FOOTBALL.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXVI, Issue 150, 1 July 1890, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

WELLINGTON NOTES. (FBOJI OUB SPECIATi CORRESPONDENT.) Something approaching a sensation was caused m football circles m Wellington on Saturday morning when it became known that thePonekes — the once mighty and strong— had decided to withdraw from the senior championship. They were set down to meet the Melrose at Newton Park m the afternoon, and public interest m the contest had been worked up to such an extent that the spectators would probably have numbered several thousands, and tb.B Eugby Union would have reaped a rich harvest from the gate receipts. The action of the Ponekes is due to the manner hi which the club has been treated by the Eugby Union, who declared that Wage (the crack three-quarter, and one cf the mainstays of the team) was not a bona fide resident of Wellington, and was therefore ineligible to play m Saturday's match. Gage, it should be mentioned, has only recently returned from Napier, and it is generally believed here that the Ponekes, seeing that their star was m the descendant used their influence to bring about his return to Wellington, so that they might have his assistance m the remaining cup matches. In many quarters, however, this view of the matter is discountenanced. The Ponekes m defiance of the decision of the Union played Gage m the match against the ' Wellingtons last Saturday, and their action loat them a considerable number of supporters. If the status of the game is to be kept up, there must be a controlling body, and every club, weak and strong, must abide by the decisions of the Union. For the leading club of the colony to openly defy the Union was (to put it mildly) a grave error of judgment, and most people consider, that' they were let off lightly with a vote of censure, when they richly deserved expulsion for the rest of the season. Whatever reason the Ponekes may have for withdrawing from Saturday's match, it cannot be denied that they showed very bad form, and by their action they will have lowered themselves considerably m the estimation of the public at large. The Wellington Club, which .has not lost a cup match this season, must carry off the Championship, and with the Ponekes out of the way there should be a good fight between the Melrose and Athletics for second honors.. At .a meeting of the Eugby Union on Friday night-it was decided not to send a representative team South this season, but the Union pledged themselves to make the tour next year. . The decision also occasioned a good deal of surprise, and it is said that the Ponekes were at the bottom of it. Of course, after they had refused to play again ihis season, a southern tour was out of. the; question, because a representative team would ne- 1 cessarily include . Gage, or six or seven other Poneke men. In order ,to avoid disappointing the large number of. people who look forward to Saturday's match as the .event, of. the week, the Rugby/Union arranged that the Wellingtons and Melrose should try conclusions at Newtown Park, but that the match should not count for the Cham- [ pionship. The weather was perfect and i the attendance numerous, so that the Union will m a measure recoup the pecuniary loss they sustained through the Ponebes withdrawing from the match. The game itself was very tame, the Wellingtons winning well within themselves by eight points (two goals and two tries) to nil. The Pirates were beaten by the Welj lington Second by four points to three for the Junior Cup.