FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1261, 30 April 1896, Page 27

FOOTBALL.

RUGBY UNION CHAMPIONSHIP FIXTURES. SENIOR. The following fixtures fertile first round have been drawn May 2ml —Melrose v. Ponelce, Athletic Park No. 1 (north) ; Athletic v. Wellington, Athletic Park No. 2 (south). May 9th—Potone v. Wellington, ParkNo. 1; Poneko v. Athletic, Park No. 2. May 10th—Petone v. Poneko, Potone No. 1 ; Athletic v. Melrose, Park No. 1. May 30th—Wellington v. Melrose, Park No. 1 ; Petone v. Athletic, Park No. 2. June 0th —Potone v. Melrose, Petone No. 1; Wellington v. Poneko, Park No. 1. JUNIOR. May 2nd St. John’s v. St. Patrick’s College, Petone No. 1 ; Oriental v. Poneko, Island Bay ; Athletic v. Selwyn, Newtown Park ; Melrose v. Petone, No. I. THIRD-CLASS CHAMI'IOXSniI'S. Oriental v. Poneko, No. 2 ; St. John’s v. Petone, No. 3. NOTES. According to tho return of tennis sent in to the New Zealand Union there are illoo Rugby players in Now Zealand. If the half-holiday and teams belonging to clubs not affiliated to the Union are included, the number would probably be about 700<». A rumour current last year has been revived that Keogh is coming to Wellington to play for Petone. Apparently there is lied much in it. “ Forward ” has got another grievance. Tho grammatical construction of the annual report of the New Zealand Rugby Union does not please him.

There are now eight senior clubs in Christchurch and only live in Wellington. We should have at least six or seven. The players aro increasing, as shown by the fact that several of the clubs want to enter two teams for tho third-class championship.

Mr J. Hutchison has been re-elected lion, secretary of the Otago Union.

Tho Otago Union has decided to abolish flag competitions. in speaking to tho subject, Air Chapman said that experience of the past season sufficiently showed, he thought, that flag contests were not desirablo. Ho did not think tlieso competitions had improvod tho conditions of football, while on the other hand they had caused far more bickering and ill-feeling than had previously been shown, and the game was played with too much keenness. He believed also that sooner or later these competitions would lead to professionalism. Ho invited tho meeting |to abolish tho Hag contests so as to let tho senior clubs play among themselves, and lot the second fifteens play what teams they liked.

Itonayno lias expressed regret for his behaviour to Air Firth in the AucklandCantorbury match last year. |

Alcssrs Facbe, Bee and McKenzie will aet as tho Examination Committee of the Referees’ Association for this year. Tho Referees’ Association have decided that members when acting as referees shall wear a white jersey, and Mr Fachc was empowered to decide on the monogram to ho worked on tho jorscy.