FOOTBALL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1101, 13 April 1911, Page 6

FOOTBALL.

WELLINGTON RUGBY UNION. OPENING DAY MATCHES. A meeting of the Management Committee of the, Wellington Rugby Union was held lasl evening, Mr. S. S. Drown presiding. There were also present; Messrs. W. Perry, .). Kweenoy, W. Hard, liam, J. Bums, ]J. 0. Hales, and LiUlo An English Ruling. A circular loiter re Law J2 was received from the JJcw Zealand Union as.under:— Ihis union hns adopted the rceommendalion of the English Union in connection with the alteration allowed in Law 12, that in the event of the ball not alighting at right angles live yards from the touchline, a scrummage shall be formed ten yards out. Mr. Jlardham thought that (ho rule as suggested by the English Union should not bp accepted, and that the penally s loud he a free-kick live yards out from m IC V"' 01, -'"'*. Thn rule suggested, said Mr Hardhnm, would havj the effect of making the game clow, and would thus spoil the idea of the long throw-in.' It was decided to give notice of motion to the Jsew Zealand Union in terms of Mr. Hardliam's suggestion. Johnsonville Suspensions, of the .lohnsonville Club uiotc ■ asking that thr disqualification of a number of members of the club for nonpayment of their subscription* bo removed, ami promised lb,,t in future they would act in accordance with the rules it was decided to remove the disqualifications, but to warn the players that any iuturo breach would bo severely deil't

A statement of the proceeds of the Molrose-Potonu benefit match showed a credit of £V 1 19s. (id. Teams were entered for the various competitions as under i-l'oneke, St. .lames, Athletic, .Southern, each a senior junior, third, fourth, and fifth class loam' i n ,t?!i *»"<"'. junior, third, fourth (2), and fifth; Wellington, senior, junior third, and fourth; Old" Hoys, senior, junior, and third; Sdwyn, junior, third four h, and fifth; St. John's, junior, third, and fourth; Hull, junior and fifth; .pi ul'\ c Y- s cs<,, tllird a " d iiflh ' Ihe Athletic Club has also entered a Wednesday team. A Change of Mind. A ruling, was asked by the iielrose Uub as to tho position of one of its players (U. Greeks), who was a member of the dub in 1909,. but did not play last season. He again became a nicmbei of the Melro.se Club this year, and played against Pctoiw on April 1, Later ho said he had altered his mind, "and was going to play for Athletic. The Mcltoso Club asked: (1) Is the player in question liable for his subscription, and (2) was the Athletic Club justified in playing him without getting a transfer from the union? It was decided to ask tho player in question to attend tho next meeting of tho union, when tho matter will be dealt with. . It was decided to grant four passes to tho Athletic Park for members of tho St. John Ambulance Association, who attend to render first aid. Two men will bo in attendance each Saturday. Bovcn-a-Sido Result Reversed.

The Athletic Club wrote, pointing out that the- final for the fifth-class seven-a-sido tourney was not decided in accordance with the rules governing the contests,, which rules slated that one point should be scored against any side conceding .a force-down in all games except thesenior final. In the final in question the referee did not take forces into consideration at all. Each side scored n. try, and conceded a force, and wero even at the call of time. Extra time was thfii played, and Melrose were forced immediately. They eventually scored another try, and ; worc the gamo, and declared winners'of the (ournev by f> to 3. Tho Athletic Club considered, that they won by 5 to 4 immediately Melroso conceded the second force-down. It was decided (hat the Al.hlo.iic Club's reading of the conditions was correct, and to award them the match. The secretary of the Waiivetu Club intimated (hat; the club had decided on dark chocolate as its colours. . The Easter Tours. Tho St. James Club was granted per. mission to send a team to Napier at Easter. Permission was granted to the Athletic Club to send a junior and thirdclass team to Woodville on Saturday, and the Southern Club wis granted permission to send a senior (cam to Napier; and s junior team to Paliuerston. Intcrprovincial Dates, Tho Canterbury Vnion suggested that a conferoncn should he held at the s-.amo time, as the New Zealand Union meeting, to endeavour to arrange dales for tho intcrprovineial fixtures, which have, hitherto given trouble. It was decided to support the suggestion. The Old Hoys' Club asked to be allowed to enter senior third and fourth-class teams, missing out the junior grade. It was decided that the request could not bo/entertained, and that the club must enier a junior team. It was decided to give notice of motion for tho annual meeting of tho New Zealand Union that any member of the Management Committee, (oflicio or <ex officio) of an affiliated union shall not Iμ eligible to sit, on the Appeal Board of the New Zealand Union. Fixtures. The following fixtures and grounds were drawn for the opening day, April 22:-. Senior: l'etone v. Athletic, Petono; Old Hoys y. Oriental, Athletic Park, No. I; Victoria College v. Southern, Polo Ground, No. 1; Poneke v. Melrose, ICarori; St. James v. Wellington, Athletic Park, No. 2. ■ Junior: St. John's v. Ilutt; Victoria College v. Pctone; Melroso v. Solwyn; Poneko v. Wellington; Southern v. Oriental; Athletic v. St. James; Old Hoys, a bye. Fifth Class: St. Patrick's B v. Southern; Wellington College A v. Oriental; Selwyn v. St. Pntrick's A; St. James v. Petone; Poneko v. Wellington College 13; Melrose v. Ilutt; Athletics, a bye. The ground for tho junior and fifthclass games will bo drawn next week. THE TARANAKT REFEREES. (By Tclcjraph-Prcss Association.) New. Plymouth, April 12, Tho Northern and Southern Tarannki' Football Referees' Associations have docided to amalgamate.