FOOTBALL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13835, 23 February 1907, Page 12

FOOTBALL.

O.R.F.U. Tile following report will be presented by the committeo of tho Otago Rugby Football I Union to the annual meeting of delegates on March 23:— ■ In- presenting its annual report the committee begs to congratulate the delegates not enly on the fact that the previous season was ail exceptionally dry one, and therefor© conducive to tho development of fast football, but also that the gome in Otago wis brought to p. high .state of perfection by the efforts of the senior clubs especially to make tho g".une more open, and therefore more interesting to the spectators. If the game continues to improve this coming season, thero is no doubt that tho ( public will take even a keener interest in the game than they have done in the past, and with so many interprovincial matches to be played here the year 1907 should be a record one for Otago .in'the history of Rugby football. During tho season visits v;ero paid to Otago by the representatives of laranaki and Southland. The visit of tho Tdrahnki team was keenly looked forward to by the football-loving public, owing to the inclusion in it of several of the-famous "All Blacks" and one of the largest crowds that ever witnessed an interprovincial match in Otago assembled in the Caledonian Ground. After a .keenly-con-tested game victory rested with the Dark Blues by four tries (12 points) to eno goal and ono try (8 points). Tho match against Southland was played the following Saturday, and resulted in the defeat of the 'Otago team by 12 points to 3. A match was also played against Southland at Invercargill, and resulted in a dra,w, neither side scoring. Notwithstanding tho fact that tho Otago team was considerably weakened on the northern tour by tho absence of the University backs, it was very successful. Of four matches played against the northern unions,'three were won and one lost,. liho record of the matches is as follows:—

. Against Canterbury—Won by 12 points to 8. Against Mannwatu—Lost by 6 points to 3. Against Wellington—Won by 6 points to -3. Against Wanganui—Won by 26 points to 5. The team also played a match at Oamaru against' a North Otago fifteen, and was defeated by 8 points to 7. The- committco congratuktes the North Otago Sub-union on the fact that it was able to put'into the field a team which was capable of Bcoring a victory against a. combination that subsequently performed-'so well against northern unions. A. Adams, E Booth, S. Casey, B. Spiers, A. Donald, H. Paton, and H. Portoous were selected from t'lie Otago team to take part in the iiiter-island match.

The committee records with gratification the fact that Mr C. M. Gilray, an Otago representative player for the past three years, has been selected as the Bhodes scholar for New Zealand for 1907. It has already, in the name of the Otago Rugby Football Union, convoyed congratulations to Mr Gilray. Tho annual interprovinciai school' match, Otago v. Southland, was played at Invercargill, and resulted in a win for the Otago boya by 35 points to nil. The conditions governing this mutch are still far from satisfactory.

The' Flag matches last .season caused an unusual amount of interest both among players and spectators, and in every grade) tho contest was exceptionally keen.. Tho result of the-Senior Grade competition was in doubt until near t-ho close of the season, tho University team ultimately carrying oft the nag, with Ailmmbra a good . second. The Dunedin Club won the Second Grade contest AHianibra the Third Grade, and Southern the Fourth Grade. The Wednesday flag was won bj r the ltailway team. Interest in school football was fairly keen, during the season, anct your committee adopted the plan' of providing all schools witb a football, considering the money so expended a good investment, as, if the game can be fostered' in the schools,' Rugby football will undoubtedly be improved thereby. .The comlmttee feels that more should be done to stimulate the interest in football in our schools, hut the work entailed on tho majority of the committee is veiy considerable, and members have not been able to do as much as they would like to encourage this brancli of our football. The High' School B team wosni tho Schools' Senior Flag, and the Kensington School the Junior Flag. The St. Bathans Club again won the ilaniototo Coainty Flag, while tho Alexandra Club won the Vincent County Flag. The First Grade South Otago Flag was won by the Owaka Club, and tlie Second Grade by tho kaitaiigata Club. The Palmerst/m Club won the flag which was given for competition between the Waikouaiti, Shag Point, and Palmerston Club.?,

' The committee is gratified to know that not only town_ football is in a flourishing condition so fnr'as Flog matches are concerned, but that in the cotinlry districts the game is well supported;

The successful inauguration of a Country Week was one of the noteworthy features of last season. Teams respectively representing the Vincent and Maui oto to Counties, the North Otago Sub-union, and the South Otago Sub-union visited Dunedin and took part in 1 . series of matches arranged by the committee. The Vincent team defeated Maniototo by 26 points to nil, and North Otago defeated South Otago by 15 points to 3. A match between the winners of these two contests produced a keen struggle, Vincent defeating North Otago by G points to 0, while' ilaniototo defeated South Otngo by 9 points to nil.. A team' cho>cn from -the four country teams subsequently played a metropolitan fifteen, and suffered defeat bya2 points to 5. While the visiting team lacked to some extent tho combination'that is begotten of practice and of an intimate knowledge of each other's play, the form shown by individuals was in some cafes distinctly good, and this was recognised in the selection of four country players in the Otago representative touring t<?m. The committee has every reason to believe that the institution of the week, while it brought to light the preseawe tho country teams of several players of sterling merit, will give a marked inipetus to <the gam®, in. all portions of the provincial district,, and it has full confidence in recommending the continuance of the Countiy Week as in the best interests o£ Otago football.

