FOOTBALL.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19567, 13 March 1929, Page 15

FOOTBALL.

RUGBY.

EMPIRE TEAMS MAY VISIT CANADA. U'KITSD PS-.Sd ASSOCIATION —B3f SLKCTBIC T2 U>o3A?a COPYRIGHT.) LONDON, March 12. The increasing popularity e: Rugby throughout Canada hai led to the proposal th*t Britis.li Dominions and Canadian teams compete in a tournament in connexion with the proposed Empire Games at Hami'tcn, Ontario, in August. IIJ3O.I I J3O. The "Athletic News" understands that the •:oomittee is inviting teams recruited from British Rugby players to yarticipatti aiter !ha tour of Australia and New Zealand, unless the Rugby tournament is postponed. but_ it would be possible to raise teams of British University players and others as the games have been fixed during the holiday season. The "Athletic News" urges that an Empire Soccer tournament also l| e included.— United Service.

ALBION CLUB. There v.-a 3 a tjood attendance list evening at the annual meeting of the Albion Fooibjll Ciiib. Mr li. Vs\ Briiton presiding. The chairman said they had done well last year on the field, but they had gone hack "socially It showed a vtry poor spirit when members thought they could get their SDort lor nothing. "The annual report stated that the senior A team had not been so auceessiul last year as in previous saasons. and the senior B team, after a pood start, v,is handicapped b-,' a iack of players. The lower grade teams all met with a tair measure tf success. Mr H. Lilbume. a member, was to be congratulated on aftaining All Black honours. At a special meeting it was decided to cancel the Ic-aao ol the club-rooms owing to insufficient Snar.ce. Mr Sheridan was to be thanked for the donation o: a miniature .sold football, which had been awarded to j. L. O'Connor. The matter of unpaid subscriptions was still proving a difficult one. Ts\e balance-sheet disclosed that there was a credit balance of £~ 12s Cel.

The report and balance-sheet were adopted. Three new members were proposed, and six resignations, including that of L. Kaxworthy, were referred to the incoming committee.

A motion of sympathy was passed with the relatives of the lats Mr 0. H. King. The election of officers resulted as follows: Patron. Mr S. F. Wilson; president, Mr R. "W. Britton: vice-presidents.. Messrs J. Bierman, St. J. J. Dunne, H. Cau'field, TV. D winis. \Y. J. Whit ham, T. Johnston, H. Fisher, J. Steel. W. J. Blake; club Contain. Mr W. J. Chip man; secretary, Mr R. F. Munson; treasurer, Mr R. H. Master*; custodian, Mr J. Beattie; auditors, Messrs WUitham and Fisher; delegates to Canterbury Rugby Union, Messrs Britton, Ounr.e, Whitham. and Masters: committee, Messrs D. Finne™an, C. "White, A. MeKerrow, T. Preston. C. M. Taylor. T. Hodgkinson, and M. Eaglesome. i Opening -"ay was fixecl for March Sfird. Mr S. F. Wilson explained proposals which it was intended to place before the Canterbury Eughy Union. These vere na follows:—To limit the number of (senior B teams to ten; to make the under 20, under 19, and under 18 competitions open grades.

NORTH CANTERBURY CLUB. There was a large attendance at the fiftyfirst annual meeting 'of the North Canterbury Football Club held last evening in the A. and P. Association's hall. Mr C. W. Tyler (president) occupied the chair. The committee in the annual report recorded another successful year. The club entered teams in the Senior B Grade, Third Grade A, and Under 13 Grade The seniors played 13 matches, won 7. lost 4, and drew 2; points for 147, against 115. Third Grade A, who were the winners of the Helmore Cup, played 13 matches, won 9, and lost 4 (one by default) ; points for 94, against 64. Under 18 Grade played 11 matches, won 4 and lost 7; points for 127, against 115. The balance-sheet showed the receipts to have been £IOB lis 7d, including balance brought forward £23 16s 3d, and expenditure £95 8s Bd, leaving a credit of £l3 1% lid. In discussing the finances, the chairman said that £3B 15s 3d was raised for improvements to Dudley Park, and £44 2s 2d was spent on the work done. The report and balance-sheet were adopted.

The following officers were elected: Patrons, the Mayor (Mr W. A. Rowse) and the Hon. Mr. Forbes; president, Mr C. W. Tyler; vicepresidents, Dr. T. A. Will, Messrs H. CobdenCox, R. M. Chappeit, and E. Trollope; secretary, Mr A. G. Hunnibeil; treasurer, Mr J. Rowland; committee, Messrs R. Lane, G. Young. i\ Burgiss, P. O'Connor, L. Hawkins, V. Anisetti, and W. Thornton; club captain, Mr J. Rowland; delegates to C.R.U., president and captain; auditor, Mr H. L. Hawkins.

Opening day was fixed for A>ril 6th. The secretary was requested to forward a letter of sympathy to Mr Ken McKay, a member of the club, who was taken seriously ill in the Territorial camp and is now at the Oamaru Hospital.

