OTAGO FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION.

Evening Star, Issue 12166, 9 April 1904, Page 8

OTAGO FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION.

The annual meeting of delegates to tht above was held last night, Mr J. Wilson (vice-president) in the chair. . Permission was granted the Green Island Club to play as a junior and a third grade tesm this year, as they were unable to raise a first eleven.

Mr A. North, the Association's auditor, wrote stating that the manner of drawing up the balance-sheet was unbusinesslike. There was no check on any of the receipts, there were no vouchers fnr several items ci the expenses side amounting to £sl Os 6d. and quite a, number of the vouchers had n; mark showing that they had been passe u. by the Committee. Some of the accountshowed account rendered and no details. As an old player, he "regretted that thi large credit balance at the beginning of the year should have dwindled as it had, and he could not help thinking that the Association had not been as careful in spending o: as zealous in collecting as was the case a few years back.

The balance-sheet showed receipts, in eluding £B4 Is from 1902 season. £l6B Os 3d, a balance over expenses of £2 Is. The Chairman characterised part of thf letter as impudent.

Mr Sligo moved that Mr North's letter be received. Mr North was a most con scientious auditor, and his remarks wen the result of a desire to point out the proper way to conduct the business. The Chairman explained that he took a part of the letter as an imputation and a vote of censure on Last year's Committee for having allowed the funds to be wasted. Mr R. Stables thought that Mr North had the interests of the game at heart, ant that the chairman had gone too far in resenting them.

Mr Clarke (the treasurer) said he thought the auditor had a perfect right to speak he had done. It showed that Mr North'? interest was still in Association football, though he could not take an active part ir it. AVith the exception of the North<:rr tour receipts there wasi only one receipt no' included in those sent to the auditor, ant' the on* mentioned -was now forthcoming. The auditor said there was no check on receipts He (the speaker) bod not signet' for money received from the secretary d"ring the season, and he thoueht that was all the auditor meant. With regard to the accounts not signed bv the chairman that was certainly an oversight on his (Mr Clarke's* port, but all the accounts were passed for payment. The motion was then carried.

In moving the adoption of the report (already published) and balance-sheet, the Chairman said that the manner in which the game had taken on with the young men of Dunedin and district last year must be satisfactory to the Association. The schools had been especially well forward with fourteen teams, and there were seven teams in the third grade. Altogether it had been a very successful year. He might, say it was the fixst time that four grades of

Association football had been playing in inifcdp. Then there were two new clubs •filiated—namely, the Nightcapß Club and :-he Coll go Club. When the game was inroduced into the primary schools it was • lid it would never be taken into tho high ■chcols. It. had been, and the College

-am of High School boys was affiliated. "Rom the higli schools it would go to the Juiversity. The Commutes had been ilimed in certain quaiters [or extravagance, ut the only esjier.se he knew of that n'ght h,ive been avoided was the sending ot c.anf to Wellington, to have fniled to end the team, however, would have meant raking faith with the North Inland As-o-'iation. and that would have been a most grett.ible action. Wednesday footb.d! ■ad gone on very well, and the g'imo hau 'icon taken up enthusiastically by Wedne: • dry players.

Mr seconded the motion. H> ■■xphlned that no sy<t matic check hat' 'ic.n k;-pt on receipts by treasurers, as t.i: '.'■■ceipts hid usua : ly*)oen so small that tiny •vers not worth check ng. He agreed witi !).; auditor that a more business-like systei ■>! keeping the accounts should bo insti tuto..!. lYnridcraMe disevss'on followed, in tin ■ourse of which the delegate from t.i: ''.angers Clvb questioned the use cf the c> >e:idifi:re of money la*t sea.'on on tin jround at the Oval.

The Secretary (.Mr V. Braithwaite) ra:<' '.hat the Association only had control c the Oval dining the football season. If th Association fnd given £IOO they would sir have no more ricrnt to the Oval, which we. .'i City Council reserve. The (.'li lirman said that, it. was ridiculou or anyone to suppose that the As-ociatio? ■•;mld obtain rontrol of any of the Oit reives. IP the City Council chose the; • ii''d immediately debar the clubs fim hying at Mouiecillo, the Oval, or on am "if the reserves. The Association paid th money to place the ground in order for I,'s mason's jilry. and he understood the C't 'ouncii would have the mounds levelk 'own when the season opened. Mr R. Stables did not with tl;. d>airma.n'o • ulogirtic r - m?.rks nnent seller foothal. He believed that unlers good car •••as taken that grade would go dow ;teadily. The Committee should do even "hing in their power to foster school foot ball." ihe motion was carried. The following office-hearers for the c suing year were e'ected :—President. Mr S i. Myers: vice-presidents—Messrs TJ J >uncan. J. Braithwaita. sen.. T. A'ihto" iid J. Cor.r.or; secvctiry. }.h P. Braith .•aite; treasurer. Mr C. 'Martin : commit e—Mcsis R. H. Stables, IT. BrirkeH. 'I rvine. J. Petersen, and W. Morrison : election committee—Messrs Omdwiek. P "Millan. and Sligo; auditors. Messr.. 'tables and North; delegate to the N.Z Vsociation, Mr R. 11. Nagle. The Committee were instructed to np oint a sub-commitUe to deal with i-choo ootball.

The opening of the season was fixed for April 30.