FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12663, 17 September 1904, Page 7

FOOTBALL.

THE only -fixture of note to be decided before the final fall of the curtain on the football season of 1904 is the North v. South Island match, which is underlined for Saturday next, and will be played at Dunedin. As several leading exponents of the Rugby code invited to take part have found themselves unable to obtain the necessary leave, the object aimed at, that of gauging the strength of the respective islands, will not be attained, unci it would perhaps have been as well had the New Zealand Union decided to abandon the fixture this season.

The omission of W. E. McKenzic, Auckland's crack threequarter back, from the team originally chosen to represent the North Island was freely commented upon here, and needless to say the comment was not favourable to those entrusted with the selection of the combination. The consistently good form shown by the Grafton player in cup iixtures this season satisfied many good judges here that bis claims to inclusion in the New Zealand team for the match against Great Britain should have been more serious)}" considered than was the case. At the same time we recognised that the Southern members of the Selection Committee had not been afforded an opportunity of seeing McKenzie at his best, and as his form on one or two previous occasions when chosen to take part in " big" football proved somewhat disappointing, falling far below his present standard, we did not feel justified in entering a protest. Since then, however, the Aticklaiider has played his part in several important engagements, rendering yeoman service to his province, and in no instance has ft visiting player appealed to us as his mperior as a wing threequarter; in fact, it may be said without fear of contradiction, that taken all round his display in the position has been quite the best seen here this season. On his representative form, the Graftonite should have been one of the first men ?hosen for the North Island team, and although he has since found his way in by the back door, we havo certainly reason to complain at his omission from the original fifteen.

A special meeting of delegates to the Auckland Rugby Union was held on Wednesday evening last foi the purpose of discussing a motion prompted by the Suburbs District Club, urging a rearrangement of the district boundaries, and suggesting that the new district should be the same as the new electoral districts, which are to be based on population. That some change is necessary la the Interests of the Suburbs and Parnell districts cannot' be denied, but as those entrusted With the support of the motion failed through want of adequate information as" to the probable benefits of the proposed change to enlist the sympathies of the majority of the delegates, it was not surprising to find that nothing was done beyond affirming the desirability of rearranging the existing boundaries, and referring the matter to the management committee to report to a future meeting. The solution of the difficulty is no easy matter, as the City, Newton, Ponsonby, North. Shore, and Grafton district clubs appear to have no reason to be dissatisfied with the existing state of affairs, and this makes it all the more difficult to prepare a scheme whereby Parnell and Suburb? will benefit without interference with the remaining districts. The amalgamation of the two weak districts was suggested, but did not meet with the approval of the Parnell delegates, and it seems that the committee has a ticklish and by no means enviable task before it to satisfy all concerned. Possibly the new electoral districts on the population basis ,vould bring about a satisfactory solution, but in the meantime the delegates undoubtedly adopted the right course in rejecting the motion in the absence of information concerning the proposed electoral district?.

HERE AND THERE. Messrs. Evans, Fache, Murray, and Harris will select 50 players and submit the names to the New Zealand Union by November 1 in connection with the New Zealand team's English tour next season. According to Sydney papers, D. R. BedellSivrighr, D. Dobson, and C. N. Crowther, three members of the British team who remained behind in Sydney, only intend spending 8 longer holiday in Australia. B. J. Swanneil, who was also left behind, is the only member likely to settle in the colonies. J. Samson, the old Parnell forward and Auckland representative of a few years back, who came across to Auckland to see his mother recently, returned to Sydney by last Monday's boat When summoned home his mother was very ill, but had greatly improved before he left. A committee has been set up by the New Zealand Union to consider financial matters in connection with the sending of a representative team to Great Britain next year. At l&st Wednesday night's meeting of the Management Committee of the Auckland Rugby Union the members placed on record an appreciation of Mr. 0. E. MaoCormiok's services as secretary of the union., accompanied by an expression of regret at his determination to relinquish that office, Swannell, of the British team, is the holder of a second mate's certificate. He has been an extensive traveller, and his experiences in different parts of the globe are varied and interesting. Thames Old Boys v. Hobsonville (at Hobeonville): The Thames Old Boys' team will be picked from the following:—Cooke, Dean, Davidson, Edwards, Hedliind, Laycoek, Matthews, Moore, MeLeary, Lawlesis, Nodder, Melton, Seagar, Wait*, William'!, Woods, Plummer, Gallagher, Debbie, and Morris. Players are requested to catch the boat leaving Queen-street Wharf at a-quarter past one p.m. sharp. In the match A. J. Entrican and Co. v. L. D. Nathan, to be played at Ellerslie to-day, the teams will be as follows:—A. J. Entrican and Co.'steam: Fullback, V. R. Cook; threequarters, C. German, R. MeClure, A. Gibson; five-eighths, B. Entrican; halfback, J. Lockie; forwards, J. McNiel. P. King, Mcintosh (captain), A. Golden, J. H. Haddock, C. McLean, R. Glendinning, R. Hally, and F. McDonald. L. D. Nathan and Co.'s team: Fullback. F. White; threequarters, Rawson, Weir, Philson; five-eighths, Kearney.: halfback, Huxtaole; forwards, Murray, hereon, Buckley, Mahon, Chatfield, Baskett, Brown, White. Stephenson; emergencies, Philson and Hall.

THE AUSTRALIAN GAME. Given a fine day, there should be a good attendance at Alexandra Park to-day to witness the Waihi representatives play a return match with the Auckland team under the Australian rules. The game will start at three o'clock. When these teams met at Waihi on July 31 last Auckland won a fast and exciting game by four goals and 10 behind;? to two goals and nine behind.;. Taking into consideration that the Waihi players had not played as many games together as the Auckiandcrs, th»y put up a very creditibis performance on that occasion. To-day they can be expected to put up an even better performance, as they will have had smplo time to belter their combination. This evening the Waihi players will be the guests of the Auckland Association at a smoko concert to be held in the Federal Hall, Wellesley-street. The following are the teams for this afternoon's match:— Auckland (black and white) : Backs, Ca'.lanin, Lowe, and Ayles; halfbacks, Morrison, Tongue, Warren; centre, Hobday, Sandford, Abfalter; half-forwards, Birch, Hay, Hernus; forwards, Hwight, Pratt, G. R. Buttle: followers, A. Buttle and McColl; rover, W. Forster; emergencies, If yno, Graham, and W. S. Hpence. Waihi (red and blue): D. Coults, P. Donoghue, W. Turner, A. Bryant. Armstrong (3), 0. Keen, J. Mills, 0. Best, J. Woodward, T. Woodward, W. Morrison, C. Hollis. D. Barics, W. Leith, J. Wilson, and J. Higgins; emergencies], B. Walker and R. Swan. In connection with the match, Auckland v. Waihi, a special tram for conveying the teams to the ground will leave the bottom of Queen-street at two p.m.