MARIST LEAGUE CLUB. ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the Marist Old Boys' Bugby League Club was held last night, Mr F. Sheahan presiding. The annual report recorded a successful year's activities. The election of officers resulted as follows :—Club captain, Mr G. H. Brittenden; secretary and treasurer, Mr V. Smith; delegates to the Centre, Messrs F. Sheahan, J. McQuillan, and H. J. Gillespie; senior delegate, Mr Sheahan; committee, 'Messrs 3. O'Malley, C. Dobbs, F. Corbett, T. Slattery, and P. Burns. A letter was received from the 1928 junior team, requesting that Mr J. McQuillan be thanked for his assistance and coaching in the past season, and that he be presented with a photograph as a memento of the team's appreciation. . The presentation was made fcy the chairman, and Mr McQuillan replied suitably. It was decided to make March 23rd the opening day of the season. ASSOCIATION. Y.M.C.A. CLUB'S ANNUAL MEETING.

The senior division of the Y.M.C.A. Association Football Club held its annual meeting last night. The general secretary, Mr A. J. McEldowncy, congratulated the club upon its successful year and its efforts in th» past, expressing the hope that the club would be as successful in the coming season, ploving as a junior grade team. The following officers were elected: — Chairman of club, Mr H. Cotton: captain, Mr W. Bryan; vice-captain, >Mr W. Kelly; ctfach, Mr A. Yates; committee, Messrs W. Bryan, W. Kelly, A. Yates, A. Porter, and C. Whittaker.

PROPOSED TOUR BY AUSTRALIAN TEAM.

A proposed tour of the Dominion by Australian Soccer team early in coming season was discussed at last evening's meet* ing of the Management Committee of the Canterbury Football Association, Mr A. W. Baxcand being in the chair. The sugeestcd itinerary contained tea matches. The first Test was allotted to Dunedin on June Bth. tho second to Wellington on June 15th, and tile third to Auckland on June 22nd. Canterbury was bracketed with West Coast and Southland as being eligible for a match on Wednesday, June 12th, contingent on a guarantee of £75 being £iven. Mr P. L. Davies held that Canterbury seemed to have been classed with the minor Association! so far as the itinerary was concerned. It looked as if the New Zealand Association did not care whether Canterbury took the match or not. It was quite evident that it was not intended that Canterbury should have a Saturday match, Unless they could get this it was useless for the Association to consider it. Member* pointed out that the code was going to lose prestige in Canterbury if it did not take a match durin? the tour. Dr. J. F. Marks thought the estimatea unduly optimistic. It seemed to him that the tour would result in a financial loss to the New Zealand Association. It was decided, on the of Dr. Marks, to reply stating that the Association was not prepared to give any guarantee for a midweek match, but that tlia question would be reconsidered if Canterbury were allotted a Saturday match. . The report* of the N'cw Brighton and Technical College Old Boys' Clubs were received.

The New Brighton Club made application for a match with a temn from H.M.S. Dunedin at New Brighton on Saturday. This was granted, and a match with a team from the Duzredin was also allotted to Technical College Old Boys on Easter Monday. Permission was also given to play the following matches:—Dobson v. Nomads on Easter Saturday, "Western v. Wellington in ChrUtchureh during Easter. Thistle v. Northern at Dunedin during Easter. Technical College Old Boy« r. Otago Technical Co'.'ege Old Bots at Christchurch during Easter. The New Zealand Association wrote drawing attention to the continued financial stringency, and made the suggestion that a levy on p'ayers be made to obtain £3O from major and £lO from minor Associations. The question was discussed fn commit!##.

"FATHER OF SOCCER."

FAREWELL TO MB P. L. DAVIES.

Twenty-fire years ago Mr P. L. Davies, a well-known Christcbureh business man, cam® to New Zealand from his native North Wales, and during that time h# ha# been one of the most enthusiastic supporters of the Soccer football code in Canterbury. He leaves next Monday to eo back to Wales to visit his people, and he was aecorded a fitting farewell at a supper Riven him by the Management Committee of the Canterbury Football Association last evening. Mr Davie* is a trustee and life member of the Association, and a vice president of the New Zealand Association. Last night the chairman of the Canterbury Association (Mr A W. Bascand) presented him with a gold medal in recognition of the {rood work he had done for the code over a long period. All the members spoke in generous terms of Mr. Davies's efforts to foster the sport over a long period. Mr Bascand styled him "the father of Soccer football in Canterbury"; other speakers told how well he had served the code, first as a club and representative player, and later a* an admiaistrator. It was mentioned that Mr Dairies was the founder and first president of the Nomads Club.

Mr Da vies, in reply, said he valued his association* with the sport for over half a centurv, for he had always fousd the work pleasant and his fellow-workers congenial spirits. He could not say tow long he would be absent from the country, but when he returned he hoped to he able to renew hi* effort* towards stimulating the gun in Can* terbury and New Zealand.