FOOTBALL.

FIXTURE 3.

July 30— Canterbury v. South Canterbury, at Chrißtchurch. August I— Canterbury v. Southland, at Christchurch. August i— Southland v. South Canterbury, at Tinwu. August 4— Nel'o'a v. Taranaki, at New Plymouth. August 6— Nelson v. Wanennui, at Wanganut. August B— Canterbury v. Wellington, at Welling-

ton. August 8 -Otago v. Southland, at Duuelin. AugU3t B— Queensland v. Auckland, at Auckland. "August B— Nelson v. Manawatu, at Palmerston North. Auguit 11— Canterbury v. Manawatu, at Palmer-

Bton North. August 13— Queensland v. Wellington, at Welling-

ton. August 15 — Queensland v. New Zealand, at Wellington. August 18— Wellington v. Taranaki, at New Plymouth. August 20 -Queensland v. Canterbury, at Christchurch. August 22— Queensland v. Otago, at Dunedin. August 22— Wellington v. Auckland, at Auckland. August 25— Queensland v. Southland, at Inver-

cargill. August 26— Otago v. North' Otago, at Oamant. August 27— Wellington v. Howka's Bay, at Napier. August 29— Canterbury v. Otago, at Chris fcchurch. September I—Taranaki1 — Taranaki v. Otago, at Hawera. September s— Auckland v. Otago, at Auckland. September 10— Hawke's Bay v. Otago, at Napier. September 12— Wellington v. Otago, at Welling-

ton. September Otago v. Southland at Invercargill.

NOTES BY FOBWARB.

• . • The football matah North Otago V. South Canterbury has been postponed indefinitely.

* . ' The Southland representative football team arrived in Duaedin last Thursday by the train from Clinton, and being unable to get away, as had been arranged, on Friday by steamer left for the north by th% train on Saturday morniag. P. Anderson has taken the place of Dacre in the team.

' . ' The match between Queensland and New South Wales at Sydney on Saturday last resulted in a viotory for the visitors by 13 points to 7. ' . * A match was played on the 22nd inst. at Gore between the Southland representative team and a team selected from' the eastern districts of Southland. The match was won by the representative team by 21 paints to nothing. • . • The New Zealand Rugby Union has appointed Messrs Downes (Dunedin), Evans (Chrisbchuroh), and Facha (Wellington) a. committee to seleob the New Zealand team against Qaeeaehnd. • . • An Alexandra csrrespotidenb writes to inquire if Liudaay M'Kersoy (late of Alexandra) has played for tho C&vevsham Firsb Fifte&u this season, and also if it was he who was mentioned in the Witness of July 2 as having tuken part in a passing rush when playing the University team. The answer to each question is " Yea."

* . ' The match between Queensland and Tar&naki has been abandoned, it being found impossible to have the steamer detained at New Plymouth to take on the visitors, and the New Zealand Uuion has decided to ask the UnionSteam Ship Company to delay the departure of the Wakatipu fcom Dunedin till August 29 to enable the Southland match to be played at Invercargill on. that day. 1 ' . * Tho latest Australian files show that the following players will in all probability visit this colony with the Queensland football team : Backs— R. M'Gowan, J. Coghlan, D. J. Nelson, J. Rundl?, J. J. OShea, W. P. Evans, E. Currie, H. Gralton. Forwards —S. G. Cockorof b, J. B. Higginson, P. P. Fewings, W. H. Austin, F. J. Pollard, W. Tanner, H. W. Soaw, D. Milne, aud a representative from Toowoomba and Mount Morgan. The above are said to be practically certainties.

• . • The following players have notified to the secretary of the O.R.F.U. their ability to m*ke the northern trip if choien in the Otsgo representative team *.— F. Given, A. Hobson, O. M'Korren, J. Lawrie, J. Watson (Alhambra), E. B. Booth (Athletic), V. G. Cavanagh, A. R. Lawry (Caversham), J. Drumm, G. S. Stephenson, W. E. Hay-MackeDzie, A. Mason, C. Martin, J. Toothill, J. Williams (Dunedin), T. Kiog. T. Wood, A. Arraifc, 12. Davis, S. Bs-llantyne, T. Kinvig, A. W. Canning, W. A. Wilkinson, J. Torrance, (Kaikorai), R. P. M&theson, W. Farquharson, J. R. Bart, P. J. Priest, (Pirates), A. M'Lennan, R. Smith, A. M 'Donald, S. D. Minn, W. Harris, R. J. Stewart, and W. Beadle (Union), Reid, A. Foi?dyc9, and H. M'Farlane (Zingari-Rioh-mond). W. J. Cran, J. MacJonald, and G. E. Bray (University) have notified their preparedness, if necessary, to go a certain distance with the team.

