GIRLS' FOOTBALL CLUB.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17833, 14 July 1921, Page 9

GIRLS' FOOTBALL CLUB.

QUESTION OF AFFILIATION. LEAGUE DEFERS DECISION. MATTER. OF PHYSICAL WELFARE. J Thp question of girls taking part in j football games tinder the jurisdiction of the Auckland Rugby lootball League was | discussed by the league last evening, when the application for the affiliation of the i newly formed Parnell Ladies' League Football Club was made. The chairman Mr. J. Carlaw, said that ' unfortunately it had apparently been ; taken for granted that the girls would I play a match at Carl aw Park on Saturday ; |as a curtain-raiser " to the men's game. ! | The position was that some of the League I j officials had attended a meeting of the 1 Parnell lady football enthusiasts by inj vitntion and had supplied certain in- • I formation to the meeting. Other sup- ; porters of the League game had encouraged j the movement. The proposal was now i officially before the management committee | of the league for -the tirst time. Mr. : I Carlaw added that when the matter was i j first mentioned to him he thought the ! I leagne would be doing wrong to encourage ladies' football. Then he remembered j that a ladies' "soccer" team had been . | formed in Auckland and had started |pi ay ina, the game ; therefore, he had sus- ' } pended judgment on the proposal that ! ladies should adopt the League game. The published opinions of medical men on the : subject had rather start-led him and made i it evident that the proposal required the i utmost consideration. The league should ; be careful not to sanction anything likely to prejudice the health or welfare of the girls. Mr. E. Stalhvorthv said he and others attended the meeting of the Parnell ladyfootball enthusiasts, not as officials of the league. He had given what informatioin was required at the meeting. The girls who desired to play were keen on starting the game and he considered they should be allowed to play. Mr. G. Hunt expressed the opinion that the league should not encourage the girls to play. The fact of girls playing the game, he said, inisrht temporarily swell the gate receipts, but he was sure it would not be for the permanent benefit of the game. Football was too strenuous a game for girls as the game was played by men. There was also to be considered the physiological aspect of the question. ! Medical opinion was strongly against women playing football, on the ground that it was prejudicial to the health of the players and endangered their future welfare. Mr. E. Phelan said the league would be well advised to refuse giving official recognition to women football clubs. He was strongly influenced in his attitude by medical opinion such a.s had been quoted. Another speaker, referring to the fact that Rugby football was played by women in England and France, said the type of woman playing the game in those countries was different to the New Zealand girl. The women who participated in the game in the older countries had been used to hard work. Some were employed in the mines, others at different kinds of manual labour which more- or less fitted them for the rough and tumble of foofcbaH. _ On the motion of the chairman it was resolved that the app'ication for the affiliation of a ladies' league club be deferred until the league obtained medical advice on the subject, a committee to be appointed to interview several doctors on the matter. RUGBY GAME TOO ROUGH. PROPOSAL TO " SOFTEN " RULES. To some of the young ladies of Wellington who last week were so enthusiastic ui their desire to play Rugby lootbail, the idea now appears in a ctirt'erent light, a week's consideration bringing the conclusion that this game would be too strenuous and rough; to others the proposal has retained its original glow. The views of both parties were ventilated at the second meeting of the Wellington Girls' Rugby Football Club - on Monday evening, with the result that, to m6et the wishes of most of the girls interested, the game will be toned down considerably—rules are to be altered to make play " softer." This announcement met with general satisfaction, but there were some girls who still thought that Association would be the better game. A vote was taken. It was overwhelmingly in favour of Rugby. Thereupon three members o£ the executive resigned. At the commencement of the meeting Miss P. Dawson, who presided, explaining that all haste had been made to secure a gymnasium. She could possibly arrange for the use of one of the parks for training, and suggested that on Wednesday night all intending players should assemble "to get into the ways of the game." "We will only have a little moonlight and not many gazers," Miss Dawson added, " but I won't name the park, as we don't want anyone there to see." Mention of the fact that the uniform had been decided on was followed by an outburst of laughter. ". I don't think we can all have short knickers for the start, but some of you may have brothers who will lend you some," Miss Dawson suggested amid laughter. " Do you all agree to come on Wednesday night I'' —Chorus : " Yes." " Is there anyone who has anything to say against this?" Immediately Miss Dingwall rose, aad eaid the decision had been made too hastily. The game would be too hard under Rugby rules. " We expected this kind of business," Miss Dawson interjected, " but we realise that? it will be no good making the game too hard. We could make our own rules, and leave out the scrums." A Voice: But we must have a scrum. Miss Dingwall: Why not make out your rules and let ns see what the game is going to be ? Rugby has been explained to rs, and everybody, after hearing and reading about onr proposal, thought it was ridiculous. As for collaring low, that is too rough. A discussion followed regarding the suggestion to make the game softer. During this Miss Dawkins, captain of the Association football team, made an appeal for the girls to take on " succer," which was more suitable than Rugby for girls. Miss Dingwall: We rushed into it last week, and we did not think what we were doing. After further discussion, it was agreed to start the game, two member? of a local club having agreed to assist the young; ; j lad>es. The game could be played, and j then next year matches could be arranged : with. say. Christchurch, who were also form-ng a team. Miss Dingwall: I suppose the few of us here will be married by next year. ' CHRISTCHURCH INTERESTED. ! PROPOSAL TO FORM TEAMS. [BY TELEGRAPH. OWS CORRESPONDENT.] CHRISTCHURCH. Wednesday. The question whether girls should play football has aroused keen interest and argument in Christchurch lately, but so i far lii.tle has been done toward the for- | rnation of teams. -However, the Management Committee of the Canterbury Football Association, which is the controlling authority of the " soccer" game in this province, has taken the matter tip, and if all its expectations are realised a game between teams of girls will be played in Christchurch before the end of the* season. A movement is afoot to form