"SPORTS" OF EMPIRE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 83, 8 April 1915, Page 6

"SPORTS" OF EMPIRE.

READY FOB THE WAS GAME. - MR. A. M. MYERS , ADVICE. X K'.KI*~TH V, GAMES GOING. Presiding over tho aimnal meeting of tlio Au<6C'huid R'lgby League,.lw.ld in tlve Gbarrtber of Commerce last-evening, Mr. A. M. Myena, MJ , ., the president- of the League, strongly favoured the—continuance of eports and pastime* as being conducive to (the confidence and fitness of tho nation.

Moving the-adoption of the annual report and balance-sheet—a summary of which lime already been published—Mr. Myere eaid that in npite of tihe fact. t>hst some people declared that w were- paying , too much attention to -sport, he was oif opinion ifchait ewry encouragement should be given to it. We wore going through very Ktinring times, and. Lord Kitchener's comment that it was going to Ibe a. war of attrition was likely to prove correct. It was a questioa of endurance, and if -tin* Brrtbsh nation had aot been an athletic nation—were ibtrcre not co many devotees of eport amongst its people—the outlook would be quite different -/from *lmt which- presented itself.

"Wo em> going to ccc thie thing through and win, beamsc we ture sporte, and are determined to wach itihe goal," continued Mj". Myers. "In this war the goal is onr all, our «xistencc4ie a imtnm, and vl. in because -we arc possessed of the emfcuranee and fortitude of 'the eport' tihat we cat* look upon the ultimate- outaume with assurance." li the iratiou as a wiholo had not indulged in eport, the peruentage of Tejecte in the army would be coTsklerably more than obtained at Che jnr<wfirt. time. Those who advocated the continuance of eport were doing their duty to the country from that aspect.

"Of course," continued Mr. Myers, "if Hk sports were to refrain from enlieting, Ahcre would be good cause to •complain, bat I am gkwt to say that the per(vtttagn of sports serving in the Army throughout the whole Umpire is quite eatisfavjtory. Lam very proud to find by the report that the League hae already sent a large number of players to fclw front. There aTe now 200 League players in tlhc ranks, and I am pleased to soc the i uptlmr assurance that if another 200 ie required they will be found fit, and in form, ready to join Kitchener's army.' , (AipptaußC.) BOOM FOR BOTH LEAGUES. Alluding to- the financial aepect* of the report, Mr. M.yore congratulated the members of "the League on the eatfrfactory in-salt of fcht; iaet season. There had Evidently been a very great improvement in the standard of the game, and thvjc was no doubt that, from a spectacular point of view, the League game would corn-pore very favourably with any other game played. The question bad been raided as to whether there was any juetifßaitioit for the League game. Aβ au ardent devotee of the good old Rugby game, he wan of opinion that there vtjit room for both. What wan wanted was more plajeis and fewer onlookers. We did not want thirty ot fifty men in training and 10,000 spectators. He did not doubt that the time wus not far distant -when there would be a representative League football tour in tlio United Kingdom, which would be able to.lender as satisfactory an account as tbc good ukl All Bfatcke did. (Applause.) H« Sloped that when <&he mt tt-uv over that matter wouM be seriouely considered. (Hear, hear.) He heartily i congratulated the executive on tb< satisfactory financial results of the past season.

On the motion of Mr. R. Benson, secrmded by Mr. J. Endean, Mr. A. M. Myers was re-elected president of the League, and the were re-elected, with the addition of Mr. A, E. Glover, M.P., and officer* o£ the League were also re-appointed.

The secretary (Mir. R. A. Spinley) announced lettens from tbe City Rovers and the Graf ton Athletic Ctube, congratulating the executive on the eatiefaatary way in which they bad diecharged thrir duties. NEW TROPHIES. Mr. R. Roope wrote, intimating that he was prepared to offer & silver roonuir for a knock-out competition, and it was furoher announced that Mr. J. Endeon was offering a handsome shield for the new fifth gmde competition. Further correspondence intimated that the Senior Cadets were considering the possibility of forming teame <to play the League game, and that Mangerc and the Tbeiimw Old Boys' Aeeocia&on were seek' ing affiliation. On *he motion of Mr. Benson, the donors were heartily tibanked for gifts, the management committee eheirman ipayrng a tribute to the work of Mr. Roope on behalf of the League

The president intimated that ho would ibe prepared to offer a trophy for goalkicking, and in epeaidng of the necessity of maintaining efficiency in the art of place-kicking, obeenned tha-t it was lamentable to frequently see games lost by the better side because of failure to get goals. Tibanta to Mr. Myers for hie gift concluded tbe annual meeting. MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE. SEASON TO START OX MAY L A meeting of the committee of management of the League wae subsequently held, under the chairmanship of Mr. B, Benson. Officers for the ensuing year were elected as follow:—Chairman, Mr. R. Bemon ; vice-chairman, Mr. A. W. Ta-t----ton; secretary, Mt. R. A. Spinley; treasurer, Mr. N. C. Culpan.

The letter ifrom the Senior Cadet**, announced at the annual meeting, was discusßed, and the chairman and secretary were deputed to confer wrth the Senior Oadete' Association, at their annual meeting on Monday, on the subject of forming a special grade for cadets.

The City Rovers' Club wrote, inquiring whether it was againet the ruling of the League thai a disqualified member of the -management committee should sit on the selection committee of any club affiliated wjbh the Leaigue. The committee decided to reply that it wae undesiraMe that Mich appointments should be made.

A not Sco of motion ■was tabled for discussion at tfw New Zealand Council meeting, nuggmting that rule r> of tlin N«\v Zealand rules, which has xefenmee to tiukete of admission to League game*, should he amended to bring the Council rules in conformity with those of tih* Auckland League.

It was decided to start the season in the first week in May.

An application from the Manukaiu Club for the uplifting of the disqualification oi

Mr. Childs was deferred to the next meeting.

A Ir.ttor -was received from the oiew Mangere<Cuib, enclosing a .list of 'officials.

It was announced that application from dufo fur representation in the various gTadcs would be considered at the next meeting of the ■■committee, to be held; on. Wednesday evening next.