* . * The weather having cleared somewhat on Saturday, tho O.R.F U. trial match was played on the Bishopscourt ground, which, though on the heavy side, was in surprising condition considering the ram that) had fallen on the three preceding days. One or two alterations were made in the teams as originally composed. Mason took the place of Davis and M'Lennan filled that of Booth on the Blues' side. The vacancy on the Colours' side caused by Mason's transference- to the Blues' team was filled by O'Shea, and the places of Smith and Beadle in the Colours' team were respectively filled by Samson and Stewart. The match, which was controlled by Mr J. Croxford, had for a trial match an uuusual termination, -neither side scoring, and the result consequently biiag a draw. On both sides fchera was a good deal of admirable individual play and some good combined work, but the greasy state of the ball prevented its being handled with accu'acy, and a good many kuocks-on were recorded. The plaj was frequently open and fast, and the practice was, on the whole, a useful and satisfactory,one. • . • The Green Island (Association) Club held a practice match at Burnside on Saturday between the first and second t:ams, a good game resulting in a win for the seniors by 6 goals to 2. Good form was shown, by Scott, Kerr, Harraway, Barnes, Crawford, and R. Moreland.

• . • Of the 54 players whoße names were given in last week's Witness as having been desired by the Match Committee of the O.R.F.U. to keep themselves in form in view of the forthcoming visit of the Otago team to- the North Island, no fewer than 38 have notified their ability, if chosen, to make the complete tour. The remaining 16 include seven members of the University Club— three of whom have signified their ability to go a certain distance with the team, if thoir services should be required— and also two or three prominent players who, although they have not given in their namea, will, I believe, turn out to be in a position tomake the whole trip. , One of bheae is Duncan,without whom the Otago team would certainly not be representative, and without whom the New Zealand team will not be representative. It ii believed that no obstacle will be placed in the way of the Kaikorai captain making the trip to Auokland and back The response vtuoh h*i been made by playexs to the Invitfc-

tion of the Match Committee can only, I think, b9 regarded *s surprisingly large, and the effect! will be, unless unforeseen difficulties arise here* after, that the Otago Union will be enabled to be represented by pr&obically its full strength in some, at least, of the northern engagements.'

' . * .Anyone who ventured to express an opinion on Friday last that the O.R.F.U. trial mafoh would be played on the following day would probably have had his sanity questioned, a* the majority of the grounds in and around Dunedin were on that day virtually under water ; bub the Bishopscourb ground evidently possesses remarkable recuperative properties after rain, and the decision whioh was come to oa S ibardtij morning to hold a match on that ground was amply justified by the evaub, foe a V9ry serviceable praotica— iu which nearly all of thoseFwho had been picked took part — was held. The play was principally confined to the forwards, some of whom showed firsb-olass form, those who did best work probably being Torrance, Favquharson, Canning, WMson, and M'Farlane. Behind the scrum Mason, on thtt Blues' tide played ono of his best games, and Duncan and Fordyce both acquitted themselves well ; while opposed to ' them, O'Shea was frequently smart and Cran did a great deal of defensive work, Armit played with a good deal of dash at three-quarter back for the> Colours, but Stephenson was less prominent, and Mackenzie, who had been absent from the field for three or four Saturdays, f ambled greatly. Somehow or other Macdonald does not^aem tohave much luok in the way of getting the' hall to his side, but he made no mistake.!, and at on the previous Saturday, Wood showed much cleverness at centre three-quarter back. The full backs, L&wry and Matheson, both kicked well and both were troubled by the greaiinesi of tho ball sa that they did not alwaya take fcha ball cleanly.

