FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9371, 22 May 1889, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

TUAKATJ V. H.M.S. DART. At the invitation of the Tuakau Football Club a football team from H.M.s. Dart, composed of the following players, left for Tuakau by the half-past nine train on Saturday morning : Buekland (captain), Lovern, \\ heable, Brockwell, Lucas, Samway, Watts, Lee, Dood, Matlock, Pine, Wise, Woods, Penny. After jolly ride the tars reached Tuakau at half-past eleven, and were accorded a hearty welcome by Messrs. Poland, Harris, and several other members of the local club. The party then adjourned to the hotel, where the visitors sat down to a substantial repast which had been provided for them by the Tuakau boys. Lunch over the team was shown through the flaxmills of Messrs. Sommers and Oldham, the sailors taking a great interest in watching the flax manufactured from the raw material even into matting. A splendid view of ' Tuakau having been obtained from Lusk's Hill, the party returned to the hotel, where they began to ''tog up" for the match. By this time the football ground afforded quite a gay appearance, all the settlers for miles around having turned out to see the fun. As the tars tiled out on to the ground, they were received with great enthusiasm, and they responded by givh«three hearty cheers for the Two Co\vs. ? ' The visitors won the toss, and Buekland (their captain) very wisely elected to kick with the wind. Elliott kicked off, and the fun commenced by the ball striking one of the tars and knocking him over back' wards. One of his mates, however, got the leather, and after a dodgy run, caused more merriment by throwing the ball with great accuracy towards the Tuakau goal. The Tuakau team went clean through the visitors, and from this point it would be impossible to describe the game. The tars worked like " bricks," but it was very evident that they were not well acquainted with the Rugby game. The match was contested with the utmost good feeling, and indeed several times both teams stopped playing in order to have a good laugh. It was astonishing, though, to see how quickly the sailors licked up the game, and towards the end of the second spell they showed some really good play. The match resulted in a win for Tuakau by 10 points to 3. In the evening the local club entertained both teams at a dinner and a smoke concert in the Tuakau Hotel. Shortly before the visitors left Mr. T. Elliott, on behalf of the Tuakau Football Club, thanked them for their visit. He sincerely hoped they had enjoyed themselves, and on behalf of his club lie presented Mr. Buekland (their captain) with a photo, of the Tuakau Football team. Mr. Buckland briefly replied, and called upon Mr. Toogood, who, in a very happy speech, thanked the Tuakau Club lor their kindness and hospitality. It was, he said, a long time since any of his team spent such a pleasant day, an d he assured the country boys that when they were far across the water they would look back with fond remembrance on the happy hours they had spent in Tuakau. The visitors left by the half-past five p.m. train, all Tuakau turning out to see tnem off, and as the train moved out of the station the assemblage sang the National Anthem, the sailors responding with three hearty cheers for the residents at Tuakau. The tars arrived in Auckland shortly after ten o'clock, feeling rather tired, but delighted with their visit to Tuakau. There is no mistake but that the people of Tuakau fell quite in love with the sailors, and it is pleasing to note that the whole of the visitors were Good Templars. correspondent.] MARAETAI V. TAUPO. A match was played between the Maraetai Football Club and the Taupo Maori Football Club on Saturday, April 27th. The game throughout was a very fast one, but the superior weight of the natives began to tell in the latter part of the game, and it resulted in a win for them by four tries to nil. The natives had an excellent luncheon for the European team after the match, and the native ladies presided at the tables and paid every attention to their guests. For the Maraetai Football Club Messrs. E. and W. Could rev and Jeffrey Bros, played well, while all the natives did good work.— Wairoa South Correspondent.] CLEVEDOX FOOTBALL CLUB V. TAUPO. On Saturday afternoon, May lltli, the Clevedon Club and Taupo Maori Club played a match at Clevedon in an excellent paddock, the property of Mr. A. McNicol. The day was fine, ami all that could be desired. The following played for Clevedon, namely :— Messrs. Luke (2), Gallagher (2), W. Rhodes, Alexander (2), Kerr (2), "W. Hope, W. Hyde, George. Munro, Mclntyre, and G. Noble. For the Maoris: Rawiri-tena, Kapia-hetaraka,_Rawiri-hema, Mina, Hoera, Hare, Paitaki, Koinaki, Raniera, Wiremu, Horie, Kawhi, Karawa, Haki, Timoa. The match was a fast one, but the Clevedons were too strong for the natives, and the result of the match was five points to the Clevedon Club to nil for the Taupo Club. After the match the natives were treated to a good spread by their European opponents.— Correspon dent, May 14.] ARATAPC FOOTBALL MATCH. Our footballers held their first match of the season on Saturday, the sides being. Captain v. Vice-Captain. On paper it looked as if the captain had made a bad selection. Two spells of thirty-five minutes each were played under the new rules, and the game was very fast. The captain's side managed to more than hold their own, and won by five points to one, though the was pretty tough. E. Bassett, Joe Morrison, and Alex. Smith secured tries for the captain's fifteen, and one of these was converted into a goal by A. Smith. For the other side L. Anderson secured a try.[Own Correspondent.]

Very many persons in our settlement are greatly disturbed at the action of the Hukerenui meeting of householders as reported in the Weekly News. The Hukerenui people have been unfortunate enough not to have their wishes in reference to the appointment of a teacher gratified by the Board, and they undoubtedly feel aggrieved, but for a meeting of sane persons, as I suppose they were, for such a reason, to pass a resolution of no' confidence in Mr. McNaughton before they had seen him, or had evidence of his work, seems ridiculous. Of all the young men who have passed through the Aratapu school as pupil teachers or assistants, Mr. McNaugb ton is the ablest and most efficient. Their spectors, as well as our head-teacher, give him an excellent character as a teacher of youth. As to his moral worth and respectability, he is irreproachable. Our school committee, seeing the unkindly reference to him published in your country news, has desired me to place in the same columns the announcement of the appreciation in which he was held by all in these parts. He was here for twelve months. We can recommend him , toj the Hukerenui people as a conscientious, hard-working, God-fearing, > tem-perance-loving teacher, whom, if they help in his work, they will have no cause to regret the appointment of. —[Aratapu Correspondent.]