RUGBY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 19 March 1926, Page 3

RUGBY.

OKAIAWA CLUB’S ANNUAL

MEETING.

There was a good attendance of members, about forty being present, at the annual general meeting of the Okaiawa Football Club, held last night in the Town Hall. Mr A. Lees (president) was in the chair.- - The annual report and balance-sheet were read and adopted as follows: — Your committee regrets that the bal-ance-sheett shows a loss on the year’s work. This is due mainly to the action of the T.R.U. in ruling that hon. members’ tickets would not admit the bearers to cup fixtures. The idea was to increase the gate takings; unfortunately this did not prove to be correct in Okaiawa’s case, as we had smaller gates than the previous season, when we 'had over seventy financial honorary members. We would like to see honorary members’ tickets again in use for the incoming season, and have sent a notice of motion to the T.R.U. to that effect, as we think that because the scheme proved to be unworkable at New Plymouth, it is unfair to penalise the other clubs in Taranaki. Players’ subscriptions showed a decrease also, and we would like to impress upon players that it is absolutely necessary for them to pay their subscriptions promptly and enable their club to meet its very heavy expenditure. Members of the Okaiawa Club were fairly successful in the seven-a-side tournaments at the commencement of, the season, as they won. the Mills Cup at the Manaia tourney, where a large number of the leading teams of Taranaki were competing, and they also won the gold medals at Mokoia, where the competition was not so strong. Your committee think it only right to mention here the excellent performances of the Okaiawa schoolboys, who last season won the seven-a-side tournament at Stratford, and the school fifteen went through the whole of the season without defeat. Their play was of a very high standard. It showed marked evidence of careful coaching and hard training, and was an object lesson for our other teams in this respect. Two of our seniors gained representative honours—B. Roberts and D. Johnson—and toured with the Taranaki team. D. Johnson also went on tour with the All Blacks through Australia. To these players, and B. Cameron in the B team, we extend our hearty congratulations. In conclusion we hope players this season will get into hard training, will take the game seriously, and add a few more names to Okaiawa’s list of All Blacks. The main features in the statement of accounts were, as below: —Receipts: Balance 1925, £63 11s sd; subscriptions, £6 17s; fares collected, £24; gates, £54; ball, £l6 11s; euchre, £2 12s; T.R.U. refunds, £25. Expenditure: Gates to T.R.U., £46; travelling, £59 9s; secretary’s bonus, £10; sundry amounts, £2l 11s; advertising, £2 19s; subscription to Union, £3 13s 6d. In moving the adoption of the report and balance-shegt, the chairman said that the season had been a good one and Okaiawa had dofie well, as would be seen- by the fact that several members were included in the representatives and one in the All Black team for Australia. He referred to the great success of the school team, and. said it had been a factor in keeping the club going and would help more and more in the future. They provided an object lesson in training and preparing for play, which was most creditable, and he hoped they would continue this good lead, and that the boys would come out on top. He hoped that all would do their very best for the club, and commended the members of the outgoing committee for their good work. He remarked that there had been a falling off in subscriptions and donations, due, he believed, to doing away with the privilege formerly granted to honorary members. ELECTION OF OFFICERS.

This resulted as follows: —Patron, Mr W. A. Guy (re-elected); president, Mr A. Lees (re-elected); vice-presidents, Messrs H. R. Penny, AV. Hollis, H. Kasper, M. Robertson, J. O’Sullivan; hon. secretary and treasurer, Mr L. Houlahan (re-elected); delegates to Union, Messrs W. A. Guy and A. Lees; auditor, Mr A. Lees. Management committee: Messrs M. Robertson, J. Ramsay, H. Kasper, O. Crawford, G. Hollis, J. Johnson. Selectors: Senior, Mr J. Johnson; junior, Mr AV. Baker; both to act in conjunction with the respective captains of teams.

Club captain: Mr D. Johnson was elected. In returning thanks, he said that lie considered the prospects were very bright, and while some would always be found to complain, he believed that if all pulled together Okaiawa would have a good season.

Wednesday, March 24; was fixed for the opening practice. In regard to fourths, it was stated that Norinanby would come in with Okaiawa and play just when and where required. New members: Messrs Rangi Ruru, M. Lynskey, C. Ross, J. Crawford, W. li. 0. Spooner; T. King, G. Keighley, J. Hartley, H. Freakley, G. Washer, and J. McAllumiwere elected members of the club..

An honorarium of £5 was voted to the lion) secretary, Mr L. Houlahan. Mr AV. A. Guy said he would donate a, medal for the most improved junior player. The subscription was fixed at 3s. Hearty votes of thanks were accorded to the officials for the past season, to the ladies, to the press and to the chairman. The chairman said that the clubs should acknowledge what the papers did for football and for sport -generally. They gave sport much publicity and helped materially in creating keen interest among all clubs and with the public.

THE GAME IN TARANAKI

SCHEME OF COMPETITION

OKAIAAVA SUPPORTS NORTH AND SOUTH.

The question of the scheme under which Rugby football competitions shall be. plnyedi in Taranaki this season was discussed at lengtlL_at the annual meeting of the Okaiawa Club last night, and as a result the delegates were recommended to strongly support a reversion to the North and South division scheme.

Mr. A. Lees opened, the subject in his remarks on the position of the game. He said, there had been too much travelling, which was not, good for the game, and made it more a business than a recreation. He believed in players keeping fit and making a recreation of their games. He

considered that the system in vogue (or the past seasons had'-done harm to the game, and if there was not an improvement Taranaki would sink to a second grade union. There were, in his opinion, too many representative matches, not only in but all over New Zealand. They should strive hard to develop club football, and representative football would look after itself. The time would shortly arrive w hen delegates to the union must decide on a scheme, and he advocated strongly that of the two divisions. He had predicted when- the new scheme was tried that it would have an ad - verse effect. The divisional scheme would have the result of creating strong local interest on the part of the ' clubs, the players, and the public, and when, say, Okaiawa travelled to Kaponga, there would be perhaps as many of their own supporters present as of the local people. He referred to the statements at the Tukapa meeting, and said there was not too much rivalry, but it was wrongly directed. He believed the scheme in vogue when Okaiawa an<l Mianaia were at their zenith was the best, and they should get back to the system that had worked so well.

Mr. Birchall said that lie approved of a change, and that for selection of representative teams there should be three selectors from each end for North and South teams, and one for the representative team, Mr. Guy said the division scheme was most satisfactory, and it was one he had always supported. Mr. Penny urged taking a sporting view of the position. He thought the country clubs had not been sufficiently considered. The North and South scheme created healthy rivalry .and '■made for less travelling, and they should get back to it. It was agreed that the delegates should 1 support the scheme. It was stated bv the chairman that a notice of motion had been forwarded to the union proposing a reversion to the old scheme. WEDNESDAY ASSOCIATION. DELEGATES’ ANNUAL MEETING. Notice is given that the annual meeting of delegates of Wednesday clubs will be held on Wednesday, April 4, A Elgar’s saloon in High Street. Two or three more clubs are expected to join and their delegates are invited to attend the meeting.