AN UNKIND FATE.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 181, 1 August 1919, Page 3

AN UNKIND FATE.

gAWKE'S BAT EEAGTTE GAME. XMPOSSIBEE. XEWTON WILL MEET POXSOXBY.! LX KOOPE ROOSTER RE-PLAY. Dame Fortune once again has played Vainer a shabby trick upon the New Zealand Rngby League, for the Mokoia, with Lay reps, on board, is i held up by rough weather at Gisborne, and there* is now no chance that they I will arrive here in time to play the game against the Auckland reps, on the Domain to-morrow. So instead of the interprovincial contest Ponsonby and Newton will play their Roope Rooster game. Late last night the wire came through saving the team was held up on the Coast, and the match would be improbable, and immediately the secretary, Mr. I. Culpan, got into touch with Mr.! J. Carlaw, the president, and they wired to the team: 'Tailing arrival in time for match, better return Napier. Xo charge ground available for fortnight. Reply nrgent."" So far no reply has been received, but it is n>w evident that the men from Hawke's Bay cannot possibly arrive here in time for the game. The League met at midday to decide •what should he done, and they came to the conclusion that the only other event that would arouse anything like the interest that would be occasioned by the Meeting between Hawke's Bay and the local reps, was the Roope Rooster re-play between Xewton and Ponsonby. Therefore this game was ordered tor the ground to-morrow. This contest, round which a great deal of interest centres, ■will be the fourth meeting between the rival teams in six weeks. The curtainraiser between City Juniors and Sunnygide will be played as originally arranged. There has been racing and chasing about the town to-day to get the players of the two teams and give them notice ot the game they must play. The notice is inevitably short, but nothing else could be done under the unfortunate eirenmstances. The Ponsonby team -will be: F. Delgrosso, E. McGregor, D. Xorgrove, J. Brien, A. MeClvmont, L. Cadman, A. " Cross, W. Walsh, F. McNamara, H. Neal, S. Lowry, S. Chatneld, A. Cadman, W. Cross, J." Clarke, C. "Milne, A. Rae, and J. "Winters. THE CURTAIN RAISER.

The Sunnyslde team against City, on the Domain, at 1.30. is:—S. iM. Wilson, W. Kobinson. A. Godick, H. Douglas, C. J. Stone, H. Dee, J. Wheeler, T. Lowe. J. Buchanan, L. Fraser, H. Murphy, G. Lepine, C. Wheeler, J. Carnahan, B. EmeralL RICHMOND ROVERS. Richmond Fifth A will play Richmond Fourth Grade a practice match at Richmond, at 2.30 p.m. The teams are:— Fifth Grade A.—Short, HyVand, Kelly, CleaL Andain, Lewis, McKinnon, Jenkinson, McDonald, Thompson, -Redwood, Davis. Fourth Grade. —Henderson, Cox, Thompson. ißarber, -Pardington, Elliott, Hyland, Haines, Redwood, -Cairns, Swift, Evans, Draffin. Sixth Grade.—Swift, -Maguire. Heath■waite, B. Davis, Hanlon, Perry. Caddy, Keller, Heath, Jones. Ilou^h.' Mason, Thompson, Teiford, Sutton, Bradburn. QUIBBLE OVEE AUSTRALIAN TOUK. THE FLY IX THE OINTMEXT. Northern Cnion officials and "players alike in New South Wales, regard it as | •unfortunate that there should be disagreement and quibbling over the tour. oi Australia by a representative team next season. . It seems that when the offer was received from Sydney to either send a Team to England, or invite a Northern Union team to Australia, the Northern Union Council carefully considered the matter from every point of view, and then unanimously came to tie conclusion that the time was not opportune to receive visitors in England, and agreed to send out a team to Australia in 1920. The Leeds and Halifax Clubs did not accept this decision, contending that the game needed a fillip in their respective counties, so they circularised the various clubs on the point as to whether they favoured the council's action or wished an Australian side to visit England. " It transpires now that 14 clubs were fa favour of an Australian tour of England, two upheld the council's decision, j four sent neutral replies, and two clubs ' did not answer the letter. Thi3 result was forwarded to the council, which, however, practically ignored it, and pro- j ceeded -with its arrangements. It seems, though, that the elected representatives i of tie Leeds and Halifax Clubs on the | Northern Union Council voted in favour of the tour of Australia by the North-. em Union team. The case against a! visit to England by the Australians is based on the outcome of the last tour of the _yew Zealanders through the northern counties. It is said that they carried away with them about £9,000 as their share of the proceeds of the various "gates," while few, if any of tie Northern Union clubs made any money out of the tour. -They drew but 25 per cent, which had to cover all incidental expenses oi the trouble of arranging matches. ;

It is doubted in many quarters if any advantage accrued from the tour, or *hat it gave the Northern "Union game a ffl«p, as the very next season many clubs ''ere at a very low ebb financially, and the general outlook in some quarters was very bad. However, the council considered all these points when it was fading against the proffered Australian visit to England, and regarded it as a mistaken policy to ask the Australians io come to England at a period when great constructive works was taking place, hence its decision in favour of the Northern Union players going to Australia. The Leeds proposition was for the Australians to visit England in 1920-21, put at the present juncture the feeling is that there would be nothing to stop this tour, even if tie Northern Union sends a team out to Australia next AprlL