FOOTBALL.

Evening Post, Volume XLVII, Issue 82, 7 April 1894, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

OTAGO AND THE NEW ZEALAND UNION. [Bt Tilxoei.ph.l [united fbess association.] Ltjnedin, This Day. It is understood that the majority of the delegates to the Otago Rugby Union will vote for affiliation with the New Zealand Union, in which case nearly the whole of the outgoing committee will refuse to accept office. In their report the outgoing committee state that they note with considerable regret that there is a strongly-growing feeling among players in favour of affiliation. During last winter, at the suggestion of the Canterbury Union, conferences were held of delegates from the Southland, Canterbury! and Otago Unions, when it was resolved to take up a line simply of independence and non-interference. Hasty action on both sides had caused unnecessary friction, but the delegates had no doubt that would soon disappear, and the antagonism displayed give way to harmonious co-existenco. Now that it appears that Canterbury has resolved to affiliate, the committee feel that this does not by any means necessarily involve the sacrifice of Otago' s independence. They are not yet satisfied that the welfare of football in the various centres will bo improved by the existence of a central body, or that the regular foreign tour 3 necessitated by that existence would tend to make football a means to the improvement—physical, mental, and moral— of those who play the game. While thus far unanimous, and in complete accordance with the resolutions of the delegates at last year's meeting, the Committee feel, under all the circumstances,' that the question mnst now be decided, by the delegates themselves. The annual meeting of delegates of the Junior Football Association was held in Daviß and Clater's rooms yesterday evening, Mr. Alex. Henderson in the chair. The folt lowing offioers were elected: — President, Mr. Gibbs ; Vice-Presidents, Messrs. Davis, Davenport, and Henderson ; Secretary, Mr. W. J. Clark (Thorndon) ; Treasnrer, Mr. D. J. Collins (Diamond). The United second was admitted to the Association. The

Secretary was direoted to communicate with the Wellington Senior Football Association regarding the affiliation of the two bodies.