Tho committee is pleased to report that, although several eases of misconduct were dealt with by.it during tho season, none-of them was of a very, serious nature, ami the tone gonerally displayed by the players throughout tho season was: good. There aro ahvaya a, few players who are inclined to forgot the duty thoy-owe to their chib and to the game generally, but tho. influence of their fellow-players and supporters, if properly exercised, can do far more good than reprimand or punishment by the governing body, and the committee would impress on all supporters of tho gama the. necessity of doing all they cm toi keep the game pure iii every respect. Prom the balance 3heet it will he seen that the season was started with a debit bakneo of £40 7s 2d, and there is now a bank overdraft of £213 9s sd. During the year, however, the sum of £300 was placed on fixed deposit. The amount of £250, advanced "towards the expenses of the A'ew Zealand team's tqur of Great Britain, was, together with interest at tho rate of 5 per cent., refunded by tho New Zealand Union. Included in tho expenditure are sums of £129 towards improving the Sawyers' Bay Ground, and £115 to the Accident Reserve lund.

The administration of the accident insurance scheme is not in the hands of this committee, but, as will be seen by the foregoing paragraph, a substantial sum was paid out of the revenues of the union during the year to meet .tho claims upon the fund. The committee, whilo fully satisfied that all the claims rcceive careful consideration, is struck by the fact that the payments in. respect of accidents aro greatly in excess of those made annually by a sister organisation, and it is impelled, therefore, to urge the continued necessity for a strict, and, indeed, stringent, examination of all the claims. The committee, in expressing its sense ot the obligations under which clubs are placed by the members of the Otago Referees' Associfttion, who disinterestedly devote a. large amount of timo to the service of players, once again desires to appeal lo persons competent to rentier valuable assistance in the capacity, of referees to strengthen the ranks of the association.

Tho committee again wishes to tender the thanks of the union lo Messrs W. T. Monkman and T. Chalmer, the honorary auditors, also to Messrs E. 11. Isaacs, A. Laurenson, T. A. Hunter, J. K. Murray, and R. M. Falconer, who acted as delegates to the Kew Zealand Bugby Union. During the year 31 committee meeting? ivcro held, and attended as follows:—Austin 28, Hutchison 27, Priest 27, Duncan. 27, Harris 27,, Sincock 28, Campbell 2G, ifunro 21, Hanlon 23, 'Jlltaren 22, Dey 22, Macdonald 22, Cavanagh 22, Lilburno 22, Wilson 19,, Thomson 18, Smith 2. Mr Smith resigned early in the season, and Mr Lilburno was appointed in his place, while Mt Austin resigned towards the end of the season owing to his removal to Auckland.

i The committee, in resigning its trust, begs to express the hope that the interest in Rugby football, which, in its opinion, was never greater in New Zealand than it is at tho present time, may he completely maintained and strengthened in future. This hope can be realised only if the game ,ii preserved i'om contact with the pernicious influences which inevitably attack every spor! that beenmes widely popular, and the committee trusts, therefore, that no effort will be spared on the part of its successors in office to secure that the game shall continue to be conducted upon the lines of sound amateurism.

ICAIKORAI CLUB. The following report will he submitted at tho annual meeting of the Kaikorai Football Club: — Your committee, in presenting the twenlythird annual report, wish lo congratulate tho players on a slight improvement as regards training, especially in the earlier part- of the season, , but regret a falling off at the latter end. We hope at the end l of season 1907 your record will be a more satisfactory one. The younger members are to be commended for tlw mannei in which ttej trained through-

out, and they thus sot an example which, if followed by the others, would laid to better results for the club. Tbo senior team played 11 matches, won G, and lost B, scoring 97 points against G2. T.ho second team played 13 matches, won 4, lost 8, and drew 1, ,-uid scored 85 points against 121. The third team phiyod 12 matches, won 3, lost 9, scoring 48 points against 142. The fourth' team played 12 matches, won 4, lost 8, points for 53. against 12L The club sent a mixed team to Timaiu at Easter to meet'the Star Club of Tirnaru, in a friendly match, which ended in a draw, eac.li side scoring a try. Tho MiHual b0.11,. Uekl in (ho WaknJ Hall as an experiment, was very succcssfu'., although- not fiu numerously attended by members of tho club as. your committee would like. During tho season a most successful smoke concert amongst members and supporters of tho club was hold, imd your committee desiro to fee a, repetition of these functions, which tend to increaso tho sooial feeling which already exists amongst the members and supporters. The club was represented in the interisland. interprovincial, and district matches by Messrs M'.Donaid, Portoous, Booth, Armit, Cubitt, JTHardv. and Dobson. H. Porteous and A. M'Donald received tho additional honours of being chosen captains of the Otogo and South Island teams respectively, whilst E. Booth also captained tho Otago team at Invercargill against Southland. Your committee regret to record tho deaths of two prominent members of the club—viz., li. Connolly and W. Rae—each of whom has dr.ne gcxjd servico in past years, and we hero extend our sympathy to their respective families. Tho finances of tho club aro in a sound state, and wi'.l bo best understood by the statement whifch will bo submitted lor approval. Tho thanks of the club aro due to Otago Rugby Union, Referees' Association, ltoslyn Borough Council, Roslyn Fire Brigade, mid the press for assistance aiid for tho manner in which they further tbo game of Rugby football. In conclusion, your committco thank !ho members and supporters, arol trust tho incoming committeo will receive the same hearty co-operation in the affairs of the club as Las been extended to us.