ANNUAL REPORT.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14349, 8 May 1912, Page 6

ANNUAL REPORT.

The annual reportof the New.-Zea-land Football Association.to bo.pin?- ! sentod-at tho annual- meeting,of dole- j Sates to bo hold at Wellington, on "May ] 2-tth. emphasises, the contipu,ed advance of tho Association code of football in New Zealand. . There, wore Associations rtflfiliat<?d to the Now Zealand Football Association, comprising 28.") teams, as follows:—Auckland 15. Canterbury 8, Hawke's Bay 4, Mannwatu ,8, : Marlboirough 7f • Otago 80. Poverty Bay 6, Southland 6, Tarannki 7, Wanganui J, Wellington «fl, and - about- 1.3 • un-affiliat«d team. ,- . This was an increase ■_ of sixty teams over tho previous season. , Tho nuihbbr of,.boys ploying tho game . throughout, the Dominion was much increased;. Auckland hod started »a boys' competition, tor tli<> first Hiinc, ■, with about fifteen ,• t6ame. whilo Wellington commenced a schools competition, with, ten teams. These were only instances--of tlio oporaticins and good work of tlio year;"but- thrirti was still* room ' for 'considerable >worK amongst .the .lower., grades. . Very .Jittlo furtVr had been done .in the matter of Australasian" on the council of the Football Association,, nor indeed towards' tho ( visit• of English team to the colonies, but'• cdrrespoiulenco latterly on thceo matters . hnd given a ; more hopeful* view of tho fiiture, when it; was confidently expected, that soma definite , decision would bo arrived at: Finance seemed to be. the stumbling-block'in' tho- wnjl of an English tour, and. until that could be overcome thero would seem to bo very little, hope 'of arranging such a "tour. It had- been suggested that'each of the,seven Australasian Associations should contribute .£M each for three years-towards'the.-cost, of an English visit. If that, could ™\ done it would amount.to JClOoO.'which sum. should'more'than cover any-loss on such a t»nr- t ' [