FOOTBALL STARTS AGAIN

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 75, 30 March 1939, Page 24

FOOTBALL STARTS AGAIN

RUGBY LEAGUE.

SATURDAY'S OPENING. CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHES. MR. IVAN CTJLPAN TO KICK OFF The official opening of the season with championship matches will take place at C'arlaw Park on Saturday. J t was decided at the meeting of the Control Board to invite Mr. Ivan Culpan, who has reached his twenty-first year as secretary of the League, to kick off for the 3 o'clock match. The secretary was instructed to arrange for officials of the board to receive the Sydney clubs' team upon its arrival by the Mariposa on Monday morning. The visitors will play their first game against Ma.rist Old Boys on Easter Saturday. As the total proceeds of the series of matches against the visitors are being devoted to the injured players' fund there will be no free admissions to Carlaw Park. The match chaiges will: Ground 1/0, ladies 1/. children 6d, with grandstand 1/. Nominations for the senior club seven-a-side teams, to play a special competition as iwirt of the programme for Saturday week, are to close on Saturday next. The question of the status of senior clubs without sufficient strength of junior teams was raised in a remit from the Junior Control Board, which claimed that several senior cluUs did not encourage tihei-r juniors. Thereby these clulw infringed their light of affiliation to the senior grade.

Mr. D. Wilkie, chairman of the Junior Control Board, said the matter merited some finality in view* of the poor support given junior football by several senior clubs. On the suggestion of the chairman bhe matter wan referred to the Senior Offieel's' Association for consideration. Mr. Wilkie reported that nominations for teams in the junior grade competitions, expected to start on April 29, would close on April 18. Mr. J. Wilson, secretary of the English Rugby League, advised by cable that both M. Stephens and C. Blacklaus, late of the Rochdale Club, -had been granted a free clearance to play in New Zealand. They will play this season for the Xe\Vton Club. The following applications for membership were appiwed: W. K. Greer. H. Hulton. Hultan (City), H. M. Milliken (Papakui-a), J. B. Donaldson (Mount Albert), E. Montague, D. Ravell (Xewton). D. Morgan. F. B. Schroder (North Shore). M. Puckey, J. Munro, J. Marsh (Manukau). SATURDAY'S CONTESTS. Senior. —Richmond v. City, Carlaw Park. No. 1. 3 p.m.. Mr. S. Billman: Papakura v. Mount Albert. Cnrl.i\v Park. Xo. 1. 1.30 p.m.. Mr. C». Kelly: Ponsonb.v v. Manukau, Carlaw Park, No. 2, 3 p.m.. Mr. O. Chalmers: Marist v. Newton. Carlaw Park, No. '2. 1.30 p.m.. Mr. A. Klnnard. Reserve Referees. —Messrs. T. Evans, .7. Donovan. I.inr.sinen : Carlr.w Park. No. 1. Messrs. K. MeTvor. K. Mineham; No. 2. Messrs. J. Hawkes, P. Brady.