FOOTBALLERS PREPARE

Evening Star, Issue 20118, 7 March 1929, Page 4

FOOTBALLERS PREPARE

CLUBS' ANNUAL ,MEETINGS Footballers are preparing for the advent of winter, and the first sign of the Rugby, Association, and League season’s approach is the holding of the annual meetings of the various clubs, several of which have already taken place. RUGBY TAIERI CLUB Mr William Allan, retiring president, was in the chair at the annual meeting of the Taieri Football Club last night, there being a large attendance of members. The .Secretary (Mr George Hendry) read the annual report and balancesheet, the report detailing the team’s activities. The balance-sheet showed a satisfactory financial position. The Chairman, in moving the adoption af the report and balance-sheet, expressed satisfaction with the membership roll. Play’throughout the season had been of a very fair order, especially in the case’ of the sixth grade team. Thanks were expressed to the coaches—Messrs W. Lindsay, J. Geary, C. Scott, and S. Edwards. Before the election of office-bearers, the following motion was tabled by Mr A. Mitchell:—“That Ride 2 be deleted and the following substituted —‘ The Committee of Management shall consist of the president, one vicepresident, secretary, and treasurer, club captain, and seven other members, wno shall be elected at the annual meeting, also the captain of each of the first three teams, who shall be elected by the members of the respective teams prior to the first interclub match. Five to form a quorum.’ ” —Seconded by Mr Geary and carried. The office-bearers were elected as follow:—President, Mr William Allan; vice-presidents—Rev. Canter, Messrs Bevis, Tewhao, G. Heasley, and tlibse holding office last year who bad not left the' district; secretary and treasurer, Mr G. Hendry; committee— Messrs J. Wright, H. Millar. G. Greaves, G. Gibson, A. Mitchell, W. Craig, Rev. Canter, and J. Muirhcad; club captain, Mr J. Geary; selectors — Messrs G. Greaves, H. Millar, and Geary; delegates to Rugby Union— Messrs G. Hendry, William Allan, and G. Greaves; delegate to accident fund, the Rev. Mr Canter; auditors Messrs C, C. M'Lachlan and A. Mitchell.

The appointment of coaches was left in the hands of the committee.

It was decided to arrange a return match with Milton for Easter, and one with Baldntha before the club matches start. It was decided to hold the opening match on March 23, and to commence practice on March 12. A motion regarding life membership, after a short discussion, was referred to the new committee for further consideration. , It was decided that any notices of motion from the Otago Rugbv Football Union be dealt .with by the committee.

An appeal was made by the president and secretary, for the early payment in the season of subscriptions and jersey fund dues. The secretary was empowered to wait on tho borough council regarding the agreement for the use of tho Recreation Ground, and the apportionment of lighting charges between the club and the hockey club. A motion of sympathy with Mr A. Mitchell, who recently met with an accident, was passed. UNION'S SUCCESSFUL SEASON Congratulations were tended to members of the Union Club by the president (Mr H. Harris) at the fiftyeighth annual meeting in the Y.M.C.A, last night on the success which had attended the club’s operations during the past year. There were over fifty present at the meeting, and in moving the adoption of the annual report and balance-sheet, Mr Harris said that from a playing point of view the season had been one of the best experienced by the club for some years and the coming season’s prospects were bright. The report and balance-sheet were adopted. The following office-bearers were elected: —Patron, Mr J, Hope; president, Mr H. Harris; vice-presidents— Messrs W. Divers, D. Simpson, W. Jenkins, V. Macdonald, K. Knox, B. H. Pinfold, L. Churchill, L. T. Perry; club captain, Mr T. O’Shea; deputy club captain, Mr H, C. Williamson; hon. secretary, Mr P. Vallis; assistant bon. secretary and treasurer, Mr W. G. Glengarry; General Committee— Messrs W. Lucy, J. Allan t A. Qvam, L. More, E. F. Lee, C. Keene; hon. auditors, Messrs 11. Liddell and J. B. Collier; temporary Match Committee—Messrs L. G. Hill, L. More, W. Lucy (seniors), and Messrs D. Simpson, C. Keene, and J. Allen (juniors). Twelve new members were elected. It was decided to open the season on Saturday, April 6. ALHAMBRA'S PROGRESS The Alhambra Club’s forty-fifth annual meeting in the club’s pavilion at Opoho last night was presided over by the president (Mr A. Grant), seventytwo members being present. The President moved the adoption of the annual report and balance-sheet. He referred to the very successful season the club had experienced. Besides the many games played on the field, the club had had a very scccessful season in so far as social functions were concerned, several visiting interprovincial teams attending club gatherings. The old members’nights were not the lea,st popular of the club’s social gatherings. Tho president made special reference to the work of lady members of the club and thanked them for their assistance in raising money for the extension of the pavilion, which was now considered to be one of the finest club pavilions in New Zealand. It had all the conveniences necessary for the carrying out of the best training and for catering for the social side of the club’s activities. Accommodation was provided for more than 200 persons. Mr J. King, in seconding the motion, made reference to the good work of the General Committee in carrying out its many duties, and made special reference to the valuable assistance given by Mr Gillick. . The adoption of the report and Bal-ance-sheet was then carried unanimously. During the evening a presentation of an enlarged photo of himself was made to Mr A. Hobson. The presentation was made by Mr J. King, on behalf of the members. Mr King stated that perhaps no member of the club had done more for it on the field than “ Toby ” Hobson, who had joined the club in the early ’nineties, and was a player for many years, and had been captain of the club on many occasions. During the'war period Mr Hobson had acted as cnach .to the chib, and he had done all that was possible to maintain Interest in the good old game. Mr Hobson would long be remembered by I old members, The speaker said' ( that

