FOOTBALL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17729, 13 September 1919, Page 6

FOOTBALL.

Br Fgll Back.

FIXTURES. September 13.—Utayo v. Southland, at Duuodiu. September 20.—South Otago v. Otaso. at Dunedin. Septombor 20.—South Island v. North Island, at Woliington. Perry (University) and E. Cummings (Canterbury) huvo been Gelected as emergencies for tho South lshnd team. Perry will go north with the Otago members ol tho team. Tho gato receipts in cash at tho Soott benefit match last Saturday came to £206. A largo number of tickots liavo also been Bold, and donations to tho iuud are daily coming in. When tho total receipts are counted it i 3 gratifying to know that a substantial amount will havo been obtained. Two of tho spectators at tho match played at Invercargill .between Otago and Southland wero Dick" l£aacs and Isa.au Jenkins. It is interesting to note that Isaacs represented Otago and Jenkins Southland in the first match played between tho provinces on tho Caledonian Ground in 1037. . The match between tho University A and an Otago representative team was responsible for a last game, full of incident. The heavy dashing Otago forwards, playing at tho top of their form, kept on tile ball l'roin start to finish, arid, with capable assistance from thdir back division, lu'kl the opposition well. It was thought by many followers of tho game that the University forwards would bo able to do sufficiently well to enable their back division to show up as it has done in club foo.tball during thc year. Tho University pack put up a solid game, Campbell and Ilarty, especially the first named, being 'u 10 °' the play right, through, but tho backs were not given manv chances, the collaring of Marks and Jell's being very suro. As a matter of fact the University backs, who lest the assistance of Hutchison earlv in the gaino and wero also without thc assistance of Valentine, on tho wing, wero not a good combination on tho day. Begg, half-back, who piayed a /Teat game, varying his attack in excellent fash:on, several times got the ball away from the scrums, but tho passing either broke down or was quickly smothered by tho Otago backs. Begg is one of the pluckiest and most versatile backs who havo played footbdl in Dunedin for many years. Neither Mackereth nor Perrv got verv far whrn they received the ball, and the other backs (with the exception of Grevillc oil tho wing) wero | outplayed. All the Otago backs pi:t up a creditable showing, tho two five-eighths, .lefts and Marks, being easily tiio best on their side. Holmes's 70-yards sprint down the line, to

