ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8190, 3 August 1912, Page 14

ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL

(By "Penalty.") Once* again the,weather conditions were adverse to playing footbaH on Saturday last, and footballers had to find other things to occupy their time. Thero is hope that a fine or at least a "playing” afternoon will he granted this afternoon.

At the meeting of the New Zealand Connell last Tuesday evening the principal item on the order paper was a letter from the Wellington Football Association asking that the date of the Brown shield match Wanganui (challengers) versus Canterbury (holders) be sot forward from August 24th to August 10th. This seemed from the 'Wellington point of view all right, but taking into consideration the fact that the two associations had in all probability made oil the necessary arrangements for the 24th August the council agreed that the dates could not he altered. One pleasing feature, however, is that Canterbury have been successful in obtaining an enclosed ground for the match, and as Wanganui are considered to have a good team the match should prove interesting, and also draw a good gate. It is to be regretted that owing to the heavy weather last week the public schools’ representatives were unable to make the trip to Blenheim. However,: the trip has not been abandoned, and they; are to travel to the Marlborough capital| at the first available opportunity. It iei

also interesting to note that tho Marlborough Association has all arrangements 'completed for a return visit, also that jan Auckland boys’ representative team is to visit Wellington. Both visits will eventuate during the present month. It will bo remembered that in last week’s notes "Penalty” made brief mention that the Wellington Football Association had decided to celebrate its twenty-first birthday by holding a dinner. It has now been decided that this event will come off on Wednesday, the 21st August. The committee has not yet decided on the exact locale of tho function. but this will be announced at an early date. A little matter that wants bringing to light in connection' with Wellington’s Challenge for the Brown shield is that of finance. No doubt those who took part in last year’s match with Canterbury were a little out of pocket, and if the management committee could only see their way clear to arrange a big match and charge for admission this would help a great deal to overcome the difficulty. What about the redoubtable Hospital team being pitted against the representatives of the rest of the senior division? This would prove a great draw, as the majority of frequenters to the various senior matches have, diving to the Hospital playing out of town every week, not had 'an opportunity of seeing the leading team play. No doubt tho committee will raise the point that sufficient time is not available, but the writer maintains that owing to tho championship being completed before tho team travels the charity cup competition could bo set forward one Saturday without any inconvenience. Anyhow tho matter is worth considering. , , By the appointment of another member of the local management committee to a seat on the executive of the Dominion football it contributes another quota of local government. There have been suggestions to remove such an anomaly, but no delegate has yet considered it of sufficient importance to table a notice of motion. . ~ There is a time coming, unless jne wiseacres assert themselves, when the New Zealand Council will become nothing less than a subsidiary Wellington Football Association. Delegates need not necesc?arily hav-o a elanted vision, but tnero is a tendency, by tfie weakness of poor human nature, to let their opinions overlap in discriminating between parochial and general obligations. . The Wellington Football Association was exercising its attention to a ‘'shirty question at last meeting of its legislators. It all arose out of whether a jersey was a shirt within the strict meaning of the act. Tho jersey was pitted against the shirt, and the issue may be well termed an "even go.” It was discovered as a result of the discussion that shirts, black in colour, were purchased for the recent match, Wellington v. Manawatu. "Penalty' would like to know why this was allowed, as the rules especially state that the colours of the association shall be black and gold. There was talk, some of it superfluous, about alteration in rules to meet tnia and other cases, hut is it not about time that the rules revision committee submitted a report? "Penalty” is beginning to wonder whether we will get the new rules before tho silver jubilee of the association. The following is taken, from a leading Auckland daily, and will no doubt prove of interest to local followers of the good old game:— The last series of matches for the premiership shield did not alter the respective positions on tho list which the competing teams have occupied for the past few Saturdays. Everton in this last game had the only reverse, if a drawn game can be called a reverse, which they havo met with this season. The match with Ponsonhy on the Domain was exciting right from the jump, and, had the ground been in good condition, it would have been really fast. Ponsonhy rose to tho occasion with some of the old-time dash, and considering their good form, and Everfxm’s bad luck in losing tho services of Webster, the premiers came through the ordeal -with distinct credit. Brotherhood held Carlton for three-quar-ters of a strenuous game, and then rattled in three.goals in dashing style. At Devonport, Corinthians again secured a win from the Shore by the narrow margin of ono goal. The following table shows the positions of the various teams at the end of- the first grade championship:—

P. w. Goals Goals Chp. Ij. D. foragst-.Pta. Everton .. 10 9 — 1 43 13 19 Corinthian .... .. 9 6 2 1 25 17 13 Carlton . 10 S 5 2 11 26 8 Ponsonby .. 10 2 4 4 11 21 S Brotherhood .. 9 3 6 — 13 27 6 .Shore .. 10 1 7 2 14 24 4