FOOTBALL.

NZ Truth, Issue 139, 15 February 1908, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

(By "Fakeha,") While at the Lower Hutt en Saturday I dropped across skinner Hardham, of the Petone's Club's senior combination, and naturally the conversation touched" upon Rugby prospects this coming: season. Though it is rather too early yet to sort out players, Hardham believes that the suburban champions will be again well to. the fore. They will probably lose the services of Clark and Reid, whose duties will necessitate them staying m town. On the other hand, there is said to be several players who have taken up their res. sidence m the district since the con* elusion of the 1907-8 season, and their services will prabably be available this year. The number includes a Waneanui rep. ' forward of repute, and Pode.of the Thames. The iuniors have some tip-top men awaiting promotion, and altogether Captain Hardham is. satisfied that Petone's Rugby barometer will be pleasant reading for its supporters when operations are under way m real earnest a few months hence. Joe A very seems to have been treated very decently indeed by the Wellington Rugby Union on severing his connection with that body. The writer isn't going to say that Joe made a small fortune out of the local Union, but if the N.Z.R.U. treats Mm m the same liberal way, he will be ahle to take an extended holiday to the Continent before fifty summers are over his head,, presuming, of course, he keeps his present hillet till that eventful occasion comes to pass. One of the nrofrs^ional team n<".w In T^no-1-.xnd fprw&rds me a cli"mng from the "Wigarl Evominer," from wh'di T ccatliex tlwit the .official r<v tfnrd of the pratos at the various mpt-(-h"& tilayrd hy the New ZpfWders up to and in«l"-dmg ibe Wi*an r'efon.l-. w*s n.s follows :— Bv Tnl«y £ 2 P G EPuddcrfifieid £408, Widnes £25G,

Wakefield £245, Broughtqn jfillOO, Leeds £455, St. Helens £335; Merthyr £290,. Keighley £350, and Wiganf£lsoo; The total "gate" 'far the ten matches was .thus* £5175. By the last Canadian mail, I was advised by letter from ' an ex-Wel-lingtonian, who is now settled dawn m a lucrative position m Vancouver, that two .prominent Ru^by officials, m his adopted town, purpose touring the DomiMon , what time the Britishers are testing our Rugby mettle, their mission being to study the methods of New 'Zealand players, and also., if possible, to arrange for a visit to their country of a Dominion combination m 1909. r There is excellent authority for saying that three of Wellington's big guns of last season have received tempting offers from the Professional Rugby League of N.S. Wales to. take up their residence next football season m the State metropolis. The negotiations ' were supposed to be kept a. dead secret, but one" of the trio approached clean forgot the force of the old admonition, "Put not your trust- m a woman." Petticoats gave the whole show away m a city tearoom while discussing she scandal.. A rumor which has its origin up North, says that fully a dozen of the leading players m the Dominion have made up their minds not to play m matches against t'he British team next, season, if chosen, unless recompensed for loss of time. There is, however, such a lot of backing and filling on the part of toeballers, as witness Baskev'ille's experiences before the All Black pros, got started on their 13,000 mites journey, that I wouldn't be at all surprised to see the teal conspirators m this movement slink back into their holes immediately George Dixon's push opens its mouth. ' A South African visitor who is spending a few months m New Zealand for health and recreation purposes, was introduced to me the other day, and an interesting chat on Rugby matters m Cohen-land led to declaration on his part that the South Africans were unlikely to make their acquaintance with our country for some years. If you send a team over there, said the visitor, it might be an inducement for my countrymen to return the .compliment within a reasonable period, otherwise it will be a decade, at least, before the Afrikanders make a move. The visitor assured me that his people had a great respect for the prowess of New Zealand footballers, thcueh they would be only too delighted to have the opportunity of testing their s&ill^ '"against the fern-leaf wearers m the Rugby arena. "Were a New Zealand team to go ovar," said the visitor, "•the financial results would be most satisfactory." Macphe'rson, the Otago University and Otapo and New Zealand repress tativc three-quarter back, has soiled for England. His olubmate. Allan Adams, also an Otago representative three-quarter, will depart for "iv^errie Fnsrlajid" this month Others departing from the Sabbyterian city before the advent of the next season are Des Scann'ell and Harrison, who have obtained their drcreps at the Ota,e;o Univereitr. Forte, last year's enntain of the "Varsity team, and Arthur Thomson. Otago representative wing forward.