' . * Tne following strong team, pent by the English Rugby Union, will by this time be in South Africa :— J. F. Byrne (Midland Comities) and C. A. Boyd (Trinity College, Dublin), backs ; S. Lee (Irish International team), L. Bulger (Irish International team), 0. GK Maokie (Cambridge University), and 0. 0. Robiason (Northumberland County), three - quarter backs ; L. Magee (Irish International team), 8, F. Bell (Cambridge University), and M. Moltfneauz (Cambridge University), half-backs ; J, Hammond (Blackneath), R. C. Mullins (Qxford UniTersity), W. J. C*i;ey (Oxford Uaiversitiy), W. Mortimer (Cambridge University), A. P. Todd (Cambridge Unirersity), J Seily (Irish International t«im), T. J. Cre»n (Irish Int«rnational team), A. D. Clinch (Irish Inter* national team), F. Hancook (Somerset CountyY, Q. W. Lee (Northumberland County), ft, Johnston (Dublin Wandsrera), and another, forwards. Mr Roger Walker (president or the Euglioh Rugby Union) accompanies the teira as manager.

* . * The following, which. I take from the notes contributed by the writer of football gossip in the New Zealand Herald, boats upon' the high-handed dotarminction of the New Zealand Union to take all the reueipts of the matches pUyed batweea provincial union* and the Queensland team :— " It is understood that the New Zealand Ragby Union propose' taking over the management of the Queenslanders in their tour through the colony, Tho governing body will pay aU expaases-und plaoa the neb results to the oredit of theiv funds, no doubb with a view to flndiug capital to send the Maorilanders through Australia in 1897." It is quite in keeping with the past history of the N.Z. Union that it should not go through the fovm, which courtesy would' demand, of consulting the provincial unions as to the terms upon which the Queensland team should play them. If a thing can be done in a diocoarteous way the New Zealand Union may be depended upon to do ib in that way. • . • It seems to me, however, that there is not merely a question of courtesy involved in this matter— that of the decision of the New Zealand Union to seize all the receipts of the matches played between the Queensland visitors and the provincial unions— but- that the provincial unions have rights which they should be careful to have respected. Uader the byelaws of the New Zealand Union the object* of that body are declared to be "to foster and control Rugby football throughout the colony, to make all preliminary arrangements for teams visiting this oolony, and to take the entire management of New Zealand representative towns leaving the colony." Here, however, the New Zealand Union seeks to take entire management of a team visiting the colony — a thing its bya-l&ws do not empower it to do— and it eesks to deprive the provincial unions of so much as a voice in the arrangement! for matches that are to be played on their grounds bstween their repreient&tives and the visitors. ' . * In this connection I may perhaps be excused for hacking baok to a statement which I have previously had occasion more than once to quote— a* statement made by Mr J. P. O. Campbell, at the time when he was president of the New Zaalaad Union, to the effect that "i& was not intended that the New Zealand Union should interfere in any way with the internal economy or finances of the affiliated union*." I do not know hrW there could be a more direct interference with the interval esonomy and Gnat, cea of the affiliated unions than the inter* fereDCO which, is being proposed at the present time— interference in the direction of resolving to seize all the takings at the matches played by the affiliated unions against Queensland without having previously consulted the affiliated unions in the matter. I am pleased to learn that among the provincial unions there *re those whion are prepared to resist such an unwarrantable and high-handed proceeding on tho part of the New Zealand Union. • . • I have been more than surprised that there has not been an indignant protest from some of the unions in the colony respecting the breach of faith committed by the New Zealand Union in arranging the programme, for the touc of the Queensland team. When- the playera from Woolloomooloo and Surrey Hills and elsewhere, comprising the New South Wales team, were in the colony two years ago, the then secretary of the New Zealand Union promised the Marlborough and Man*watu Unions— and I am not sure that the promise wai not extended to the Bush Uaion—tbat, as, a solatium for not getting matches against the New South Walea team, they would receive visits from the Queensland team. There was probably never any intention that that promiie would be redeemed. At any rate it is not bsing redeemed and the unions affected have good reason for discontent over tho breach of faith.

