FOOTBALL.

Evening Star, Issue 12843, 19 June 1906, Page 8

FOOTBALL.

OTAGO RUGBY UNION. The Com nittee of the Otago Rugby Union met last eveuing, the president (Mr A C. Hanlon) occupying the chair. —The Conduct of Inquiries.— Mr Dey asked the chairman to rule whether the motion to hold inquiries into tho conduct of reported players in committee conflicted with a motion already in the minutes to the effect that the Press were to be admitted to all meetings. Mr Campbell pointed, out that the motion to admit the Press had been passed some three years ago. Mr Harris said that a motion carried by a previous committee was not necessarily binding on the present one. The Chairman: I recognise that. Mr ComjibeU: I think that the Committee can conduct their meetings as they please. If a previous committee have decided to admit the Press, that does not bind this Committee.

MrMacdonald : Wo did not pass a resolution to exclude the Press from inquiries. It was only the names that were to bo kept out. Mr Campbell: No; we decided to take ail inquiries in committee. After further discussion, Mr Dey expressed the opinion that, while it was competent for the Committee to go into committee on any particular business, he doubted whether last Monday’s resolution, which laid down a course of* action for a whole year, was not in conflict with the motion passed some years ago. The Chairman : In my view, the original motion is not in conflict with anything that has been done since. Mr Dey: Well, then, I will ask if you do not think that it is desirable that important changes in procedure such as that involved in the motion passed last Monday should not be preceded by notice of j motion. The Chairman: I think that it is Jesirxblc. . 1 Mr Dey: As the original motion to • dmit the Press stands, its interpretation depends on the chairman. One chairm..n mav rule one way and one another. j The Chairman : Do you wish me, than, tc nil i if notice of motion must be given wl ©never it is desired to rescind any previous motion. Mr Dey : Y’es. The Chairman : I think that if :t is proposed to rescind rnv previous motion carried by the Committee there ought io be notice of motion. | Mr Dey: Then, to tost tbo feeling of tho Committee, I will give notice of the following motion, to be brought forward on Monday week- —“That the motion to take inquiries into the conduct of reported players in committee bo rescinded.” —Their Own Business, Too.— Mr SLncock, speaking with reference to' last Saturday’s matches, said that he would like to draw the Committee’s attention to the fact that they repeatedly saw the business of the New Zealand Union in print before it came to them through any other channel. It was published wioespread, and the-- I the Committee) saw it afterwards. A 11. e—her thought it might bo the Press Association Mr Hutchison said that the same thing happened hare. The public often knew u Fat was going on before the matter was brought up before the Committee. Tho Chairman asked Mr Sincock if he wisted to move with regard to the matter. Mr Sincock : Oh, no; I am satisfied to bave brought the matter up. j —Other Business. — 1 The Union Football Club forwarded the fine imposed for their Fourth Fifteen defaulting. They asked that the fine be re- , funded, inasmuch as the match was not on the list of fixtures, and members were under the impression that it did not matter whether the game was played or not.— The application for the remission of the fine was not agreed to. The Dunedin Club also forwarded a fine imposed on account of B team defaulting. Thcv asked for reconsideration on the ground that their club was the only one playing five teams, and the B team suffered through the Third and Fourth Fifteens bcing°short of men. —Application declined. Applications for footballs were granted to Kokonga. Cambrians, Lauder, Woodside, and Coal Creek. Applications for the nsc of Tahuna Park for club runs were granted to the f?t- Andrew’s and Civil Service Harriers Clubs. The Otago Football Association wrote endorsing the disqualification imposed by the Rugbv Union an a player.