FOOTBALL.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XIII, Issue 1359, 27 April 1920, Page 5

FOOTBALL.

SATURDAYS MATCH. The season opened on Saturday last with a scratch match, the teams being chosen from players from the Nebenebenut and Te Kuiti Clubs. Being the first game yf the season the players were not in good form. Tuheka and the Anderson and Hetet boys, were the most conspicuous amongst the Nehenebenui players, whilst Heise, Arkle, Williams and Burton did most to uphold the traditions of Te Kuiti. Tries were scored by Tuheka, Weka Wi, Eketone, Joseph, Thomas, Neil and W. Hetet. Mr Hamilton Wilson was the referee, and the ground was in good order. For a scratch match quite a number of spectators witnessed the game. NOTES. Several new players made their first appearance on Saturday, and one or two of them should give a good account of themselves before the season ends. Judging from appearances football in Te Kuiti should prove more interesting this year than it has been for some years past. The various club officials and members of the Union are working bard to make the season a record one.

Very few of the players that took part in the match on Saturday suffered from over-training, although, as one observer put it, several appeared to have dined well and often during the summer. A suggestion has been made that the officials should approach the St. John Ambulance Society to have a tent erected on the ground each Saturday, so as to provide elastic bandages, knee pads, a belt or two, a few jerseys, two or three pairs of football boots and two or three whistles, so as to ensure that the games commenced punctually. During the progress of the match or Saturday a player was tackled close to the touch-line, and both men fell amongst the spectators. In falling they struck three little girls, and one of the children appeared to be badly hurt. The authorities should have the playing field fenced off so as to keep spectators well clear of the ground. Messrs J. Pratt, C. Searancke, T. Paterangi, and E. SomervUle have been elected vice-presidents of the Nebenebenui Club. ■ The clubs should not lose any time in ordering jerseys. Inquiries made go to show that they will be difficult to obtain. The Nehepebenui Club has decided to encourage its junior players. Mr N. Cole has promised to present a medal for the best all-round player in the junior team, Mr S. Warren one for the best forward player, and Mr T. Searancke one for the best back. A Maori club has been formed at Otorohanga, called the Manawanui Football Club. Mr J. A. Ormsby is the president, and Mr A. Barton the captain. "After the whole mix-up has been in some way adjusted." remarked Mr S. EL West at a meeting of the Waipa Rugby Union, referring to the Union's* finances, "we have a credit balance of 5/."

Mr W. Ingram has been elected a vice-president of the Te Kuitt Club. The coming season of Rugby football is going to be the busiest in the history of the Canterbury Rugby Union. Entries have been received from 72 teams for tb« six grades of . the union's competitions—easily a record for the union—so that, even if each team has only a bare 15 men, there will be 1080 players. With emergencies, the number will exceed that considerably. It is stated that the Hangatiki district will enter a senior and a junior team in the Maniapoto Union this year. There is every prospect of a subunion being formed at Kawhia. Owing to the representative match Auckland v. King Country-Maniapoto at Taumarunut on May 1 the local inter-club matches, will not be commenced until May S.