SOCCER GRIEVANCE

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 170, 14 April 1932, Page 8

SOCCER GRIEVANCE

No Play in Colleges COMMITTEE’S EFFORTS The management committee of tha Wellington rootball Association last evening renewed its efforts in the direction of obtaining authority for the Soccer game to be played in Wellington •and Bongotai Colleges, The chairman related how the principal last year refused to receive a deputation concerning Association football, which included Sir Charles Statham, and president of the New Zealand Football Association. The committee decided again to request Mr. W. A. Armour, the principal of Wellington College, to receive a deputation, failing which further action will be taken in which the New Zealand council will be asked fully to c .-operate. The chairman, Mr. W. B. Hicks, reporting on the annual meeting of the New Zealand Football Association, said it was the best football meeting he had ever attended. The meeting on Saturday was devoted to the discussion of schools football, and the loss being experienced by the break occurring in the playing of Association football when boys went to secondary schools. There was no reason why Soccer should not be played in the Wellington Colleges. It was owing to the antipathy of the masters that Soccer was not played in the colleges, although offers had been made to provide coaches to look after the teams. Mr. G. Aers said it was pleasing to know that the Wellington association had once more direct representation on the New Zealand council. Deputation Refused. The chairman proceeded that last year the principal of Wellington College was asked to receive a deputation, including Sir Charles Statham, Mr. F. Campbell, chairman of the New Zealand Council, himself as chairman of the management committee, and other responsible men, with reference to the recognition of Soccer in Wellington and Rongotai Colleges. Mr. Armour said it would be a waste of time to discuss the proposals, as he had fully made up his mind, and the sooner it was realised that Soccer was not wanted in the colleges the better. The time for conciliation had gone, and they should now demand it as a right. Mr. C. Ballard: Are you satisfied there are boys who are willing to take up our game? The chairman: Any amount of them. Mr. Aers replied that the year before last they could have got 80 boys to play Soccer if the masters had allowed it. The chairman added that offers were made to place the boys under proper control during the games. Already there were about 100 boys from the colleges playing Soccer in other clubs, but the Association wanted the game played under the college name and colours. At present no boy could get his college cap for Soccer. It was reported that there were 18 Rugby teams, comprising about 200 boys, in the college out of over 800 boys. It was not desired to take any boy playing other games. The association only wanted to get hold'of those boys who were playing no games in the winter.