—Received. The matter of the alleged Pirates disturbance it Christchurch was further considered in committee, and correspondence read from the secretary of the Canterbury Rugby Union and Mr J. G. Green, manager of the hotel at which the team was staving, and where the alleged disturbance look place Tho inquiry was ultimately again adjourned until Monday next at 8.45 for the purpose of hearing statements from other members of the Pirates team. On the motion of Mr Hutchison, a sub- j con mittee was set up, consisting of Messrs Harris, Campbell, and Hutchison, to con- | aider the matter of interprovinaol matches and suggest suitable dates, O.F.M ’ An ordinary meeting of the O.F.A. Oommittce was held last night, Mr J. Lmsiie in the chair. ’ , After hearing evidence and discussing the appeal bv tho Southern Club in regard to Rangers having played a Mornington man as emergence in the third grade match Southern r. Rangers, it was resolved to dismiss the appeal After hearing A. Porteons, a Battalion plaver who was ordered off the field for talking in the match with Green Island, the meeting decided tbit h : s explanation was satisfactory, and that his suspension be removed. The Town Cierk, St. Kilda, wrote advising that npen payment of £4O over and above the £125 originally charged for the lease of Culling Park tho Council would grant a farther lease of three years. The Council could not state upon what terms it ■was intended to let the park to other sporting bodies during the summer, and on such dars in the winter as it should not be occupied bv the Association. Tbo CouncT were willing also to grant- the lease over anv additional area which might in the future be added to the park. Plans arid specifications of the fence would be submitted for approval at an early date.—Referred to the Grounds Committee. The Secretary of the Southern Wednesday Club protes ted against J. S. Rotting. Captain of the Southern Club, having played on Wednc-day for Mornington, and asked . for a definite* ruling on the matter. —Mr Rotting wrote claiming precedent for his action, in that in former season." Mornington and Wakari Saturday play-rs had been permitted to assist the Butchers’ Wednesday team.—Mr Illingworth said be understood the Bettings desired to join the Southern Wednesday team on condition that they be permitted" to compete together in the five-a-side competition. Southern bad declined to agree to the provHon, and the Boltings had joined the Mornington Club.—Referred to the Wednesday Committee to rerort. It was decided that to-morrow's fix ' tcs bo postponed, as a mark of respect to the late Premier, and that the matches put off lart Saturday b© played at the end of the season. An enthusiastic motion of welcome to the Wednesday Committee of Management was passed, together with on offer of assistance ASSOCIATION NOTT3. [By Ltnmmjjx.] There is ncffixng so foolish, when you are at the expense of making an entertainment of anv kind, as to order things so badly as to let your critics and gentry of refined taste run it down. Nor. according to the wi-doin of the came authority, is there anvthmg so likely to make them do it as to leave them out of the party, or, what is fully as offensive, to bestow your attention upon the rest of those interested in so particular a wny as if there was no such thing as a critic to be considered. Therefore, a word of introduction to the Mornington-Kaitangata game on Saturday last might be seenfly. At the cost of considerable personal discomfort and a more generous financial outlav them would be considered reasonable by jtljaac JaoaX.clnto. the KaHaztas*a men

