NOTES.

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 7, 8 July 1922, Page 14

NOTES.

Severalof the men who figured^ in the first Maori v. New South Wales . football match of the present tour had to be treated after the match at the Sydney Hospital for injuries. According to the Sydney Sun, the Maoris treated were: Walter Barclay, aged 26, concussion; Peina, aged 19, incised wound on lip, four stitches; and Samuel Gemmel, aged 22, incised wound on scalp. A. S. B. Walker, the captain of the New South Wales fifteen, aged 29, of Car-rington-road, Randwick, was treated for an incised wound on the, scalp and a cut on' the' leg. None of the players were admitted to the institution. No one likes to hear a referee continually blowing his whistle, and it is sad to think that a game is often spoiled because the man with the white sweater allows himself to run away with the idea that he is a flautist. But there are occasions when the use of the whistle is desirable, a<nd when the onlookers want auricular evidence that a certain decision : has been given. For this reason it would be just as well if referees would make certain that their instruments are; capable of giving forth, sound when a stoppage of a game' is necessary. If a referee with a defective whistle has to bo continually distending his cheeks in order to provide the shrill notes required, to call, tho thirty players to a standstill, much valuable time may be lost. At one match last. Saturday the referee possessed a whistle of dulset tones, so soft and low, that they were too low to be heard, and it, must have been due entirely to - the fair mindedness of the offending side that they stopped play when a breach occurred as if. waiting to be penalised for the rules being broken. Four teams are now running level ■ for the .senior championship in Dunedin — University A (7 games, no losses), Kaikorai (8 games, 1 loss), Pirates (8 games 1 loss), and Zingari-Richmond (9 games, 2 losses), each having 14 points. , Tlie positions of the, other teams are: University B' 8, Southern '8, Alhambra 6, Dunedin 4, Taieri Rovers 4, Port Chalmers 0, Union 0. , The Christchurch senior competition is as follows: —Marists, 9 points; Linwood, 8i; Merivale, 7: Christchurch, s£; 'Varsity. 3-L ; Syd-Lyt-telton, 3 ; Old Boys, %\ Albion, 1. -'".,■ , "Sandy" Patterson, the veteran, was again one' of the pick of Zingari's, forwards in Dunedin last Saturday. " ,

Kaikora-i and University A were to meet at Dunedin this afternoon.

A Southern writer predicts that "the return match between Poneke and Petone will probably decide the, Wellington premiership."

"The Moascar Cup corhpetitions amongst secondary schools has not been the success anticipated, for the reason that the arrangements are too cumbersome and far too much travelling has been involved," states a writer; in the Wanganui Chronicle. "This . year's competition has dwindled down to eight teams. ' Although, described in picturesque language as 'the blue riband of secondary school football,' it has not appealed to the lending secondary schools. -Neither Wanganui College, Wellington College, nor Christ College have been lured in the competition. Nor is it likely that they Over- will compete for- the trophy." .

A letter received at Invercargill from a member of the New Zealand Maori team stated that they were unfortunate in their coaches. He. was of the opinion that if tlie team had proper coaching a great fifteen would have been placed in tlie field. As it was. it was surprising how the members had adapted themselves to one. another's play. It was mentioned that the average ago of 'the team was under twenty-two years. N. Stead is 'deputy-captain of the learn. Curiously enough, the same pouilkiii wao

held by his brother, J. W. Stead, the All Black in the 1910 Maori team.

Hokitika has appointed an executive of five independent men to judge referees' reports in regard to offending players. Their decision will be final.

Local followers of Rugby (states the Wanganui Chronicle) will be pleased to learn that two erstwhile Wanganui players in R. Conriop and T. Crotty, who played for Marist here a couple of seasons ago, are playing remarkably well in the Empire City for Marist seniors.

Sunday football is not unknown in New Zealand (states an exchange). Recently the Inangahua Rugby Union successfully defended a prosecution by the police, and in support of defence evidence was called to show that teams would not come to Reefton except on Sundays. Further, if it were prohibited the Rugby Union gamo would come to an end in that district. r In giving his decision Mr. Meldrum, S.M., said:—As far. as football was concerned, there was no law in force in New Zealand preventing its being played on Sundays as a sport or recreation. "Business," according to Lord Halsbury, meant practically anything which was an occupation as distinguished from pleasure, and "an occupation" was to be understood in the sense of "means of livelihood." The object of section 17 was, witli tho exceptions mentioned in it, to prevent anyone from carrying on on Sundays within view of a public place the occupation by which on week days he gained his livelihood.

"There is a popular opinion among tho very knowing ones that a Maori team is only good when it is winning, and that if it gets up against it in the first half it does not recover," writes "Scrum" in the Napier Telegraph. "Is 'this true? Take To Auto's games, for ex-' ample. Is it not a fact that in the majority of their matches they play better in the last fifteen minutes than before? Of course, none will deny that the Maori is at his best when his team is winning, but isn't that the case with every team? The real reason why a team with a good margin -of points in its favour plays better football, is that its members stop playing the safe and solid game, and are more enterprising. They take risks, and when they succeed—well, then you hear what a fine team they are." The Hawkes Bay Rugby Union are to be congratulated on their splendid financial position (writes '.Old-Timer"), and it must be very gratifying to them to see the work done.'by the sub-unions attached to them. As a rule sub-unions are a continual drain on the parent body's finances, but in Hawkes- Bay these units are practically self-support-ing. r The Hastings sub-union is a particularly happy body, which are striving with its . scanty resources or means of revenue to establish a reserve fund, to be spent on acquiring a ground and bettering the conditions of players' accommodation. .', (