FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12546, 13 April 1904, Page 7

FOOTBALL.

The annual meeting- of tho Auckland Rugby Union will be held in the Sports Clubrooms on Friday evening next. The North Shore District Football Club will play a costume match, Russians v. Japanese, on the Recreation Ground, Devonport, next Saturday afternoon. As the proceeds are to be devoted to the building fund for the training shed, the fixture deserves to bo well patronised. It is definitely announced that the English Rugby team will include New Zealand in the colonial torn, which commences in June with a match in Sydney. O'Brien and McEvedy, the two Canterbury players who have been so conspicuous in the Guy's Hospital team, in Tendon, have been asked to join tho English Rugby team that is to visit Australia this year. Both of them communicated with their parents, hut while Mr. O'Brien, sen., gave his consent, Mr. McEvedy, sen., reiused his. Overtures were, however, to bo made to Mi. McEvedy to induce him to relent, and it is believed there is a chance ot his doing mo. In view of the probable visit cf a New Zealand team to England, tho following paragraph is interesting 011 tho subject of Kates: The attendance jit the Wales v. Scotland _ match, at Swansea, resulted in £1815 being taken, a sum which beats all previous records on the ground. Tho next best was £1636. International games are very popular in Wales, and the occasions are always made functions which draw the hardy Welshman and his friends from tho mountain fastnesses into the big towns. , In reply to a correspondent, the Manchester Athletic News states that "it would scarcely bo correct to state that Rugby is declining in favoui of Association; but it is true that the dribbling code is spreading into former Rugby strongholds." The News ■is a great British Association organ, so that its view may bo accepted as thoroughly reliable in this respect. PARNETJj FOOTBALL CLUB. At the committee meeting of the I'arnell Football Olub, held last evening, Mr. F. M. Jems, one of the delegates to the Auckland Rugby Union, sent in his resignation, which was received with much jrcgrei. The secretary (Mi. IT. G. Ohcvis) was instructed to thank Mr. .Tervis for his services on behalf of the club. The secretary was elected to fill the vacancy caused by Mr. Jervis' retirement.