SOCCER

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 11 April 1925, Page 9

SOCCER

DISLOYALISTS BA aa' ED

FOOTBALLERS REjH iv ED

INCIDENT AT GISBORNE.

A sequel to an incident whi n occ.ui’red at a smoke concert held by the Poverty Bay Football Association last week took place at the annual meeting of the association, when two or three ex-members, who ' had taueuto give due observance to the Honouring of the Royal toast or to the singing of' the National Anthem, were pointedly toldthat their membership would not be recognised in future, ana were advised 1 to refrain from applying for affiliation. The matter was brought up at the commencement of -the meeting t>y me chairman, Mr. H. H. Barker, who expressed regret at haying to refer ti. such an unpleasant incident. .He st ; .a\ that such an unpardonable insult to the .association could not he o>e: • looked. “No person,” he said, “can be prevented from holding any views he wishes, but in cases such as these lie should have the common decency to refrain from obtruding his views m a place where they are not only not acceptable, hut are also an unpardonable insult to every selfrespeeting man in the company’. I want to state now, with all* the emphasis of which 1 am capable, that the first principle of this association is loyalty to the Crown aim all that it stands for. And any man woh is not prepared to subscribe to that principle will not be tolerated in the association. “A man who is not loyal to the Crown and the Constitution or the country wdiich gave him birth cannot be expected to be loyal to any organisation, and we do not want such in our ranks. If they do not like our principles they are at liberty to join any organisation where their own views will be acceptable, if they can find one, but while they are with us they must be of us or else get out. “1 want it known that the Poverty Bay Football Association stands loyal to the King and the Empire. Any individual who is * not prepared to make a similar stand will save the association the unpleasant duty of expelling him if he refrains from making application for affiliation.” The intention to enforce the principle was made clear during the evening, when one of those persons was informed, in answer to a question, that the reason why he had not received a ballot paper had been made clear at the commencement of the meeting. ENGLISH TEAM. The project of! sending a team of Association footballers from England to Australia is about to he fulfilled, but ihe idea has been in the air for at least a quarter of a century (writes x'ltyrus in tlVe Athletic News). The foot-ball Association, the powerful parental body which rules the games in England, 'has done much missionary ~ork on the European Continent, and ,ias developed this pastime in South -Vlvica by sending out teams in 1910 mil 1920. although there is no doubt liiat The Corinthians were the pioneers on the veldt.. Neithei the Corinthians nor the football Association have been able to stimulate the sport in Australia, which has always seemed so far away and Ivhich would necessarily demand much -more ’time and expense .than an excursion <'~to.-'South Africa. - 1 " Even amateurs who happen to be gentlenien of leisure have fought shy >f visiting Australia. Even, so, there s another aspect ,of the matter which must not be forgotten, for it is understood in this country, that Australia ias not been in a position to undertake serious financial responsibilities in connection with an undertaking until quite '.ecently. „ , However, when the notion of such a tour was practically placed before the Association in London, rather over a year' ago. the governing authority found all kinds of difficulties aiise the chief of these being the'unwillingness of clubs to release 'players, paiticularly o) the professional class retained ‘for the principal League comjetitions. 1