert Salmon, secretary of the N.Z.F.A. that it has definitely 'been decided to send a Chinese team out here this season.

cessful team under its jurisdiction. And now we have seen the American Lawn Tennis Association with flying tail and heavy hoofs, jumping upon the players who make their living by the sport. Now the line between professiono.l and amateur is at best VERY FINELY DRAWN. It would be simple if all sport was as the game of golf and If the majority of "professionals" made their living by their skill. But they don't. And to constitute a man a professional because he accepts money is to raise all sorts of knotty points. When the Australian cricket team which smashed England returned to the Island Continent each member received a handsome "bonus" out of the proceeds of a phenomenal tour. Are they professionals or amateurs? What is the opinion of the English body? And what is the position of J. O. Anderson, Australian Davis Cup star, who allowed a substitute to be found for his business by public subscription on the last occasion upon which he went m quest of the Davis Cup? More, what is the position of the members of tho Bedell-Sievwright Rugby team whicli toured New Zealand m the long ago? They received travelling allowances, whether the Scottish Rugby Union knew of it or not. And by the rules of that union, had it known the fact, they should have GONE OUT FOR LIFE. The real point Is that the present talk of "amateur" and "professional" is all bunkum. Once upon a time, when cricket was played by : gentlemen and Rugby only at the Universities (as It is m Scotland to-day) these distinctions could be insisted on. But to-day times have changed. Sport has become democratic; it has also become world-wide. To send a national side away for any sport is an expensive undertaking — and very few of the best men are now found m the ranks of tho blue blooded — save only m England. And we all know the history of democratic England's success m sport as compared with her REALLY DEMOCRATIC DOMINIONS. In countries where a place m a national three-quarter line Is not given to Perceval Philip Cholmondeley because his father and grandfather held it before him, and becauso the selectors were at Winchester and Magdalen with them and thought them awfully good fellows, In countries where beef and brains count the gentlemen are a small percentage. And that nfcans that most of the fellows chosen to quest honor on the playing fields abroad are of moderate means, and that many of them simply cannot afford the expense of a protracted tour. Add to this the fact that such a chance comes to a n--.n about once m a lifetime, and the sheer unfairness that •a country should not be represented by ITS BEST MEN because of this foolish "amateur" idea and you have a view of the position. The controlling bodies m the Motherland have been largely to blame for what has happened In the past. Their insistence upon their opinions as to what constitutes an amateur has been .a hindrance to all kinds of sport — it has boon a thorn m the aide of more progressive countries owning better athletes, and it has created a good deal of bad feeling. Tho system of barring a