FOOTBALL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCVII, Issue 11252, 26 April 1897, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

NEW ZEALAND RUGBY UNION. [Per Press Association.l WELLINGTON, April 25. The fifth annual general meeting of the Council of the New Zealand Rugby Union was held last evening. Mr Campbell (Wellington), vice-president, was elected chairman. The following delegates were present;—Messrs Bate and Faclie (Wellington), F. W. Mitchell, Mackenzie, Bee, and Wilkinson (Otago),Lauronson (Poverty Bay), Wesney (Southland), Firth (Nelson), Ronaldson (Taranaki), M’Cardle (Canterbury), Whiffeii (Mauawatu), Gibbons (Auckland), Morrison (Hawke’s Bay), Batchelor (West Coast), Hyams (Wanganui), Fears (South Canterbui-y), and 11. M. De Costa, honorary secretary. The Chairman moved the adoption of the annual report and balance-sheet, stating that the Union was now in good heart and fulfilling the duties which it undertook when it was inaugurated. _ It was doing good work, and he was certain that it woxxld continue to do so. It was a matter for congratulation that it was discharging its functions without causing- any friction, while, at the same time, it was able to undertake the management of teams and settle the disputes of the various Unions. It was decided that the delegates of the South Canterbury and Marlborough Unions should not exercise a vote, as those Unions were in arrears.

The Treasurer explained that 33 per cent of the gross takings of the Queensland matches in Wellington had been given to the Athlatic Park Company. The motion for the adoption of the report and balance-sheet was agreed to. The Council decided to ask the Earl of Eanfurly, the new Governox-, to accept the office of patron. Mr Galloway (Otago) was elected president. The remaining officers were elected as follows: —Vice-presidents, Messrs Devore (Auckland), Rees (Poverty Bay), Logan (Hawke’s Bay), Walker (Bush districts), Hankins (Mauawatu), Empsom (Wanganui), Bayly (Taranaki), Whatman (Wairarapa), Littlejohn (Nelson), Mills, M.H.R. (Marlborough), Harden (Bxxller), Boyd (West Coast), Rhodes (Canterbury), Jonas (South Canterbury) and George (Southland). Otago has yet to nominate a vice-president. Hoxxorary seex-etax-y, Mr A. M. De Costa (reelected) ; honorary assistant - secretary, Mr B. Batchelor (re-elected); honorary treasurer, Mr J. Hyams (re-elected); management committee, Messrs Bate (Wellington). Bee (Otago), Wesney (Southland), J. Morrison (Hawke’s Bay), Gibbons (Auckland;, Laxxrenson (Poverty Bay) and M’Cardle (Canterbury, with the officers ex officio; auditor, Mr Coupland (Wellington); appeal committee, Messrs Henderson (Auckland), Faohe (Wellington), Cotterill (South Canterbixry), Firth (Nelson) and Logan (Hawke’s Bay). Before the election of the Appeal Committee Mr Firth (Nelson) referred to some remarks made by Messrs Galloway, Chapman and Campbell at a meeting of the Otago Union in connection with the upholding of an appeal from that Union to the English Union as to a disputed try obtained by Otago against Canterbury last season. Mr Firth criticised the discussion, axxd advised the delegates to be carefvxl, as sxxggested by some of the Otago people, not to allow theorists to become members of the Appeal Committee. The Chairman (Mr Campbell), who had been a member of the Appeal Committee from the outset, refused to stand again. Mr Mitchell (Otago), referring to Mr Firth’s remarks, assured the delegates that what the Otago Union meant was that as the first appeal sent Home bad beexx upset, great caxxtion shoxxld be exercised by the Appeal Committee. His opinion was that tlxe best men bad been placed on the committee.