a photograph of Mr Hobson would also be hung in the club’s pavilion. Mr Hobson, in thanking the members for their presentation, said that his best days had been passed playing for the club, and he mentioned many instances that had occurred on the field of play. The following office-bearers were elected President. Mr .J. Higginson; vice-presidents—Messrs A. Grant, R. Bennett, J, Breen, R. Frame, W. Gray, C. Johnstpn, A. M'DougaTl, G. M‘Kenzie, H. Manly, G. Marston, J. Mitchell, A. Morgan, G. Newton, W. Rennick, J. Sinton, J. Sutherland, G. Thompson, H. Whyte, A. Wilson, W. Knox; General Committee—Messrs H. Giilick, J. Campbell, J. Duncan, W. Coombs; delegate Protection Association, Mr W. Hay; delegate Footballers’ Accident B’und, Mr J. King; hon. auditors, Messrs J. T. Hamann and George Davidson; hon. treasurer, Mr I. Grant; club captain, Mr J. Walker (re-elec-ted) ; hon. secretary, Mr W. Hay (reelected) ;. hon. assistant secretary, Mr A. Breen (re-elected); delegates to O.R.F.U.—Messrs J. King, J. Mitchell, and I. Grant; Selection Committee— Messrs Giilick, Coombs, and W. Knox. Mr. Rennick made reference to the retirement from office of Mr Nelson, and a special vote of thanks was passed thanking him for his services for a period of twenty-five years as a member of the committee, and especially as treasurer throughout a long period. A special vote of thanks was also passed to Mr Grant for his services during his term of office as president. Eleven new members were elected. Messrs Higginson, Douglas, Leggett, Manly, Dickie, Breen, and Giilick were appointed coaches for the 1929 season. DUNEDIN CLUB The fifty-eighth annual meeting of the Dunedin Football Club was held in St. Joseph’s Hall last evening, Mr A. C. Haynes presiding over an attendance of about fifty members. The President expressed the hope that the coming season would be a successful one. He also congratulated the club on the very satisfactory condition of its finances.

The following office-bearers were elected:—Patron, Mr A. 6. Neill; president, Mr A. C. Haynes ■ vice-presi-dents—Mrs A. Blaney, the Rev. Bro. Gore, Messrs W. Rodgerson, M. O’Sullivan, H. Carter; secretary and treasurer, Mr F, Toomey; committee— Messrs J. Toomey, E. Collett, W. Brooks, F. Carter, S. Butler, J.'M'Clintoek, G. Jones; delegates to O.R.F.U. —Messrs A. C. Haynes, S'. Butler, and F. Carter; auditor, Mr H. O’Reilly. HEW ZEALAND RUGBY UNION PROJECTED AUSTRALIAN TOUR DISCUSSED £Pk» United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, March 7. A meeting of the Management Committee of the New Zealand Rugby Union was held to-night. The annual meeting of the New Zealand Rugby Union will be held on May 16. The New South Wales Union wrote asking if it would be possible for the tour of the New Zealand team in Australia this year to be extended by an additional week in order to permit of a Saturday match being played in Melbourne on a date most suitable to the Victorian Union.—ln the discussion which followed it was agreed that the New Zealand Union must help Victoria and Queensland to encourage the game at this stage.—lt was unanimously agreed that the request of the New South' Wales Union to extend the New Zealand team’s tour of Australia this year to six weeks should be agreed to. It was pointed out that it would be necessary to appoint the New _ Zealand selectors early this season, as it would be to late to wait for the annual meeting of the union on May 16. It was decided to call for nominations for the position of selected, the nominations to be in the hands of the union hy April 3. . , , . . Some discussion took place as to whether the North v. South Island match should he played before the New Zealand team leaves for Australia, but it was decided that it would be wiser to postpone this annual fixture to the end of the season. It was decided that a trial match should bo held prior to the team’s departure in Wellington on June 3. , , , . It was decided to leave the drawing up of a lot of representative fixtures for submission to the delegates at the annual meeting of the union to Mr b. F. Wilson (Canterbury) and to Mr J. Prenderville (Wellington). . The Finance Committee reported that the British team would arrive in the dominion via Panama on June 6. IJ3U, and that nineteen matches would be played in New Zealand, including lour test games and a match against a Maori fifteen. Eight matches would he played in Australia. The tour was anticipated to cost the New Zealand Union £II,OOO, apart from the expenses of the Australian portion of the tour, for which negotiations were now being made with the New South Wales Union.—The report was adopted on the motion or Mr decided to write to Mr James Baxter congratulating him upon his appointment to the managership of the British Rugby team which is to tour New Zealand in 1930. It was also decided to suggest to the International Board through the English Union that the time would be opportune to take advantage of Mr Baxter’s presence in the dominion to hold a Rugby conference in New Zealand with a view to discussing national tours, uniformity of rules and rulings, and matters appertaining to the welfare of Rugby generally; and the New Zealand Union suggests that invitations should be _ extended to the various Australian unions, the South African Rugby Board, and the Rugby Union in Canada to send delegates to the conference. ASSOCIATION MAORI HILL CLUB Tribute to the splendid spirit shown by members in regard to training and to their sportsmanship on and off the field was paid by the president (Mr Ji Simpson) at the twenty-fourth annual meeting of the Maori Hill Association Football Club last night, there being a fair attendance of members. > B«fer«mce was made to the death of Messrs S. Harborne and J. Bell, two members of the club who lost their lives in a yachting fatality last year, and on the chairman’s request the members stood as a mark of respect to their late colleagues. The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, congratulated the club on the success attained last season. It was gratifying to see that the first grade team had been successful in winning the Fletcher Challenge Cup and also the Chinese Charity Cup, this being the first occasion on which the club had won the first grad© championship. The second grade team had also come out on top in their competition, whilst the third grade had also done very well. These successes,, paid iho Chairman,;

