THE GOLDFIELDS FOOTBALL TEAM.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume 36, Issue 9439, 30 September 1904, Page 1

THE GOLDFIELDS FOOTBALL TEAM.

At the meeting of the Otago Rugby Football Union on Monday the. question of misconduct by the Goldfields team was discussed.

The editor of the Dunstan Times wrote that the paragraph published in his paper was not intended to refer to the whole team.. But considering that, the party that visited Clyde included the manager, captain, referee and at least two players, any.misconduct on their part cast a reflection on the whole team. He maintained that at least five loud cheers were given in the main street, Clyde, on Sunday afternoon ; that the party paraded the streets to all appearances the worse for liquor; that they drove through the streets with champagne bottles attached to every conspicuous part of their vehicle; and that they gesticulated and called out to townspeople they met on the road.

Letters from Clyde people supporting these statements were also read. Mr Smith, the manager of the team, said that the party that went to Clyde did not stay there more than an hour and only had four or five drinks.; When they were going away someone asked fchem to give a. "Maori they-did, that they should take back the c einpHy< champagne bottles to show how they had been treated, and they were tied together on the back of the trap. He did not kaow that they were showing; He denied every word of the charge of drunkenness. A letter was also received from Alexandra residents testifying to the good behaviour of the team while stay-: ing there.

A motion was carried expressing regret that the Dunstan Times had asiside charges against the; members of the Dunedin football team in Alexandra, which the committee finds that the editor now admits were unfounded. '""■ • ■"

With regard to the ; party ' that' went to Clyde it was carried "that" they were guilty of. an indiscretion in giving cheers and war-whoops in the street on Sunday and allowing champagne bottles to be attached-to their vehicle, but that there was no evidence of the more serious charge of beer-swilling and and that the editor of the Dmistari Times-be asked to obtain some evidence of it, failing the reeeiplof such evidence the matter be allowed to drop. -