FOOTBALL.

Evening Post, Volume LIII, Issue 113, 14 May 1897, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

NEW ZEALAND RUGBY UNION. The Managing Committee of the New Zealand Rugby Union met in Mr. A. T. < Bate's office last night. There were pre- ] sent— Messrs. J. Wesney (Southland), in the chair, T. Morrison (Hawkes Bay), I. Hyams (Wanganui), A. Laurenson (Poverty Bay), E. Batchelor (West Coast), J. R. Gibbons (Auckland), A. T. Bate (Wellington), and A, M. De Co3ta (Hon. Secretary).. The question of selecting a committee to choose the New Zealand team for Australia was considered. The following were nonii^ nated by the Unions mentioned : — Messrs?' G. H. Dixon (Auckland), G. Fache (Wellington), W. G. Garrard (Canterbury), H. J. Coutts (Wanganui), D. K. Torrance (Otago), J. C. Firth (Nelson), F. Logan (Hawkes Bay), G. Strachan (South Canterbury), and F. Dodd (Marlborough). The Committee fully considered the merits of the various gentlemen nominated, and Messrs. Fache (Wellington), Garrard (Canterbury), and Coutts (Wanganui) were elected. Messrs. G. H. Dixon (Auckland), R. Galbraith (Southland), and D. K. Torrance (Otago) were chosen to assist in the selection of the teams to play the North and South Islands match in Wellington. On the motion of Mr. Bate, seconded by Mr. Laurenson, it was decided, " That the duties of the respective Selection Committees shall be — 1. The New Zealand Selection Committee shall select the New Zealand team, the whole of the members of which shall take part in the North Island v. South Island matoh. 2. The North and South Islauds Selection Committee shall select the balance of the men required to complete the respective North and South Islands teams/ It was decided, on the motion of Mr. Laurenson, seconded by Mr. Batchelor, that Mr. H3'ams should obtain black jerseys for the New Zealand team. Mr. Bate proposed that the North Island team should play in the Taranaki Union colours and the South Island in the Otago Union colours, players to provide their own i*rseys. This was seconded by Mr. Gibbons and agreed to. It was decided that the saleotori of the

New Zealand team should meet in Wellington, on a date to be arranged, and that the selection of the additional men to make up teams for the North v. South match might ba done by correspondence. Consideration of a letter from Otago, in reference to payment of the fare 9of the men selected to play in the North v. South match, was deferred until the replies of the other Unions had been received. Further correspondence from the Canterbury Union in reference to the action of the Otago Union in sending Home direct a statement as to the disputed try in the Otago-Canterbury match last year was laid before the meeting, also a reply sent by the Secretary. It was decided that the correspondence should lie on the table. A letter was read from the Nelson Union requesting the New Zealand Union to urge the Tarauaki and Wanganui teams to play in Nelson this season, and also stating that it would be impossible for a Nelson team to go to the West Coast of the South Island this year. The Seoretary explained that he had written to the Wanganui, Taranaki, and West Coast Unions on the subjects mentioned in the Nelson Union's letter. The Wellington Union wrote suggesting that the manager of the New Zealand team should be an executive officer of the New Zealand Union. Consideration of the letter was deferred in order to allow the other unions to make recommendations on the subject. An apology was received for the absence of Mr. G. F. C. Campbell.