Regarding the proposed Australian tour, the Treasurer stated that, as a result of having travelled with the 1893 team, he had formed certain ideas at to the arrangement of future tours, and had, with the consent of the Managing Committee, suggested an itinerary to the Unions concerned. The results to he arrived at by the adoption of this suggestion were the elimination of matches against odds and the securing of longer intervals between matches. To accomplish this end it was necessary that teams should travel between Sydney and Brisbane by rail and return to Auckland by the San Francisco mail steamer. This would enable the team to play a match at Auckland in aid of the funds of the New Zealand Union. In order to recoup the New South Wales Union for the extra cost of sending the team back by the San Francisco boat three Saturday matches would he played iu Sydney instead of two Saturday and one week-day match. His suggestions had been adopted in their entirety, and practically the whole of the arrangements were made subject to the acceptance of invitations. The steamer would probably leave Wellington for Sydney on Saturday, June 26, and ho suggested that a match North v. South should be played on that day. If the invitations were accepted the dates would be: — Leave Wellington June 26, play New South Wales on July 3 and 10, Queensland on July 17 and 24, and New South Wales on July 31, with minor matches on each Wednesday. The team would then leave by the Alameda on August 2, arriving at Auckland on August 6 and play there on August 7, leaving again for the south on August 9. He moved—“ That the invitations from the New South Wales and Queensland Unions ho accepted, and that arrangements for a North and South match be left in the bands of the Management Committee.’.’ After a brief discussion the motion was carried. The appointment of a committee to select the team to visit Australia was left to the Management Committee. The Secretary announced the following proposed movements of teams; —Otago to play Southland; Bush District to play Wairarapa, to visit Wanganui and Taranaki; Manawatu to' visit Taranaki; Poverty Bay to visit Hawke’s Bay; Buller to play West-Coast; Wanganui to visit Taranaki ; Auckland to visit Taranaki; Taranaki to visit Wellington, Canterbury and Otago; Wellington to visit Otago, Southland and Hawke’s Bay, also probably playing Manawatu and South Canterbury. LOCAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHES. The football season for 1897 was fairly started in Christchurch on Saturday, in fine, if somewhat -warm, weather. Two senior championship matches werp decided, both at Lancaster Park, where Merivale beat Kaiapoi by nine points to three, and Linwood ran away from a somewhat scratch team of Albion by forty points to nothing. Christchurch played a practice game against Sydenham, at Sydenham Park, and won by twelve points to six. SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP. { KAIAPOI v. MERIVALE. Playing (with a light wind in their favour, the country team soon had an advantage, but good play by Dansey relieved his side, and the town team’s forwards, prominent among whom were Johnstone and Brooker, removed the play to the other end. Then Pearce, with a strong run, assisted by a good kick by Peatherstone, gave Kaiapoi an advantage, and Duncan and Thorne following up fast, the latter scored the first try of the season for his side. This roused the Merivale forwards, and Brooker and Johnstone got away, and P. Menzies assisted with a

dodgy run. A mistake by Feathersfcone j and M’Grath let Johnstone over, and the j place kick failing, left the scores even. | Revell was prominent for the country team, 3 but the backs fumbling badly, undid all j his work, and Johnstone! scored his second j try. Dansey missed the easy _ kick. | After Merivalo had been forced twice in quick succession from penalty kicks, half- j time was called. Immediately after re- j suming, Fraser and Duggan got away j with a splendid dribbling rush, and only j lost a try through over-anxiety, but j with the play still at the Kaiapoi line 5 Phillips got over. Gerard missed the j kick. Then Kaiapoi commenced a strong < attack through good work by Pearce and j Featherstono, and an almost certain try j was lost through Mihaka fumbling. Mor- I land, by a good kick, relieved his side, j Still keeping up the attack, Pearce made 1 a dodgy run and was all but over, but i Monzics tackled him safely. Some good 5 forward play by the Merivale forwards re-' moved the scene of action, and at call of time the home team was attacking strongly. Merivale won by three tries (nine points) to one try (three points). Mr J. U. Collins was referee. LINWOOD V. ALBION. The Albion team was of a very scratch order and played with only fourteen men throughout, the full-back being an absentee. A good passing run amongst the Linwood backs ended with J. O’Brien in, and he repeated the performance just afterwards, the absence of a full-back rendering his task all the easier. No.goal resulted in either case and after force-downs had been noted against Albion, Glennie (Linwood) temporarily retired as the result of a collision with one of his own men. Then O’Brien potted a goal and the score was ten to nothing in favour of his team. A. Hobbs kicked a penalty goal, thirteen — nil; and before half-time the same player and Sanders had each registered a resultless try. After the interval Albion kept its opponents at bay for a considerable time, but about midway through the spell the defence broke down badly, and Linwood was enabled to rapidly increase its score. Price got over the line, and F. O’Brien converted— 24—0; then F. O’Brien crossed, his brother converting—29—0. The_ lastnamed again scored, Campbell improving—--34—0. , Campbell - converted a penalty kick—37—o, and F. O’Brien scored another try just at the finish. Final result: —Linwood, 6 tries, 3 goals# from tries, 1 penalty goal and 1 potted goal (40 points) to nil. Mr F. T. Evans was referee. ' JUNIOE FLAG." The match between the Albion and Sydenham Second Fifteens was played on the South Park, and after a keenly-con-tested game resulted in a draw, each side scoring three points. In the first spell, Moore secured a try for Albion after a pretty piece of passing, and in the second half of the game Sydenham was awarded a penalty kick, from which Maginness placed a goal. Mr T. W. Eeese was referee. . PRESIDENT’S CUP. Christchurch Third met Albion Third on the Merivale ground, and after a very onesided contest, won by twenty-one points (three goals from tries, one try, and a penalty goal) to nil. OTHER MATCHES. Owing to the withdrawal of the East Christchurch Club from the competition, Christchurch and Sydenham each had a bye, and played a practice game on Saturday. The former team won by twelve points, made up of a goal from a try, a goal from a mark and a try, to two tries. Tendall scored both tries for Christchurch, Appleby converting one, and he also kicked a goal from a mark. Donnelly and Castle each scored a try for Sydenham. All members of the Christchurch Club are requested to attend practice to-morrow evening at 7.30, in Ford’s rooms, Hereford Street.