Rugby Football.

Free Lance, Volume II, Issue 95, 26 April 1902, Page 5

Rugby Football.

AT the special gcncial mooting ot the delegates of the Rugby Union, next Wednesday nieht, Mr. G-albraith, as chairman of the Managemeiit Committee, will mo\ c a very important motion, which, if earned, will tend to improve gieatly the moral standing of the game of Rugby football m Wellington. The motion reads as follows — That each aifiliated olub shall, pnoi to the 31st. December, m each year, hand to an auditor appointed by the Management Committee a statement of accounts, showing receipts and expenditure, and any further particulars required bv the auditor, who shall compare the subscriptions paid with the names of members supplied to the Union under Rule 9 for dub contests, and forward a list of defaulters to the secretary of the Union not later than the 31st March. Any active member whose subscription is unpaid on the 31st December shall be deemed to- be a defaulter, and shall be suspended uatil the amount due is paid into the hands of the treasurer of tlhe Union." With the motion I am entirely in accord. That there should be need for it does not reflect the greatest credit on those who play the Rugby game, but its necessity will admit of no doubt. The majority of those who give thear services in the management of clubs generally wear a more, or less harassed look as the season goes on Of course, there are exceptions, but they are few and far betw een. The general run of secretaries and treasuiers would hail with delight the passing of this motion, for the incentive it w ould give members to pay their subscriptions w y ould be indeed gratifying to them. All the clubs have by-laws allowing them to post defaulters, but, in the maiontv of instances, if a man is still a

pla^'i, and in the fust fifteen, lie us kept eood on the books, the onl\ ones tlh at a.re posted aft, defaulters being those who are hardly worth their places in the difteremt teaans, and who may have between the seasons shifted to anothei district or club It inav be sand that the secretaries of the clubs, if they so devued, couJd f<ike" thear books^keeping one set for the Auditors and one foi the mfoimation of tlhe club. But I feel certain that those officers will not go to the tiouble that entasis, especially when it is considered that 1 at is to then ach antrage that the motion proposed .should be ramed out in its entire^ if it becomes law t * * Mr Grant has tabled a notice of motion taking away the power given to officials of the Union at a special meeting of delegates on the 11th Julv — that of reporting players to the Union foi rough play, etc Personally, I am not in favoui of the Management Committee of the Union — or any of that body's officers — having power to report players for misdemeanours when they had been fortunate enough, sihaJl I say to nu&s the eye of the referee. My main objection is that the rules of the game give no authority for it, nor can I see how a player could receive a sentence on such a lepoit. Shortly, them, the delegates would do the correct thing if they earned Mr. Grant's motion • • » Mr A. J. Kellow , who was le-elected for his thud term of office as a member of tihe Management Committee of the Rugby Union, has received marching orders Mr Kello-w , who is a member of Levm and Co.'s staff, has been transferred by that firm to its Nelson business, and is under orders to report in Ins new quarters on the first of next month. Mr. Kellow, m his connection with th* Rugby Union, has done good woik, and, both m the manner of his speeches, and the w a.v he voted has endeavoured to do his share in pushing the Rugby game along to the good of all the clubs affiliated to the Union and not in any naj showing impartiality towards the club he is most intimately connected with As secietaiv of the Battalion Football Tournament, dunng the past two veais.

lie lias been more than a success, and lie wil.l lie s<ull\ missed by the volunteers when tJiear annual series of matches comes round, this. year. In \oluiitetT circles, Mr. Kellow has> made his mark, and the College Rifles, when he takes Ins departure, will lose one of its most valued officers. It is ,i matter of regret that Mr. Kellow is leaving Wellington, but as the move carries promotion in the fiim he is connected with lie also deserves congratulation * # ♦ The Refeiees' Association, at its meeting on Monday night, appointed a subcommittee of five of its members to attend the gymnasiums of the various clubs by invitation. The object is to give players every opportunity of making themselves better acquainted with the rules, and of the Association's rulings on points that occur during the progress of a game. Messrs. Norns, Katterns, Campbell, Weir and McKenzie were the sub-com-mittee appointed, and, on receipt of applications from clubs, the Association will depute one of the committee to attend the gymnasium of the club making the lequest. This desire on the part of the Association to educate players in the rules should be taken full advantage of bv the executives of the various clubs, as it must, improve the play of their members if they have a good idea of the rales, and the way the leferees are likely to rule on certain points. * * » The annual meeting of the New Zeaand Rugby Union will be held to-night (Fndav). Bv the way, I have had to boirow an annual report and balancesheet to make a comment on it — why I .should liave been missed in the circulation of the documents I know not. The tour of the New South Wales team resulted in a net profit to the Union of £blO l()s, which must be considered very satisfactory. The general finances show a shrinkage of from €40 09 lid to £29 7s lOd, a loss on the vcar's working of lust on £11. The value of the Refeiees' Conference, that -was held in June last, is show n in the report by the fact that only five appeals were dealt with bv the Appeal Committee — a contention that many of us had held being thus fully

