OTAGO FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13862, 27 March 1907, Page 6

OTAGO FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION

ANNUAL MEETING.

The. seventeenth annual meeting ot the Otago Football Association was held last eienmg in the Trades Hall. In tho aUcncc of tho piWont (.Mr S. R. Myeis) tho chair was taken by Mr J. Braitlmaite (wce-piesulom). In moving the adoption of tho animal upoil (ahead) published) tho Chairman Paid there was no doubt tho game was piogrcssing by Icai» and bounds. Four or live 3 ears ago it had been difficult to get meny teams together, hit that difficulty had onliiely disappeaicd. Ho bclioicil that during the coming season (ho same piogreos would ho in evidence. He underbtootl that there Viorc two or three now clubs coming fonvaid to apply for pcinnssion to play the game. One was the Athletio (St. Joseph's) Club, and lie bolicvcd the club would ho welcomed. Ho had just heaid that the ncwlv-cstablished Moon Hill School would apply for permission to join the association. Altogether there was good reason to feel that tho game had come to stay. A new giound had been eocuicd. It was an excellent piece of land, and could bo easily didmcd And thcio was no doubt tho time ha I anived when they should possess their own giound, and not bo under obligation to an) one.—(Applause.) Hithoito (he a-ssoeiatio 1 hid 6pont considerable sum's of money in putting other grounds in outer, and although there had been a cei(am amount of letuin for the money thus spent, on the whole tho lesulls had not, been 6alisfactor). He did not think that in the future much money should ho spent on grounds not their own. It Mould be wife that ciciy clfoit should be made to fence the new giound so ihat the matches, and especially tho reicnue pioducirg matches, might be played upon it. To tho oftico-heaieis of last year he must convey thb hearl.oit thanks of the meeting.— (Applause) .Mr .T. Emdio seconded tho motion, which w.w canied. The Tieaiuror read the balance sheet. In the special giound account £258 2s 3d h'ld Leon c\p"nded, leaving a credit balance of £12 2s lid. In the general account thcio was a cicdit balanco of £5 16s 7d. On tho motion of Mr J. F. Arnold, M.H.K., seconded by Mr J. Emslie, tho balance sheet was adopted.

