FOOTBALL.

Evening Star, Issue 14965, 27 August 1912, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

O.R.F.U. The weekly meeting; of the O.R.F.U. Committee was held last evening, Mr H. Harris presiding. The Secretary of the South Canterbury Union wrote that owing to the conduct of, visiting teams towards their., local referees hie union felt that it would be far mow satisfactory to all concerned if an outeido man "were to officiate in, the match against Otago on Wednesday. The writer suggested Mr Peake (of Christchurch) or Mr Wilson (of Dunedin). A wiro sent later 6»id that South Canterbury had arranged for Mr Peake to referee.—Agreed to. The Hon. Secretary of the Dunedin Club asked for the use of the Caledonian Ground for Saturday, the 7th pros:., for a benefit match for H. Bremner.—The club to be informed that the ground had been let for that date, but that they could have it on the 28th prox. The Hon. Secretary of the Canterbury Union wrote that their junior rep. team would arrive at Dunedin on Friday, August 30. They would like Mr W. J. Wilson to act as referee. —Agreed to. The Secretary of the New Zealand Union wrote that his union desired all unions to take steps to put the schools on their guard against the influence of representatives of the League game among school bovs.—The Chairman 6aid that it was only raising a question that was not worth raising in Dunedin. There was no question of any players here being aeked to play League football. —-Received. Mr Hinberg, referee in the senior match Port Chalmers v. Pirates, played some weeks ago, reported having ordered off Healy, of the former team, for punching Johnston. —The referee said that a ecrum was iormed. It broke up, and Healy rushed round and struck Johnston. Healy passed the remark that he had had provocation.—Healy eaid it was a loose scrum. Johnston hit him very "dirty" behind the ear, and on the spur of the moment he (Healy) hit at him. He could not understand" how the referee failed to see Johnston strike him. Johnston,- himselt admitted at half-time that he hit him first. He told him (Healv) that he was sorry that he had struck "him. He (Healy) had been playing football for 13 years, and had never even been cautioned.—Woods, a plaver, said he saw Johnston strike Healy. -—The referee eaid that Healy could have been struck without him noticing it.— The inquiry was adjourned for a week, for the appearance of Johnston and any other witnessea.

.Mr MTaggart was appointed manager of the junior rep. team, to play at Oamaru on Thursday. —The Invercargill Trouble.— The Chairman explained that in regard to the alleged misconduct of tho Otago team at Invercargill, Mr Dey wont to Invercargill last week, and while there ho interviewed members of the Southland Union, and they decided to hold an inquiry that night. The result was that the committee had nothing before them at present. He did not know whether members of the committee had heard the same tales about the occurrence that he had heard, but from what had come to his knowledge it seemed pretty certain that misconduct was committed by a member or by members of the Otago team. It was well known that although certain members of the team were not the aotual offenders, they knew who they were, but that they refused to give any r information to the committee that would lead to their conviction. The committee ■ would have to consider whether any member of the team that went to InvercaTgill should be allowed to go North unless this matter was cleared up. His opinion; was that they should not. If members of the Otago ft earn knew who the offenders were and refused to divulge their names, then they were shouldering the Tespomsibility along with the offenders, and in the interests of football in Otago the committee should show their disapproval of their action by disqualifying the whole team until the names of the offenders were given. Mr Sandes: You have to prove that other members of the team know. The Chairman : I don't think so. If the committee are satisfied that it was done by a member or by members of the team, I say that is quite sufficient for the committee to say we will disqualify the whole team until wo find out who the offender is. On© member of the team has told me that he knows who the man is, but he says if he is not man enough to come before the committee and admit it he is not going to be an informer. Mr Cavanagh : You say eome of the players know who did it? The Chairman : Somo members of the teajn know. Mr Cavanagh : But the majority don't know. The Chairman : If two or three players refuse to divulge the name of the offender, then I think it is the committee's duty to suspend the team. The Chairman then asked if any other member of the committee had been told that the offender was a member of the Otago team. Messrs Dunne and Burns said they had heard an Otago man named as the culprit. Mr Dunne added that his informant had distinctly stated that the offender was not Graham. Mr Burns : I was told the same. Tho question of whether tho inquiry should be adjourned till the next day to allow of the result of the inquiry coming through Invercargill was then discussed, and finally- it was decided to "ring up" Invercargill. Subsequently the Chairman informed the committee that there was nothing much in the evidence which had been adduced at Invercargill. One witness (Ivimey) had not turned up. Mr Lilburne, who had been speaking to him through the telephone, said that he was the only man who could really throw any light on the matter. Mr Lilburne further said that water was not thrown on the beds at 10 o'clock, when Ivimey left the commercial room with two members of the Otago team and went upstairs, and that was when the damage was done. The evidence practically exonerated Graham, as he was not in the house till some considerable time after that.

Mr Sandes : According to the manager's evidence Graham was exonerated. That was quite sufficient. The Chairman : Mr Lilburne says that the evidence brought out by the' Southland inquiry was that some bad language was used.

Mr .Wilson : If we can get evidence to prove misconduct against any member cf the team going North, then "we can bring him back.

It was decided to adjourn the inquiry until to-night, when the members of the Otago team that went to Invercargill will again attend. O.F.A. ' The executive of the Otago Football Association met last evening, Mr A. M'Hutchon presiding. The explanation of the captain of tho Alliance Club as to the defaulting of bis team was accepted; the matter of playing matches at Dunedin with Kaitangata and Southland was again deferred; it having been reported that in the match Maori Hill v. Bavensbourne the former played a man in ordinary dress, it was decided that if such a thing happened again a penalty would be enforced; the names of M'Callum (Ravensbourne) and Kerrigan (Maori Hill) weTe placed on the, caution list, the former for tripping and striking Kerrigan, and the latter for attempting to fight M'Callum; the secretary of the O.W.F.A. forwarded tho evidence taken at the HollandGuthrie inquiry, and it was decided to forward tlie evidence in Guthrie's case to the New Zealand Council for review, while Holland's penalty was endorsed by the executive; the secretary was instructed to write to the Canterbury Association eug gesting September 21 as a suitable date to play off with Otago for the Brown shield, meantime the Selection Committee to be asked to pick a team at once, Mr Sinclair to act on the Selection Committee in place of Mr Yorston; it was decided to bold a third grade five-a-sdd© tournament next Saturday, provided six teams entered ; it was reported that a ball was taken from the pavilion at Culling Park on Saturday, and also that one of tho players missed 6ome money from his pockets.