FOOTBALL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 225, 16 June 1908, Page 9

FOOTBALL.

REFEREES' ASSOCIATION. A meeting of the. Wellington Refernos' Association was held last evening, Sir. H. Card occupying the chair. A letter was received from the Wellington Rugby Union complaining that at tho St. John's —Oriental watch no referco was present. After some delay one was procured, but he had to act for most of tho tinio without a whistle, which was very annoying. In tho senior match, Victoria College v. Wellington, the referee arrived half an hour late. Tho secretary, Mr. W. G. Talbot, asked the' Association to uso every elfort to prevent such complaints from clubs. The Wellington Ilughy Onion asked for a list of actual acting referees, so that passes could bo issued to them for the second test match. j\ir. Ltisk moved that a letter bo written' to the Union stating that the greater number of tho members of this Association had not so far received any passes whatever. Tho Association would like to ask why certain referees should receive passes and not othors. This was seconded by Mr. Mackio and carried. It n'as decided to supply tho list of active members of tho Association asked for. Tho roforco referred to in the first complaint explained that ho had a sprained ankle and was unable to attend. The. explanation was accepted. On behalf of tho referco who was late, it was stated that ho was ill, and tho matter was held over, to bo referred to him. The Manawatu Union asked if. it was usual for referees to giva a signal when tho ball was on the ground ready for a place kick. On tho motion of Mr. Lusk, it was decided, to reply, stating this had never been dono in Wellington. Mr. Mowlem moved as a suggestion to tho Executive, that if a player running with the ball bo grasped'bv an opponent and brought to t.ho ground with tho bail in his possession, and the ball touches tho ground, and he immediately parts with it, it ma- be picked up and run with by any player of either side, except the man tackled. Tb« motion was seconded by MivQuimi, and carried. Tho following motion was hold over from last meeting:—"ln cases of legal interference after a player has kicked the ball, th'o. mark bo at tho spot where the hull actually lands." Tho motion was put and lost. Mr. Lusk brought up the matter of the encouragement of junior referees. Some of them, he said, wero just as capable and some superior to somo of tho seniors. .

Sir. Quimi said ho would like to sco somo of tho juniors promoted.

, Several junior referees expressed themselves strongly on tho subject, and tho Classification Committee camo in for some criticism. . 31 r. Sievers spoko in defenco of the Classification Committee. It was difficult; enough as it was, he said, to got members to sit on it, and this would not help matters. One solution would bo to appoint only one man in placo of that committee. A Member: He would need to bo an angol. THE BRITISH TOUR. (BY TELEGItArH —PIIES3 ASSOCIATIdJf.) . Christohurch; Juno 15. Tho gato receipts at tho British football match on Saturday totalled nearly £1000, tho attendance boiiis 1-I,SOO. Greymoift'n, Juno 15. The British foo!A>all te am arrived from Christchurcii to-night, arid wore given a public reception. Over 2000 people assembled tho station, and tho baud played appropriate airs. Tho team was driven to the Albion Hotel, where tho KOll. A. 11. Guinness, the Mayor, and the President of tho Union made speeches of welcome. Mr. Harriett replied, and tho British footballeij. giivo their .war cry. Tho British team aro enthusiastic ovor tho Gtira scenery, arid the trip ovor was done in fme weather. Tho match takes place on Wednesday. .Croymouth, Juno 15. ■ Tho following is tho combined ■ Culler and West. Coast .team to play .tho Anglo-Welsh Greymouth on Wednesday, Juno IT: —-M'Kay (West Coast), Maddison and Colvin (Buller), Comer (West Coast), Dcnham (Bullor), Sweetman, Wade, Roberts,' Houston,- and Bennett (West Coast), Blvth, Corhott and Hogg (Bnllcr), Sotheran (West Coast), and; Brown (Buller). Kawera, Juno 15. : From a trial game played at Hawera on Saturday thero is every indication that the Taranaki team to meet tho Britishers will 'bo ono of tho. strongest put in the field by this province for somo timo, tho back division being strong both in attack and defence, and tho forwards having a good deal of weight and somo indication of that "devil" which made tho Taranaki pack so formidable in years gone b;\ —fast, full of dash, and able to handle tho ball in excellent stylo. Nearly all the forwards will probably come from South Taranaki. Hunter, Mvnott, and O'Sullivan, threo "All Blacks," wiil probably be included, as all aro right on their game this year. , ' RUGBY RULES. □unecUn, Juno 15. ' At a meeting of the Otaso Rugby Union to-night a communication was receivod from tho secretary of the Referees' Association stating that at'a conference between the O.R.F.TJ. representatives and tho Referees' Association it was decided to forward to tho governing body the following recommendations: —That winfj forward play bo abolished: that from the kick-out or kick-off tho ball bo kicked parallel with tho touchline; that when a playor is tackled and falls to the ground with tho ball ho should bo allowed to pass, provided it is dono immediately j that tho reforee should nut tho ball in. tho scrum; that tho hall should bo thrown not less than five yards from tho touch-line, and that when a free-kick is given no chargo should bo allowed.

OTAGO TEAM'S TOUR, (by TELEOItAFH—rKKSS ASSOCIATION.) Dunsdin, Juno 15. At a meeting of the Otago Rugby Union to-niglit, the following dates wcro fixed for tho Otago team's tour: —Southland, September 2; Canterbury, September 5; Auckland, September 12; Taranaki, September 1.6; Wellington, September 19. A sub-committee was set up to consider the question of curtailing tho number of representative matches.