were due in a great measure to tho splendid spirit displayed throughout the season in training, and for the fine sportsmanship that was in evidence amongst the members both on and off the field. Referring to the financial position, h© stated that the present balance was the highest that the club bad ever had, and a word of praise was due to their indefatigable treasurer. In conclusion, he wished the club further successes in the coming season. The balance-sheet showed the receipts to be £BS 4s 7d, including £ls ISs Id carried forward from last year, and the total expenditure £sl 4s 2d, leaving a credit balance of £34 Os sd. The report and balance-sheet were adopted. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year:—Patron, Mr O. Balk; president, Mr J. Simpson; vicepresidents—Messrs S. N. Brown, A. G. Rigby, W. J. Grade, C. Beeby, sen., J. Sparrow, J- Glover, L. Grant, D. Smith, J. Graham, J. Finch, J. Madden, H. Dods, J. M‘Kay, and A. Stokes; secretary, Mr A. A. M‘Leunan ; assistant secretary, Mr K. M‘Lennan; treasurer, Mr H. 0. Colgrave; committee —Messrs H. Balk, P. Romeril, W. Turner, J. Turner, D. Sixton, A. Brown, H. Newall, A. Oliver, W. Croft; trainer, Mr P. Romeril; delegates to 0.F.A., Mesrs H. Balk and A. A. MXennan; club captain, Mr H. Balk; selectors —first grade, Messrs- W. Turner and H. Newall; second grade, two second grad© players and a nonplaying member to be elected by the committee. The Secretary announced that an invitation had been received for a team to play at Invercargill on Easter Saturday, and the matter 'of arrangement was left in the hands of the selectors. It was intimated that at least eight members of the senior eleven had notified their willingness to make the trip. Intimation was also mad© that a team from the Central Club, of Invercargill, would be coming up to Dunedin to play a team from the Maori Hill Club. Opening day was fixed for Saturday next, and the secretary announced that a match had been arranged with a team from H.M.S. Diomede. Several new members were elected. A member mentioned that the club was anxious to enter fourth and fifth grad© teams in the competitions this year, and suggested that if members knew of any young lads desirous of playing it would be advisable to let the secretary have the names and addresses in good tim© before the matches started. RUGBY LEAGUE CHRISTIAN BROTHERS’ CLUB The annual meeting of tho Christian Brothers’ Rugby League Football Club was held last evening, Mr_ W. Lindsay presiding over a very satisfactory attendance. Later, the chair was taken by Mr W. M'Kewen, the newly-elected president. The balance-sheet showed a credit balance of £22 7s Bd. In moving the adoption of the annual report, Mr Lindsay referred to the good work of the committee and the secretary. Last season had been the most successful experienced by the club. He wished the members the best of luck, and expressed the hope that the games in the forthcoming season would be played out as cleanly as those of last year. , The report was adopted. The following office-bearers were elected Patron, His Lordship Dr Whyte; president, Mr W. M'Kewen; vice-presidents—Rev. Fathers Collins, M'Mahon, Hally, Rev. Bro. Gore, Mrs J. Plank, Messrs W. Lindsay v J. Kilraartin, N. M'Namara, P. Nash, T. White, P. Collins, W. Casey, J. Clark, E. Turnbull, W. Holloway; secretary, Mr J. Montague; treasurer, Mr W. S. Clancy; auditor, Mr P. Nash; delegates to the Otago Rugby League, Messrs F. Turnbull and W. Whitty; club captain, Mr T. O’Connor; committee—J. Day, H. Pearce, J. O’Connor, E. M'Kewen, E. Pollock, R. Cusack, R. Rich; coach, Mr W. M'Kewen. Mr F. Turnbull paid a tribute to the services given to the cluh_ by the retiring president (Mr W. Lindsay). Ten new members were elected. The opening practice day was fixed for Saturday, March id.