borne out, that a periodical conference of letferees will tend to practically abolish the Appeal Committee altogether. The disposition of Lord Ranfurlv's Oup will be one of the main objects for discussion at the meeting. I still think the suggestion promulgated in these columns when the cup was awarded, is the best — the champion interpronncial team in each island to meet in Wellington at the end of each season, and play a match for the championshio of the colony. The New Zealand Union could manage the match, and from, the gate could leimburse the two unions interested in the expense that would be entailed by sending their teams to Welington. That the match would prove a bigger draw, and create greater interest, than an in-ter-island match goes without saying, and an interprovincial team would esteem the trophy a great deal more than an mtei -island one would. # # * Mr. B. Rash, who has recently returned from Australia, wasi a member of the New South Wales Referees' Association while in the Commonwealth, and, although he did not attain to the honour of refereeing in senior matches in Sydney, he acted in many of the senior games in the country districts of the New South Wales Rugby Union. Mr. Rash was elected a member of the Wellington Association on Monday night, and will be amongst its active members this season. He is a son of Mr. Rash, the well-known jeweller, of Willis-street. Mr. Aitken, who has been for many years now chajrmain of the ManagementCommittee of the Thames Rugby Union, was in town last week, attending th& Oddfellows' Conference. In the course of a conversation I had with him on Monday, he informed me that his union have decided to make a strong endeavour this season to repay visits made to the gold-mining town by various Noa-th Island unions. They have a fair credit balance, and have been promised a home and home match by the Auckland Rugby Union this season, so that Mr. Aitken is of opinion that the piospects of his union sending a team on tour to Taranaki, Wan.gan.ui, Wellington. Bawke's Ba,y, and Poverty Bay this season are very good indeed.

(Continued on page 6.)

The opening matches of the Senioi Championship will be played next SatuicLu Old Bo\s and Ponoke meet at Pet one, Petoue and Wellington and Oiiental and Athletic on the Paik I anticipate the lattei club in each instance to win I had hoped to have moie than a woid to sa^ on the constitution of the vaj ions teams this week, but the. stern limits of Spaco restrain me Bnefh the thiee strongest trams m the competition are the Wellington, Poneke. and Melrose, and I venture to predict that when the championship is concluded that that is the way they will finish The Old Boys should follow these home, but to present appearances the competition for the 'wooden 'peon will be an interesting tussle between AthJetic Pet one aaid On.-i-tal The Welhnato.il team have changed a lot *mcc last =ea«on but the only lealh weak < V rt iu-t now is the five-eiehth Poneke ha\e one gieat and in gent want a half-back The forwards aie solid and wry willing, though a hooke," would be welcome McAnallv is piepared to receive applications toi either of these positions Melro<* are ays solid as evei in the forward dnisuon. and it is in this department that their strength will he The Old Boys are shaping well, and, if there aie to be any surprises in the competition they will supply them They aie. in the main, developing into their full strength now , and consistent work m the evmnasium would make them lespected from the playing standpoint bv all the clubs Potone Athletics and Oriental die all having a hard job to get a decent fifteen n the held The constitution of the teams of the hrst two arc practicalh unknown and the latter aie lament. ibh weak behind the pack These are impressions, before tin actne woik of the seawm is enteied upon and it is iust possible that there I bo a diffeient tale to tell befoie main weeks ha\e gone bv . • * Buckland. who icpresented Auckland so capably in the thiee-quarter line last spawn has left the Thames toeofaimmß in the Kaipaia disf net If he nlavs the game his services wall still be at the ca,ll of the Auckland Ruebv Union if they so desire Speaking to All Aitkon (the chairman of the lhames Ruebv Unions, the other day he expressed the opinion that Buckland is the best three-quarter the Thames has e\oi produced— and inferentiallv the best nd has ever seen— but on tins point I have veiv giave doubts The names of Jems, Whiteside and Aladigan come into my head, and 1 cannot help thinking that given pieeentda\ conditions the*e thieo payers would sadh dwaif any of Auckland s last season three-quarteis — and toi the matter of that any seen out in JNpw Zealand last season. The preat all-iound woik of Doss" Jems— kicking tackling, and running —in the 1893 New Zealand team won him the reputation of the best back m that combination Wheie too is the old Aucklandei whose pulses do not tingle when he think* of the great iuiis long "Bob used to make when he got, fairly into his stmde and how many of the good taokleis of those times regretted not having gone low enough at him when lie. struck them such a mighty hit with that right-hand fend of his And then, good old "Bailow"— the "runaway house," as the English scribes called him when he was in the Old Countiy with the Natne teat When the old Gratton thiee-quarter got the ball and came sailing straight ahead regardless of what was m front of him bumping tackier after tackier off as lie met him how we along the touchhnes used to rejoice and cheer 1 An instance of Madigan's pluck— he's dead and gone, now, poor fellow It comes to me just here, and I would fain put it on paper Karlv in the fust snell of a match he was taking pait m he lcceived a, bump, and for the remainder of the game appeared to mn towards the centie of the field, instead of down his, touch-line, a.s usual It looked as if he was afraad of a tackle on the right side, and no w onder — foi when the game was finished, and he took his lersev off. it was found that he had dislocated his collarbone and had pla-^el for more than three-parts of the game with it out Truth to tell, then, these thiee giant.s of the three-quarter line in Auckland will take a lot. of equalling, and many will agree with me that Buckland is not vet on a par with them He may be in time but it is not vet » * * The secietary of the Hunteiville Club writes me re the comments I made on tho action of the Bangitikei Sub-TJmon m declining to affiliate the two Palmerston North clubs He accuses me of ' venting mv spleen on the delegates who \oted against the proposal." Nothing was further from my thoughts I had nothing against those delegates . it

