FOOTBALL.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16847, 29 May 1920, Page 10

FOOTBALL.

ETJG3Y AT LANCASTER PAKE There vrill bo three senior games at Lancaster Park this afternoon. All the clubs arc on fairly even t-oi res, and t.'-C' final decision is quite in doubt at the present time. The Canterbury r£pro?cnative team will leavj foi during the coming week, to pla* tho Wellington, leyresentativa on Thursday next, Juno 3rd. iIETHVEN Clrt73. A spociil -meeting of tho Methvcn Fostbal! Club was h«ld on "Wednesday errenicj to deal with the allegiiiions rccentlv made by the Ashburton County Ruc'oy Union, ro~ardin7 i 1:o conduct of tbb Methven Football Club, ar.d certain spectators. Mr Grsen presided, and there was a. larje attendance of players er.d 6poct«tors. All tho speakers deplored tho action of a. (section of the on lookers in hcotinz the referee, and it vrs" made clear that the club had no sympathy ■'■it! 1 - "i'rh conflict, but if wrs distincly tinfair that the club phoiild be held {or it. T'h» sirtewnts made r.t it? Uino:i meeting that the behaviour of th« epec-'ator was frov-rned by the bet'in?? market a3 :e----flected frcm lime to time in tho gams v.-ai described as so childish us to require little or no comment. Aft»r a full discussion it ttu decided that Messrs Green. Gnbites, Grubb. S'one, and Dart l>e P7:poinled a R-üb-committeo to the Union wit h a .'lew to havi-xr tho nu'Vr ful'y «noTvr<»d into. As an outcome of ihcharge yt is ff-:ired ttat kcdir.<r members of the senior twill not again. play under the Ashburto:i Union. NEW ZEAiAITD RT7GEY UNION. (i'RirSS ASSOCIATION TKTjEORAM.) WKLLXXGTON, May 28. At the annual meeting of the >"bw Zealand Rugby Union to-r.ijht, on behalf of Marlboro ugh, Mr T,. Silvers moved:—"That the ICow Zealand iSugby Union arrange a Gekerue of insurance for injured players." Tho proposal received iho en-dorsome-nt of several but it wag decided to forward the motion- to the Management Comniittee for tho purpose of drawing Ui-. a detailed report, the sclieme evolved to be circu.atod among unions for consideration before being adopted. ?fr T. H. Jones, for the Management Committee. moved that it be empowered to add to its number an active member cf ih- Ne-w ■ieaiaaid Referees' Association. Mr Sievers seconded the motion, which wss defeated. decided tha-t th© school grant for the 1920 season be increased to £300. Officers wereelocte-d as follows :— Patron his iiiccllciacy the Governor-General; nresident, Mr J. Mclfcod (Tara.noki); vice-presidents,' the pretudenta of tho affiliated unions; hon. treasurer, Mr T. 11. Jones; Management Committee, Messrs S. S. Dea.n (Auckland), G. Howe (Canterbury), li. T. Builey (Hawke's Bay), H. Pattoii (Southland), J T. M. Piki (Canterbury), A. C. Kitto (Southland), and G. W. Slade (Ta.rr.naki); Anoeal Couucil, xvfessrs !•'. Cowlishaw, XV. G. Garrard, and G. H. Mason (re-clected); auditor, Mr D. Kember (re-elected); representative, on English Kugbv Union', Mr C. Vv'ray PaJli3or° (reelected).

Tho Mofrueka {ind Golden Bay Sub-Unions applied for permission to register as a Itugby Union, to be called the Bays' Union. The Nefcon Union wrote supporting the application, which was granted. *A proviso as attached that tho name of the new Union would have to ba approved by the Jvew Zealand Kugby Union's Management Committee'.

Permission "wca given for the affiliation of the Ruby Union. An application for the affiliation of n Main Trunk' Union, with headquarters at was referred back for consideration: by the various-Sub-Uniora concerned.

Mr Wylie moved:—"That the Management Commits bo directed to onquiro as to whether any Union is p?nvinT which havo not been approved by this Union." Mr Wylio eaid ho was rot animated by any feeling 1 of personal animosity, but they ail knew that certain thinsrs were proms on, and it was for th» Committee to take action if tl:o rules were beinrr inf-in'-cd Mr N. li. (Auckland) denied that the .Auckland Union was playing any unauthorised rules.. The motion was carried. It. was decided to leave tho venue for tho "Norfh v. South in the hands of the Maria <7em**nt Commit)^. It was resolved to direct tho Management Com-nift"" to n-ccept a four from South Africa next year. INTEBNATIONAL EUGBY BOAED. FRENCH DESIRE FOR REFREiSES TATI ON. (fsou oub own cokbespondent.) LONDON, April 15. It appears that French Rugby o.iiciak are anxious to havo a say in the deliberations of tho International Rugby Board, and they longed for victory over. Ireland iu order thai their case might bo strengthened. In regard to this desire the "Athletic News" says:—"That tho French claim for ontiunco to tho International iioard as considered a.t the last meeting of the latter body in London, we learned in Dublin, but the matter was remitted to the four nations to consider and report upon. That the nations have not yet 'done so is certain, and we shor.'ld imagine many things muti; bo -thrashed out before Gallic wishes aro realised. We believe a wish exists among some countries that the original scope of the Board should not be extended; and certainly the experience of the Association' football folk with federations and suchlike institutions should not be encouraging to the Rugby people. The Association Football International Board haa never been extended, and probably never will be. "Is France to have- a say equivalent to that of Sootland, or Ireland, or Wales in regard to voting? If that be the idea, trouble will at once be created, for wo are certain some unions will not agree to this. Then, again, the position of th» French Rugby authority in its affiliation to the U.S.F.S.A. must be considered. "\Y© may believe in the thorough genuineness of Ficnih nmateur Rugby football, but the Rugby eection is part .of a national society which has the i power to tcinstate professionals. Do tho Rugby section reserve the right, dike the Athletic division, to reinstate yrofessionala ? Wore French Rugby football controlled by au entirely independent union, as is the case in the nations in the TT-«'t a d and were a request for similar representation made, it is certain that France would have thedr desire gratified. In the meantime one or two little matter® must be thrashed out before the Republic can join the concept. Because Franc© whipped Ireland it does not follow that she must as a convqnenoe bo admitted. New Zealand and South Africa have done thai, but they are not «in the Board." LEAGUE. CANTERBURY v. WEST COAST. With favourable weather conditions tiler* should be a good attendance at English Park this afternoon to witness the Rugby League representative game between Canterbury and 4ho West Coast. Tho visitors are quietly confidant that with the gTound holding their Eor.vards will control play tad hamper the passing of the local backs, the latter being regarded by the visitors as their hardest proposition. The local forwards, with the services of A. E. Shadbolt for a lead, ehould however tax the Coast men. There will be a frequent tiam service to the park gates, and with the stand accommodation patrons will be afforded every facility | of viewing the game.

N.Z. ASSOCIATION.

Various matters of interest are contained in the report of tho Now Zealand Football Association, to be presented at the annual mooting of dole-gates u-ost week. Anticipations of good progrcs3 havo been realised. Challenges for tho Brown Ski old. at present held by "Wellington, have boen received from Auckland, Canterbury, and Poverty Bay. in that ord9r. The question of adequate Soccer news from England has been kept in visrx, and arrangements aro being completed for tho cabling of all Sr3t-cb.cs results from Homo.