♦ . • The weekly meeting of the committw of the Otago Rugby Union, held on Monday afternoon, was attended by Messrs Gallaway (president), Duncan, Montgomery, Strong, and Hutchison, Ifc was resolved to depart from, tho originallyadopted programme for the northern tour by arranging bhab the team should proceed right through from Wellington to Hawera ou August 31, instead of staying for ths ni|[hb at Wanganui *, and, in reference to an offer from tho Taranaki Union to. pay the expenses of the Otago players in Hawera, it was decided that, while acknowledging the kindness of the offer* the Otago Union would prefer to adhere to its. rale of paying the whole of its team* expanses. The Oaversham, Dunedin,. Union* G»mbr|an_ Cliuboo, Bxoeliipr, L»wrcuoei Matakwar

Maniototo, Melrose, Milton, High School, Qwaka, Port Chalmers, Prospectors, Star, St. Bathans, Taieri, Warehousemen, and West Taieri Clubs were reported as being in arrears with their dues, and the secretary was instructed to give them warning under by-law 13.

CHRIST'S COLLEGE v. OTAGO HIGH

iCHOOL,

The match High School (Otago) v. Christ's College (Chrintohnroh) wafl pUyed on the College ground on Monday. The ground was in splendid order considering the rain that had fallen, and there wai & large orowd of spectators, including many ladies. Immediately after the kick off the College attacked strongly, the pasting among their baoks being particularly good, and Ootterill wound up a splendid run by scoring near the corner flag. The try was not improved. Shortly afterwards Bar tieman, for the School) got olean away, but the ball was called back for an infringement. After some play in midfleld Birfclemau again got away, but was finely gras«cd'by the College fullback. Half time was then called. Holmes had to retire, and his place was taken by Smith, the School for the rest of the game ; playing three halves. In' the second epell the- game was fast, and open, the ' School playing a splendid defensive game, tent, the College were not to be denied, and Cotterill scored two more tries, both being the results of fine runs. Louision kicked a goal from one try, and the gams ended in a win for the College. The soores being : College .'.. ... 11 points. Sohool Nil The College wings were allowed a great deal of latitude in coming round the scrum, and they smothered the School's paising. For the Sohool White, at full'baoV, played a splendid game, and time nf r er time saved his side-. Both M'Kenz : e and Allen did good defensive work, and the forwards played a hard game. Western, Ormsby, and Cotterill were the best of the College back*, and Ollivier was very good on ' the- line out. The game all through was very fast, and wai admittedly one of the best seen in ChrUtohuroh for a long time. Mr F. T. Evans was referee. The following shows the results of the matches between the institutions since their initiation : — 1883, at Dunedin.— College won by one try (2 points) to nothing. 188*, at Christchurch. — College won by two goals one try (11 points) to ono try (2 points). 1885, at Dunedin.— School won by one goal one try (6 points) to nothing. I^B6, at Christchurch. — School won by two goals two tries (13 points) to nothing. JSB7, at Dunetfin.— College won by two goals one try (7 points) to one goal one try (4 points). 1888, at Christchurch.— College won by oue goal (3 p inte) to one try (1 point). 1889, at Dunedin.— School won by five goals three tries (18 points) to nothing. IS9O, at Christchurch.— School won by three goals one try (10 points) to one try (1 point). ' . 1891, at Dunedin.— School won by four goals two' tries/ (14 points) to two goals one try (7 points). 1892,, at Christchurch.— School won by six tries (12 points) to one try .(2 points). . 1893, at Duntdiu.— School . won . by one goal three tries (10 points) to one goal (5 points). 189t, at Christchurch.— School won by three goals one try (18 ' points) to one try (3 points). 1895. at Dunedin.— School won by one try (3 points) to nothing. ' " > ' 189tf.-r College won by one goal two tries (11 points) to nothing. DISGRACEFUL CONDUCT, . • Melbourne, July 27. A disgraceful melee took place on Saturday itft&rnoon at a football mafcefi at Collingwood between a looal team and North Melbourne. When play ceaied the crowd rushed the ground and, seiz«ng Mr Roberts, the Sold umpire, dragged him about by the hair -of bis head, while others kicked •> him and beat him with sticks. A. party of players and police had great difficulty in recouing him from the angry mob. Several women took a prominent part in the row, and renewed the attack when Mr ■ Roberts reached the pavilion, bur, with the assistance of a strong body of police, he managed to escape in a cab.