FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 88, 15 April 1899, Page 4 (Supplement)

FOOTBALL.

The Association game between England and Ireland took place at Sunderland on February 18th, when England won easily by 13 goals to 2. Of the eighteen matches played between these teams, England have won seventeen, and the remaining contest resulted in a draw.

The international Rugby match Ireland v. Scotland, played early in February, resulted in a win for the Irish team by 9 poiats to nil.

Stage The ' Maggie Moore-H. R. Roberts company staged the mining drama 'Forty-nine' to very fair houses on Wednesday evening at the Opera House. Last evening Mr Roberts was tendered a benefit under the patronage and in the presence of Colonel Banks and the volunteers, the N.Z. Natives Association, Supt, Hughes and the Auckland Fire Brigades. A double bill was presented, 'David Garrick' being followed by 'The Chinese Question. From Auckland the company proceed to New Plymouth. . n The winter game will be in full swing again in a very short while now/ All the district clubs have got their annual meetings over, and pi^c^ tice matches will be commenced almost immediately. Few of the senior teams will have changed very much since last year. Whether Newton—last season's champions—will be strong this year I have not heard, but Grafton will have much the same team at the end of last season with the addition of Hiorns, a Napier forward. Ponsonby will have two new men in T. Roberts, late of Newton, and Calnan, a Whangarei wing three-quarter, said to be a good man; while Parnell will have to do without Asher, Phelan, Lang, Pearce and Thomson. City, one hopes, will meet with better luck than last year. 1 am afraid they will not have the services of George Smith, who has to keep the Australasian Athletic Championships in view. Suburbs, had an encouraging annual meeting, and will do their best to place a strong team in the field. It is to be hoped that the district championship contest proves interesting, for the Cup matches will be about the only ones the Auckland public will have the chance of seeing. The Auckland reps, go on tour this year, and no foreign matches will be played in Auckland, unless, of course, the liberal terms offered by the Auckland Rugby. Union to the English team are accepted. The balance-sheet presented at the annual meeting of the Auckland Rugby Union last evening disclosed a very satisfactory financial position. The Union made a profit of .some £518 on last season's working, and is now worth £1910 in hard cash. No other football union in the colony can show a credit balance anywhere near these figures. *« ' ."■• •■••• ■ ";«■• 5 '■