OTAGO RUGBY LEAGUE

Evening Star, Issue 20443, 26 March 1930, Page 6

OTAGO RUGBY LEAGUE

ANNUAL MEETING Members of the Otago Rugby Football League held their annual meeting last night, Mr T. Gillies presiding over ■a very satisfactory attendance. The annual report read: — The season 1929 opened well for all clubs, with the exception - of ■ City. This club seemed lacking in organisation, but with a- little help was soon able to field a very strong team. Kaitangata, after an absence from the competition for nearly three/ years, was able to enter a senior team. Thegame itself was generally of a very high standard, and many exciting matches" were played. There were six clubs, comprising ten teams, in action during the season, playing senior and junior grade football. Athletic Kaikorai, Pacific, and Christian Brothers’ Clubs, all fielded a team in each grade; Kaitangata and Citv were represented only m the senior. Christian Brothers in the early part of the season maintained two teams in the senior grade as well as one in . the junior, but later, m order 'to eliminate the bye, they withdrew the B senior team to the junior grade. The most improved team in either competition was the Kaikorai juniors. Th s club is lucky, indeed to have enrolled such .a keen, hard-working lot or boys. They fought their way to the premiership of their grade, and showed themselves proficient at points of game not even tried by players of more matured tian Brothers’ Club, asked permission to travel to Christchurch to play for the Gore Cup against the Canterbury premiers, Addington. The previous year they had played .Hornby, but were unsuccessful in retrieving the _ cup. There was no doubt about their victory this trip. The Brothers proved themselves exponents of every point in the game, and had a run-away victory of 32 points to 8. We congratulate them on their splendid victory. At Christchurch on August 31 Otago played Canterbury, and in a game full of interest arid sparkling with tactics by Otago’s backs, decisively won by 26 0011118 to Is. Tbo return tnaten wus won by 22 to 15. The junior representatives did not play away from home this season. . The committee was able to arrange for visits from two Christchurch teams. On August 24 they met Marist Brothers, and on September 28, prior to the Canterbury v. Otago game, they met Linwood and were successful in both games. Otngcv was represented l>y Eckhoff, M Ewen, Townsend, and Bltizey in the South Island team which defeated the North Island. representatives at Carlaw Park. Auckland, by 22, points to 13. This is tho. first time on record that the northerners have been vanquished, and rudely shattered the accepted opinion .that the League in the South Island is inferior to that of the North. The game was a triumph of forward play. The South ’s vanguard not only smashed the attacks of their opponents, but they rendercfl futile any movements of their renowned, backs. If there is any life, at AH in the southern Leagues a win like the above should stir them to many and; better things this coming year... We congratulate the southern Leagues and our Otago boys on this wonderful victory. Before closing comment on the tours it is pleasing to record the wonderful reports received on the conduct of our Otago hoys whilst in Christchurch and Auckland. These reports reflected. great credit on the capable management of Mr P. Turnbull, who fully amplified them in . Ids own account on his return. “Chisholm Park and the Oval were again , allotted to the League for two matches each Saturday. .The Caledonian Ground was further improved during the past, season. Lockers were provided for all clubs training there. We again acknowledge the co-opera-tion of tlie City Council and other local bodies who have assisted in various directions. Our thanks are , also due to Mr 11. Maxwell, the custodian of the Caledonian Grounds, for, his attendance to the requirements of the players and the wishes of the committee. The executive wishes to thank tho referees for their good work, during the season. We would, be pleased if some of the players retiring from the game would come forward and give a hand in this very necessary department of the game. “The problem of laying out Colossal Park has given the executive much thought. Towards the end of tho year under review, tho whole question was : dealt with at length, and it was finally decided to hand over tho ontrol of tho property to Messrs H. Divers and Co, Prior to this having been done an option to the area for a stadium was .given to Mr Roy S. Johnston, of . Wellington. Mr Johnston took up his option, hut was unable to carry out the remainder of his contract owing to insufficiency of time. A new option was given over part of the area, only the balance being held for snh-division purposes’ , This option he took up. The stadium to he built had to encompass a full-sized plaving field, and it was thought, (not having any plans in , Front “f us), that it could bo built running parallel to Macandrew road , Unfortunately, when the ground was surveyed, it was found that this could not. he done, so the stadium had te rii.n parallel to Surrey street, this taking in more, ground than was <x’ported. This will now prevent the League from' carrying out its full subdivision. The League ■ will undertake after Faster to plough, level, and ' drive the enclosure, and ; towards the end of winter have it sown down in grass.. This fine ground will then be in readiness for play for the season 1031. , “ Tlie sum of. £55 Os (Id was disbursed t<i injured players during the playing season. As disclosed by tho balancesheet for the year ending ''eiwnhei 31. 1929, The finances of the [league afo iii quite a satisfactory state. The Chairman expressed" his pleasure at seeing such a good attendance, and thanked members of the executive for their support Inst year In moving the adoption ot the report he remarked that the year had been a very successful one from a playing point of view, with the exception that Kaitangata was not always able to field a,Full team in Dunedin. Mr Gillies said ho wished to : thank Christian Brothers and City for their fine displays during the season. Ho then piade special mention of the form shown by the Kaikorai juniors, and stated that For this their thanks were duo to Mr Watson, whose energetic interest assisted tho boys to get together- and helped them to put up such good performances during the year. It was with great pleasure that •he wished to remark on the Fact that their representatives in the interprovincial matches had done honour to themselves, tho city, and the province. Their thanks were due to Mr Turnbull for his management. He had brought back, a fine report as to tho behaviour of the team. Mentioning the Ellis, Maxwell, ami Goro Cups, the president said that the competitions were well catered fqr, aij*l said that the seven-a-side tournament had produced some line football. In regard to tho ground facilities it would bo noticed that the players had been looked after as well as in the past—indeed, there had been improvements Mr Maxwell had earned their gratitude for the manner in which

he had attended to the welfare of the players at tho Caledonian Ground. (Applause.) The motion was seconded by Mr H. Seddon. and the report was adopted. The following office-bearers wore elected Patron, Mr A. Ellis; president, Mr T. M. Gillies; vice-presidents, Messrs J Kennedy and P. Nash; treasurer, Mr U. Divers; executive— Messrs E. Watson and T. Hughes (City), F. Sims and R. Maxwell (Pacific), F. Turnbull and J. Brennan (Christian Brothers), ,C. Tilleyshort and J. Ferguson (Kaikorai), W. Hunt and G. M'Crea (Athletic), and Mr ii. Seddon (Kaitangata). Mr Gillies thanked Mr W. Whitty, a member of last year’s executive, who was unable to sit again on that body, for his valuable services to the code in Dunedin, especially among tho junior clubs. He had always taken a very keen interest in them, said the president. On behalf of the executive the President also thanked the Press for the assistance given to the code during tho yearAfter the annual meeting closed a meeting of the executive was held, and the following were appointed a Judicial Committee:—Messrs F. Turnbull (convener), G. M'Crea. C. Tilleyshort, and R. Maxwell. '