CORRESPONDENCE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 23 June 1924, Page 7

CORRESPONDENCE.

IS SOCCER DEAD IN TARANAKI? (To the Editor.) Sir, —The remarks of jour correspondent “Fair Play’i under the above caption in your issue of yesterday, whilst presumably written in the interests of the soccer edcle, and of the Auroa club in particular, do an injustice to the Alanaia Club, and as such, I beg your indulgence for space to reply to that portion of the letter which relates to my club —no doubt the Hawera Club can answer for itself. “Fair Play,” under the protection of a nom-de-plnme, alleges that the Alanaia Club failed to keep its engagement with Auroa last week-end because of the indisposition of some of its players, and his concluding comments imply that some of the recent non-fulfilment of the fixtures drawn up by the Association is due more to the results of earlier matches than a desire to “play the game.” In our case nothing could be more removed from the truth. The facts are that Alanaia Club, unfortunately, were not represented at the meeting of the Association on the previous Wednesday night, when the fixtures were drawn up for the second round of matches, which commenced on Saturday last, and did not officially know of the draw until the afternoon of the previous day (Friday). There was then insufficient time to apprise the various players, most of whom are scattered about the district. . The writer, however, after consultation with the captain of the club, caused a message to be telephoned to Auroa first thing on Saturday, intimating the inability of Alanaia to get a. full team together for that afternoon and suggesting that the match he played to-day (Thursday). Up to the present no Teply has come from Auroa Club. It is certainly true that some of the Alanaia players were suffering from minor injuries and some were unavailable, hut those misfortunes have not in any way diminished their enthusiasm, and those who conld have played had they been aware of the fixture were just as anxious to engage in the contest with Auroa Club as the members of the latter. Your correspondent loses the point (no doubt owing to his having “rushed into print”) about these dislocations of the matches as arranged by the Association. The fact of there not being a. universal half-holiday i s the real Reason the clubs find it difficult to carry out their engagements on the dates set down. In the case of Auroa, perhaps, the disability is not so apparent, as, with the large number of devotees of soccer there, ably supported by the residents, and no Rugby opposition of a serious nature, there are all the elements necessary to make a flourishing club. In furtherance of the very laudable expressions for the welfare of soccer which your correspondent gives prominence to, it might perhaps he opportune to suggest to him that he use his best endeavours to induce Auroa Club to meet the other clubs on mutually convenient dates when it is not reasonably practicable for their opponents to play on the dates arranged. At any rate that seems to me to evince the sporting spirit of which he writes, rather than that the Auroa Club should take advantage of their opponents’ disabilities and claim the matches thus interfered with.—l am,' etc. AV. J. AIcAIAHON, ‘Hon. Sec. Manaia. Soccer Club. Alanaia, June 19, 1924.