FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6491, 10 April 1908, Page 8

FOOTBALL.

NEW ZEALAND RUGBY UNION.

MA NA G EAJENT COM MITTE t\ A meeting of the Management Commitloo of Iho Now Zealand Rugby I mon vas hold la©t evening. Present—Me.-svs Cl. Dixon (in tho chair), 1. Uyama, J, H. A. Laughton, A. Laurenson, R. M. Isaacs, vV. Warb:;rtcn, N. Galbraith, ind J. D. Avery (r,ecrotary). _ Application wan mado by G. V. Bogie for permission lor a New Zealand 1 invarsity team to travel to Sydney to p: \y Sydney Univotoity in July, also lor i ferinistsKm to pay travelling ci tho mem hors.—Tho chairman remarked that no permission uas necessary regarding tUw payment of travelling expenses, —agreed to. Thu Basil District Rugby Union wrote, asking if it were correct that they wore coupled with Wuirurupu to play a match against tho English. tcam.-ilie •ic-crct.iry reported Dial tho match with Hid Englishmen was against tho combined Vvuir.irapa and Bush Unions, and that: ho had advised tho Bush Union to somniuuicacQ with Wairarupa on tho subject.—Hi wa-.j decided to instruct unions who aro to combine forces against tho British team to arrange for the selection of tho teams, ami make other arrangements necessary. No principle was laid down with regard to tho selection of teams, it being decided to leave thiti matter to the anions, bat, in the event of any trouble, tho New Zealand liody to stop in, Tho Waverley Football Club applied, through tho Taranaki Union, for a transfer from tho Wanganui to tho Taranaki Union.—Tho Wanganui Union intimated that they had no objection to this course.—lt was pointed out in tho application that Waverley was tho only country olub playing in tho Wanganui Union, and that it entailed a Jaige amount of travelling as compared with other clubs.—To ir eet tho request an alteration of boundaries would bo necessary, and members considered that it was not dosirabjo to alter" tho boundary without duo consideration and with the consent of tho Wanganui Union.—lt was decided to ask tho VVanganui Union to furnish n report on tho question of tho alteration of boundary involved. Tho Canterbury Union suggested that tho annual meeting should commence at 2 p.m. on May 14th instead of 7.30 p,m,, os fixed.—lt was decided to hold tho annual conference at 2 p.m., the business of tho annual meeting to commence at 4 n.m. It was decided to inform unions that tho expenses of on« delegate to tho annual meeting would bo paid by the ' T ew Zealand Rugby Union, os formerly. A sub-commit too was appointed to furnish a report on what would bo involved in substituting two test matches in place of games between the Englishmen and tho North and South Island teams. NORTH v. SOUTH ISLAND.

Mr Galbraith throw out the suggestion that it might bo possible to play tho North v. South Island match at Wellington this year to very good advantage on the Saturday preceding tho match between the British team and New Zealand. Tho Nelson match was the cnly game down for decision on that day, and the course he suggested would enable the selectors to pick tho Now Zealand team on form this time. The ’ selected i. en could then stay .in Wellington for tho week preceding tho test match. Mr Laughton said ho had thought cf suggesting a match between the New Zealand team and Welliugtou-Wairarapa combined prior to the test game. The chairman said he was not In favour of trial matches, as it was only endangering the men, and such matches did not do a bit of good. So far as the question of combination went in 1801,tho team was together from the Tuesday preceding the Saturday, and the combination was perfect. The only failure due to individual nervousness. Mr llynma suggested that tho selectors Bhoukl be informed, and the question ot playing a trial match after the North v. South game ,be left to them. Tho chairman said he did not wish to havo a practice match to endanger the men who were selected. •Mr Laughton said ho would prefer to Beo the North v. South Island game played a week earlier, and that a practice gome bo played tho following week against Wollington-Wairarapa combined. *

The question of dropping the interisland game in favour of the trial game was mooted, but this did not, meet with favour from the chairman, who said it would be far better to have, thirty of tho best of New Zealand to select from tmui the tnal match suggested. Mr Laughton moved: “That the selectors be asked to select the New Zealand team, the members thereof to be in Wellington ten days before- the test match, and that on the Saturday preceding the test game a trial match be arranged against Wellington- province." ■ Tho chairman said in his opinion the greatest good to the New Zealand team would bo gained by having the interisland game played in Wellington, and then having the test selection made on tho form then shown. Better results would be gained that way than selecting the team, bringing them to Wellington, and then pitting them against Wellington in a trial game. If the, selected team wore asked to play in a trial game on the Saturday preceding the test match it would not be a true match-, as members would not “try,” but would endeavour to avoid injuries.

The motion was lost, and it,was decid ed, on the motion of Mr Galbraith, to play tho North v. South Island match m Wellington on June 20th, a week prior to the date fixed for- tho test match. The matter of tho appointment of selectors for the New Zealand team was left over until next meeting. NOTICES OF MOTION.

The following notices of motion were received from the undermentioned unions

Taranaki.—That the New Zealand i Union set up a committee to consider the question of instituting a scheme of accident insurance to cover all footballers in the Dominion under their jurisdiction.

Southland.—That test matches be substituted for the proposed North and South Island games against the British team.

Wanganui.—That the New Zealand Union delete the interest clauses from all mortgages given by the various unions io tho New Zealand Rugby Union on account of loans advanced, and that all such loans in future be free of interest.

Bnller.—That one member of tho Management Committee be from the West Coast. SOUTHERN FOOTBALL CLUB. The above club has completed arrangements for a tour of the Wairarapa district during Easter week. On Saturday, April 18th, conclusions will be tried wjth tho Masterton Football Club in tho '.Vnirarapa capital, and at Carterton on Easter Monday a combined team from the Rover (Thursday)-and Carterton (Saturday) Clubs will play the visitors. The fourth-class team journeys to Palmerston North, and will meet a fifteen from tho Old Boys’ Club on Easter Saturday. All those intending to make cither the Wairarapa or .the Manawatu trip are requested to communicate with tho secretary.

RECOMMENDATIONS.

PRESS ASSOCIATION. PALMERSTON, April 9. Tho Manawatn Rugby Union met this evening. The following recommendations

wore made for the consideration of the Now Zealand Rugby Lmon at its annual meeting:— (1; That at least 50 per cent, of the profits of every match played under the auspices of tho New Zealand Union Ikj handed over to the local union on whoso ground the match is played. (2) That it is desirable that measures should be taken to empower line umpires to assist the reforeo in detecting instance© of rough play.