FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 68, 20 March 1915, Page 17

FOOTBALL.

RUGBY. The question of curtailing next sea•son's programme of competitions came up for discussion at the meeting of the Canterbury Union last week. Mr. Kesteven said no hasty decision should be arrived at. It would probably be discovered that there were enough footballers left to carry out the usual programme. The fact that there was a full Hat of football fixture, would deter no one from volunteering tor military service. He was thoroughly in favour of continuing the football fixtures, so long as the requirement* of the Defence Department were complied with. He thought it would be a good thing for the young feHows to have their football, so that they would be kept fit and strong if tbey were required ifor service or decided later on to volunteer. He suggested that Hie rules might be suspended in the meantime, allowing the incoming committee to modify them according to circumstances. It was finally decided to bring forward a motion at the annual meeting empowering the incoming committee to make such modification in tho rules for the current season only, as might be deemed necessary. At last week's meeting of the Management Committee of the Canterbury Rugby Union tho president (Mr. G. H. Mason) informed members that he had no intention of seeking re-election as president at the coming annual meeting. He had been connected with the game for 25 years, and thought he deserved a rest. He thanked committee members with whom he had associated during his terms of office as president for their loyal and valuable assistance. He was not retiring with a grievance, but really felt he was entitled to retirement. He would never lose his interest in tbe game. While Melbourne sportsmen are unanimous as to the necessity lor everyone who can do so joining the Australian Expeditionary Forces to assfet in the defence of the Empire, there is a division of opinion as to whether sports should be allowed to go on, as in normal time*, while the war lasts. There is not likely to be a stoppage of football, as there is a concensus of opinion against the proposal. Mr. S. McCrackcn, president of the Victorian Football League, says the public must have gome distraction, and football seems to be the most popular form of distraction. Men are needed to provide the football, therefore it is necessary to continue football matches. As to the other branches of sport, very little has been definitely decided. All golf events of any size have been abandoned, and it is likely that rowing championships, inter-club, inter-city, and inter-State races will not be resumed next season unless the war has concluded. There are only two more regattas this season, and tbeae would not affect recruiting. Members of bowling clubs are practically unanimous in their intention to continc the full programme of games. They point out that tbe vast majority of bowlers are over, and considerably over, the age limit for soldiers. Owing to the cancellation of Easter carnival in Sydney extra matches will be T>lay«;d in Melbourne at that time with visiting teams from South Australia and Tasmania. The stoppage question will be discussed at the annual meeting of the Victorian Baseball League, but it ia not thought that the premiership competitions will be abandoned this year.

NORTHERN UNION FOOTBAUL. South Sydney Rugby League Olub last season handled £ 1427, the proceeds of matches and season tickets amounting to £1367. The club will carry forward only a small credit balance, having paid bonuses amounting to £711 to players, and incurred other expenses, leaving a credit of £1 12/10. Negotiations are proceeding between the New South Wales and New Zealand Rugby Leagues regarding a visit by representatives of the latter body to Australia during the coming football season. The latest communication received by Mr. H. Miller, (secretary of tbe New South Wales League, ia to tbe effect that the New Zealand League counts on landing its men in Sydney early enough to permit of them undergoing thorough training to shake off the effects of the voyage. It is recognised that in the past the time elapsing between arrival afßl the first match has been altogether too short. The annual statement of the New South Wales League makes interesting reading. The huge turnover of £26,700 is an excess of nearly £7,000 over the previous year's returns. Out of this vast amount the British Northern Union team drew £8113, whilst dub disbursements approximated £8000. The unique feature of the report, sayi the Sydney ""Morning Herald," is that tbe gate receipts and attendances exceeded those of any code of football hitherto known, while tbe share of South (Sydney (premiers) and Eastern Suburbs (City Cup winners) is well over the £1000 mark. Discussing the balance (meet at present under review with several pro* minent enthusiasts at the conclusion of a leading club's recant annual reunion, many salient points came up for criticism. The question raised by a prominent player «v "Are the clubs making the best ease of the game's financial assistance, as shown by their big bonuses?" The querist answered himself in the negative, and contended that, whilst tbe League supervision of the game generally was md-nirabU, a distinct lack of control -was shown m the actual financing of tho chiba. He was also off opinion that the standard of play exhibited during the 1914 season showed a big fafling-off compared with that of previous years. Whilst not agreeing with this opinion in its entirety, says the writer, one confesses that clubs might do more with the "*inerwß of war" than they have done hitherto. The financial success of the game bas as yet only appealed to the clubs as a means to an end. The objective of all grade clubs, from South Sydney down to Annandale, is the winning of the premiership, which not only showers prestige on the successful team, but carries in its wake overflowing coffers in the form of big cheques from the governing body. However, the time must not be far distant when the grade clubs will become alive to their responsibilities, and endeavour to strive for a more cotnmonsense development than now marks their aims and ambitions. I