bare already made four trips to Dunedin. And already, though the first round of fixtures is only just completed, three Dunedin dubs have been unable to fulfil their engagements in Kaitangata. The Mornington Club, however, had gone to some trouble to get a team to beep faith with Kaitangata, and the miners had responded by arranging their shifts in the mine accordingly.. In ttase circumstances the Association considerately exempted the Morning ton-Kai-tangata game from the general postponement on Saturday. The always joyful and frequently musical hilarity which characterised the touring team left no room to suppose that the tedium of the journey had any detrimental effect, and if it was a merry band that disembarked from the Kaitangata express on Saturday morning, it was a victorious one which steamed out in the afternoon to the regretful strains of “ Tos, we will come back .again,” The hospitality of Kaitangata is an invariably pleasant reality. Precisely at 1.40 the visiting team kicked off against a strong head-wind and tie some Kaitangata players who had performed so effectively at the Northern Ground on the previous Saturday. In the Mormngton loam Leys replaced Brown at full-back, and Hickey resumed his former position in the half-back line. The forward arrangement of the visitors was the most effective combination they have so far attacked with this season From the kick-off they took charge, made a cyclonic rush into the teeth of the <alo, and D. Bailey shot first goal while the spectator was noting the fact that the game had commenced. Hardly a breathing space had ©lapsed before there was another rush, and Hickey, from the right, sent in a well-judged shot, which, swerving against the wind, struck the far poet and cannoned “in off. ” So far there had been three minutes of play. Then Kaitangata, realising from the freely proffered" counsel of their support©is that this sort of thing was not to be tolerated, livened up considerably. Ramsay put a good centre over the bar. [ Shortly after he beat Hickey, and sent a "cod cross to J. Oliver, whose splendid shot ilit the bar and glanced over. With the sun in their faces the Mornington backs were conspicuously successful in keeping the ball down against the strong wind which blew continuously. A good throw-in by A. I Middiemas, returned by Young, resulted m I a lorn- shot from the right wing going wide. Dangerous heading by A. Middiemas again was effectively dealt with by his Mornington brother. From a good opening by Jackson, R. Oliver shot uncomfortably close. The Kaitangata attack was at this stage of the game somewhat wild, and from inconsiderate kicking by the bocks goal kicks ito the visitors were frequent. Brown was I rather a noticeable offender in this respect, but, in point of fact, A. Mrddlcmas, and occasionally Penman, were the only two who played up to anything like form. A 1 iot shot in Robertson’s best style was saved 1 excellently bv Jack, whose goal-keeping was one of the features of the game. Once Mornington got away, but Renfrew was I pulled up off-side. Kaitangata kept peg;,in„ awav. but the defence was sound, D. Baiiev, as centre-forwara, falling back to lend timely assistance. A good opening for Kaitangata found their forwards clumped together at the left, and tne chance was soon gone. The shooting of the home team was still erratic, although it may b~ said that they got no opportunities for soft things. Splendid foot work was shown by J. Bailey, and Robertson, the admittedly clever “ Kai ” forward, found a match in the tricky Mornington player. Shaw led on attack by the visitors to halfway, but Brown secured the ball, and by a tall kick sent it right behind. Again Mornington made a sustained attack against the wind, • Stalker showing up prominently. The KaiI tangata attack lost something of its dash. ' towards the close of the spell, and by reason of his roving tactics Robertson was not so effective. 1 few minutes before half-time a penalty was awarded against Mornington for blocking, and Brown taking the kick scored Kaitangata s only goal. ‘To prevent misunderstanding, it may be stated here that Mr Gage was perfectly justified in taking the course he did. Decisions on blocking must necessarily be left to the discretion of the referee, and the visiting team yield to none in their appreciation of the capability of Mr Gage. . There was no further score during the second spell, though the attack and defence were much more evenly divided. The Kaitammta forwards showed better combination in this half, Ramsay, in particular, making up for an indifferent display in the first spell. J. Oliver, on the right wing, did not get many chances, hut centred well, one shot hitting the side of the post. On one occasion, when Kaitangata were stronglvattacking tiie Mornington goal, amid a scene of wild excitement, one of the spectators got mixed up with the play, and, like the man in the comic, song, was quite unaware of his whereabouts. During another hot press on Mornington, one of the Ramsays, in the half-back line, got his not inconsiderable weight into a thumping shot. The save by Goalkeeper Jack brought down the house, and be was greeted by a storm jof hand clapping and vocal applause. He deserved it aIL Of the Kaitangata men, special mention ■ must be mado of A. Middiemas and Pilling. ! With these two exceptions it was gcnerally agrecd that the backs were weak. The forwards settled down better in the second half, but though R. Oliver worked his utmost throughout, there was nothing to show for his trouble. Among the spectators, not the least interested were George Middiemas, Finlay, and Taylor, all “ casualtied,” and all sadly missed from the play. Of tbo Mornington men nothing not already obvious is necessary to be said. To Bailey, however, ia due recognition of the brainy way in which he kept the lead he had secured in the first spell. Kaitangata wan quick to appreciate his merit. Stalker’s performance was particularly gratifying to bis elaborates, who felt that ho was at last showing his true form. In Shaw there is evidence of a promising player. Tho conscientious manner in which be adapted himself to unaccustomed forward work should commend itself to a discerning selection committee. The work of the younger Bailey on the right wing has already been commented on. He shared with" his brother the special plaudits of the large gathering of critical spectators. A pleasant surprise was in store for Alex. Robertson, the big-hearted Kaitangata rep. forward, on Saturday evening. The nature of it was confided to the visitors. A pendant had been purchased by an enthusiastic club official, whose modesty was as refreshing as it was genuine. Subject to the judgment of an impartial expert, this was to be given to the most competent player in tho match against Mornington. The players themselves were unconscious of the “chiel among them takin’ notes.” As personal congratulations at the time would have involved a breach of confidence, I take this opportunity of looking towards Robertson. The inquiry by the 0.8. F.U. Committee into the alleged misconduct of tho Pirates team while in Christchurch has again been adjourned for a week. It is understood that the proprietor of the hotel in which the team stopped exonerates them of mis>conduct.