THE DISTINCT SCHEME. The Secretary of the Wakori Club wrote intimating that his club, having found the district scheme unworkable, and fearing its First Grade team might have to drop out without tlio assistance of outsiders, desired to urge the abandonment 'of the scheme. It was pointed out that a notice of motion to tliat effect was out of order, but discussion was peimittcd.— Messrs Washer, Ussher, and Morrison argued that the scheme was having an injurious effect upon (ho game. Now plavcis desiicd to choose their "own club, but found themselves confined to ono particular district, and were thus lost to the game. The Wakari distnet bad not the population, and was thus unfairly handicapped in comparison with other districts.—ln leply to a question, a Noi thorn delegate said (ho district scheme had not affected his club prejudicially the club bc'mc strong in numbers—After further di'ciifsion, Mr Washer gave notico to mcic at a special general meeting to be held on April 16—"That tho district scl'omo lie abolished, and that all rules 1 dating to district football bo deleted fiom the rules of the 0.F.A." ins ATHLETIC club's apflic vriox. The Secretary of (Iks football club reccnlly foimed amongst the members of the St. Joseph's and St. Pal rick's eongicgations wrote abking whether tho association would favourably entertain tho application from tho club should the necessary support bo foithcoming to foim a junior Association club. " Since our ' ambition as Rugbvitos. has been cut short, there has rot l*en ctifltcient time to put the mattoi before a general meeting of tho club, but should we get sufficient, c.rcouragement from' your association I haven't much doubt the matter will bo taken up onthusiasticallv." Mr A. Sligo moved—"That tho matter bo referred to tho incoming executive committee, -with a lccommcndation for favourable consideration." If tho club wcic accepted it would lie built up from time to timo by tho bovs fiom tho Christian Biothcrs' School.—Mr Illinjrnoith explained that prior to the negotiations with tho Otago Rugby Union theie were those in. the club who supported the soccer game, and would ha\c liked to sec thai gamo placed. The largo majority being Rughv plajcrs, tlicy, however desired to play Rugbv. It, w,t, likely the club would also euler for the Wednesday competition.—Jli P. Riaifhwaito, in seconding the motion, said that apait from what was done in legard to other sDorls, it was tho duty of the O.F.A. to accept (hose who desired to play Association—Mr Kmslic said they must bo caicful that nothing should bo done to the mejudice of the district schcmc.-Mr .T. Clark supported the motion, which was carried, ono voice dissenting. JIOBSISOTOX GROUND. Mr J. F. Arnold, or behalf of the Mornington Club, urged the claims of the Mornington Ground, upon which, the club 'contended, a fair pioportion of tho funds uised for tho irripro\ement of grounds had not been spent. The club would be satisfied with an assurance that something substantial would bo done before next season. He, moved-" That, in view of the money being subscribed by the public for tho purpose of effecting implements to the various football areas, it is now time that pari of the pioccods fiom the carnival, amounting to not less than £60, be spent this season on improvements to the Monungton Giound, and that the woik be commenced not later than the Isl dav of June, 1907."— Mr Gardner seconded the motion —Mr Slablos pointed out that it had boon impossible to give an assurance that a propoiticnato amount would bo allocated to cveiy ground. It was desired to make extensive impiovoments to the giound, but at the some time the now ground at Musselburgh must alvorb considerable funds—Mr J. D. Clark moved as an amendment, and Mr Illmgwoith seconded—"That the question of improving tho Moinington Ground be taken in hand by the executive not later than season 1803."—Tho amendment, was carried. y

xnv r.Rourn—conis'inm* i'akk. Mr 1 ©ported tint the committee had purchased al for £800 a now giound compiling thieo and aquaitor acres. The terms were £80 down, £40

f* ™" llm : *or four jcars, and the balanoi (i.560) to bo iiaid on August 1, 1911, tho interest to bo 4£ per cent. Tho members of tho committee had personally assumed losponsibility, and would take over tho property as a speculation if tho association oid not endorso their action. To provide Iho purchase monev and funds lor putting tho ground into ouler, il was proposed to float a company, with SCOO shares at lfo 3000 to Bo issued at onco to supporters! * 1000 to bo letaincd by tho association, and 1000 to bo reserved for futme subscription Iho shares to bo paid up in four years — Mr lllmgwoith mo\ed that the committee's action bo endorsed. Mr 'Washer seconded tho motion, which was eanicd," thcro being one dissenting voice. OEI^EnU. On tho motion of Mr Usshcr, seconded by Mr Sinclair, it was rcsolml-" That each player shall pay lo tho O.F.A. through Ins club, on legislation, an annual fee of Is, and until the legislation foe has been paid a player shall not be eligible to play in srradc matches.'" Tho lesignation of Mr W. Soundy as hon. secretaiv was accepted, and it was'resolved —''That tho association place, upon record its .ipprcciation of Sir Soundy's -\aluablo soivices in tho interest of Association football, having particular reference, to the t>chooK" Tho oloction of officebearers resulted as follows:—President, Mr S. S w M>ers; vicepresidents. Or Nisbet, ex-.Judtrc Ward, Messrs J. Emslio. J. Brailhwaitc, J. tlaynes, and J. Moncrieff; seciotary, Mr W. H. livinc; lion. 6ecictai\, Mr 11. Illingworth; hon. treasurer. Mr P. Braithwaito; auditors, Messis A, W. North and H. Guv; delegates to tho X.Z F.A., Messrs K. H. Nnglc and C. E. Martin. It was decided to commence matches on April 20. Mes*is H. Duncan and J. "Wilson «mo elected life members of the association.