wa.s only then action I souglit to cnticise It \wi,s gnen me toi a tact that one ot the. mam reasons toi the adverse motion to the. Palmoiston clubs was then leputed stiength, but mv Huntein ilie eotiiospondent infotins me that that idea na« a fallacious one He \\ liter* The sole and only iea,son of the deligates horn the so-called northern end takinp- such a firm sta.nd against the inclusion ot the Pdlmciston teams was Hadthev been affiliated, it was then intention (not this veai) to cut oft the northern sub-union (which bvthewav included all clubs beyond Huntemlle) Thus the delegates knen , and were thoroughly con\ineed of and after the meeting this coin ictioii was confirmed The writer got* on 'It is a nine quibble on the part of the papeis to the northern delegates were the objectors As a mattci ot fact, the southern delegates weie ecjuaJlv divided on the matter, three being for affiliation and three against it The result of the affiliation w ould mean the rejecting or rather ejecting, next year of foui clubs and only getting tw oin return " I am pleased to hear from Mr Thomson, tho secretary of the Huntevv\lle Club, on thas matter, and his opinions at- expiessed above, must, of cotuse, ciirrv weight Newspaper lepoits and pnvate information conve-\ed the conclusion's a,rri\ed at when mv comment was written, and if my strictures weie too severe on the northern delegates I am sorry Anyway, Mr Thomson has now- told the othei of the stor^ and the public can therefore form then ow li conclusions

Wallace is 1 counting his health on I)r New man's taim at Le\ m Ho is getting on famoush , and, I am told has. expressed the opinion that he Mill bo playing on Saturday w eek Dumrav" Cowan at h\e-eighths is playing for Newton, in Auckland tln.s season It is a brother at his that wa^ hne<l foi "silvei betting" in Wilhs-.stie-et last week. Dummj " w a.s a membei ot the Athletic second when last he pla\cd in Wellington I had a yam the othei da\ with Mi Hill, who acted as manager of the Marlborough team that \ lsited Wellington last season Things over Blenheim way, in the tootbaJl line, he tells me are very dead just at present the annual meeting having lapsed thiough want ot a ciuorum. This is parth accounted foi by the fact that Mr Allendei. the secretary of the union — and practically the hfe and soul ot the game over there — has been very unwell foi some time, and Mr. Hill assure*, me that when he is able to be about agaan in his accustomed health and stiength, things will be all light So mote it be The unusual spectacle ot a footballer playing in bare feet was witnessed dming the practice of the Union on the North ground on Saturday This was a player named John stone who hails fiom ' Wanganui, in which town he represented the Pirates a junioi team which he says won the )Uinoi flag competition last veair Johnstono who plays in the full-back or three-quarter line inteaids- joining the Union this year His barefoot diispla.v on Satin - day was not a sufficiently brilliant performance to warrant him repeating the

It is doubtful whethei Alex Wilson will be among the plaung division in Auckland tins season Mr ¥ M Jerris — or us he is bettei known Doss" Jeiws — has been elected chairman ot the Management Committee ot the Auckland Rugby Union Mi Kdgai W> lie has been appointed .secietaiv ot the resuscitated Mauauatu Rugb^ Union At the meeting on Monday night, m Palmerston North, \eiy keen interest was displayed in the matter of l'esuseitation, and the eftort to revive Rugby football in that town would appear to be destined to be entuely successful I -mcerely hope the PHtihusn.sts there may roa lse tho full mcuHiH' of their dcsnes. 'Quidnunc," m the 'Canterbuiy Tunes," clips the pq.iagiaph in which I hinted at disaffihation "from the Knghsh Rugby Union and adds the following comment" "More than once I have pointed out m the.se columns the utter uselicwsne^s ot remaining affiliated to the ruon-'nogre'isive and conservative English Rugb> Union , I have also mentioned that the English Rugby Union should be chopped, and the up-to-date Northern Rueb-\ Union taken up, if ooniiiects.o>n. with a union beyond the colonies is a deisirable. or necessary thing Finally, I ha.ye said that England is too far away tor us to bother ourselves about, ami that the New Zealand and Australian Unions ■should federate with a view, amongst other things, of making a number of alterations to rules, which, as they stand, are opposed to comraonson'o " And many of iis say "Hear, hear," in le-echoing the sentiments of "Quidnunc "

i \pci nnent and I should ad\ ise Jolmsoiic if lie wishes to gain honouis in the cub wind) lie lias elected to join to don ,\ raaicon ieise-\ and the legislation footha'l huots ten next Satuida\'s piactice. Full-Baok " m the Otago Witness." The Auckland Rugb\ Union commences its championship matches on Satin cLn ifa\ 10th