ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL. OVER-SEA VISITORS.

Evening Post, Volume LCCVI, Issue 126, 26 November 1908, Page 4

ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL. OVER -SEA VISITORS.

The Council of the New Zealand Football Association met last evening. Mr. F. J. Courtney presided, there being present Messrs. H. N. Holmes, G. UVen, G. Brodie, J. Oilier, J. Dickson, and B. L. Salmon. A letter was received from the Hawkes Bay Football Association stating that information had been obtained enabling the dispute as to which team should be awarded the championship trophy, to be settled. Tho council decided to award the championship to the Railway Club. The New South Wales Association wrote stating that it was prepared to send a team lo New Zealand next spason provided that satisfactory terms could be arranged. It was decided to reply stating that the council was now in negotiation wifh South Africa legarding a tour and that ,il could not at present arrange a New South Wales tour for 1909. If the South African tour fell through then the council was prepared to open up negotiations with New South Wales. A proposed tour of a South Airkan. combination of New Zealand was discussed. Mr. J. H. Weaver, hon. sec. to the- South African Association stated that the invitation from the Dominion for a tour in 1909 had been favourably considered by the executive, and that it was to have been brought before a ] meeting of representatives from aftilia- j ted associations on 30th October. Ho I stated that before their players could j be agreed to definitely, information on the following points would bo required : The guarantee would have to be duly authenticated so as to preclud-e any possible mischance. First class return fares for the players would be a necessity. These, could, of course, be obtained at a redu-ced rate. The expenses of the up-country players to the seaboard would be chargeable to New Zealand. They approximated to £130 when the team left South Africa for the Argentine Republic. The association would prefer lo send 15 players, and appoint the captain as the manager aboard ship, and as its representative in the New Zealand, but he took it that New Zealand would undertake the actual management when the team was in the Dominion similarly as South Africa did when the Corinthian was there. They Avould agree to play two matches a week, and on occasions a third game could be arranged providing extensive travelling did not occur just at that period. The financial details as suggested by New Zealand would, in every probability, be acceptable to tho South African delegates. A first class team would be sent or none at all. A sub-committee consisting of Messrs. B. L. Salmon, J. J. Roberts, and J. Oilier was appointed to prepare an itinerary on the basis of the team touring through New Zealand and ascertain what the Australian Associations were prepared to do in the matter of the team visiting Australia. It was also instructed to ascertain the lowest estimate of the travelling expenses, and the secretary was authorised to open tip communications with the Australian Associations regarding the tour.