end in his scoring behind the po-ts, was ono of the most spectacular incidents of the day. Bain and Duncan ajro a fine pair of "hookers," and went froni start to iinisil, and tho rest of tho Otago forwards also played a hard game. In tho face of the play of the Otago forwards tho Otago selectors must have had considerable difficulty in rejecting two of them to make way for Campbell and Harty for the match against Suutliland today. Campbell (Alhambra) and Knox. (Union) were the two unfortunates. 1 nay "unfortunates" advisedly, as both these forwards wcro always well in the play, both in the looso and in the scrums, and Campbell did a lot of hard work on tho line-out. I notice, however, that whereas tho selectors have picked Campbell as first emergency. Fairrnaid (University) comes in as second and Knox as third emergency. While I sympathise with the two forwards who have been rejected, tho selectors could of course pick only eight forwards, anfl certainly tho two University forwards had to bo included. An Aucklandcr writes thus to Wellington Free Lance: "Tho Auckland backs simply paralysed Taranaki. last Saturday, and I am sure there is not a team in New Zealand this season that would beat them. The forwards aro all returned men—some diggers, I can tell you, as hard as ironbark and trained to the hour—Berrick, Fletcher, Sutherland, Billington, Johnson (Thames, and a great forward) aro all champions. Of tho backs Ross at half-back is still up to his old form, C. Badely and Laxon at fiveeighths are a beautiful pair, tho former's straight running being his strong feature. "He is only 20 years of ago. Grierson (last year's champion Grammar School bov) h centre three-quarter, and a fine heavy lad lie is, too. But the daddy of tho lot is W oolley (left wing). I have never seen a, better winger; ho excels in side-stepping, little short runs and beautiful passes, runs round and backs up the man taking the ball, and is away before anyone realises what lias happened. Eomo player is Wooliey." A local authority on football who saw tho match between Wellington and Canterbury states that Wellington have a "hot"' side, and followers of the game in Dunedin are satisfied that Otago can put a representative fifteen into the field that will hold its own. with anything in New Zealand today. _ Otago has a groat pack, and its back division (with the exception of the fullback) is ono of tho soundest and fastest that has ever represented the province. This being so, it is most disappointing that Otago will not meet either Auckland or Wellington this year. Had a match heen possible* I would have pinned my faith on Otago beating both tho .North Island representative teams. The Owaka Rugby toam, which have been excluded from participating in the South Otago competition on account of the dislocated train service, played tho flag winners (Crcscent) at Stirling on Saturday, an,d their display supported the belief that had they been competitors they would have gone close to securing tho premier honours for the season. The game ended in victory for Crescent by 7 points to 3, but on 'the run of the play tho Owaka. men were, considered unlucky to lose. A Tapanui representative team defeated 1 Eastern Districts (Gore) on Wednesday week by 9 points to 6. THE NOIITH ISLAND TEAM. After some rather unaccountable delay, tha North Island toam to meet tho South Island representatives at Wellington o:i September 20 was made available for publication this week (says Saturday's i'ost). While, under the circumstances, it is not surprising to lind it so, the selection ia, in some respect?, somowhat astonishing. In some ways there is nothing to cavil at, but is it not rather a risky experiment to play men out of their places in "big" mate-lies? The full-back, I is an excellent three-quarter, while Woolley is accustomed to play in tho five-eighth line. Then who else, except the selectors, would liave placed Corner at centre three quarter, with Algar as emergency ? The latter, in my opinion, is head and shoulders over Corner aa a footballer. Although the latter is full of promise, he has nothing like the experience- or tho "head" of Aluar. But tho moat astounding tiling of all .is the selection of tho half-back. There does not seem to bo any tense or logic in tho appointment. The position, plainly put, i 3 this: We have a player selected for the position of half-back v.'ho has not played for many weeks; who had to give way to his brother in tho Pctoiio team, bocauso of the latter's better defensive work, arid a player who could not bo considered by tho Wellington selectors in either tho "A" or "I!" teams And yet wo find H. E. Nicliolls chosen to tako a placo behind the North Island pack It would bo idle to deny—and I should bo the last one to do so—that Nicholls is an excellent half back, but, under tho circumstances, as they exist, his selection is little short of extraordinary. The forwards soom to bo a fairly good lot, but I fancy R, Paton is rather lucky to be included. There are better forwards in Wellington. ALL BLACKS IN AFRICA. Writing to a friend in Wellington from Africa, a New Zealand lady says:—"ThoAll Black team has arrived in Africa, and there is great excitement. They are playin"- in Kimberley on August 9, »nd we liope to go in and see tho match. I am afraid they will bo beaten, because tho hard ground to play on will make things difficult. So far they have not dono very well. Out of tho two matches they have played a t the Capo one was a drawn game, and they only won the other by 8 to 6. Of cour.«o, the diamond buyers and people are saying tho New Zealanders cannot boat Kimberley, and I am hoping they will, hut am a Lit a£ra. ; d. The team is coming out to the River Diggings the next day, and tho oompany and diggers are entertaining them at a, big luncheon at tho hotel." ALL BLACKS IN SOUTH AFRICA. FROM A NEW ZEAL AN DEE. ABROAD. CAPETOWN, August 7. I am hearing moro of tho " All Blacks," and only to their credit. They made a good impression l.ere as gentlemen, qtvot and "unobtrus.vo with tiiquiet confidence in their ability to givo of their best, wluch is tho way with strong .men who know themeolvcs. Tho visit has boon a tremendous success so far. South Africa will learn, end I hop© profit, from, the tour, for she has long looked upon, horseli «3 ••unbeatable in tho Rugby world.

encloses a clipping from tho lii.no 'iiiiie3 describing the match between Now Zealand and tho Free Statu, played at Bloemfonteiii and won by the All Blacks by 16 points (two goals and two tries) to 5 points (ono goal). Tho •n.itoh against tho All Blades had btoii looked forward to booauso tho feeling of optimism was such that, by many capablo critics, it waa considered that tho local Wjh would win. Succtsaivo Victories over tho Transvaal and Griiiualand West had given them no end of encouragement, and tho Oraug.a colours wero everywhere. There was no gainsaying the fact tliut tho loa<st favourable result anticipated was a draw. J.iio team, with but one exception, had given universal satisfaction, though it was left t-iiat the forwards wero not qujto uj> to thequality of tho backs. Tho All Blacks, aitor a long and trying journey, arrived in tho tmaJl hours of the morning, and decided t'J field (he same backs as at Port Elizabeth, and made oniy two changes in ihe forwards. Heavy winds prevailed in tnc morning, but at 4 o'clock, when there were closo tin 50C0 spectators present, the ln 'l dropped, and thero was perfect calm, ihe Ramblers' ground was absolutely bare ot glass, to tliat tho All Blacks had tho-r first experienco of real hard ground which, however had 1,-een well watered. "H 1 . 0 ow Zealand team was: Full-back, J. O 1 Brien ; threo-quarti'-rs—Storey, tßobc-its, I'ord; five-eighths—J. Ryan, M'Naught, and lle.m; —fiiruiman and Singe; forwards Il,i?ell, West, Bel lis, Bruce, iitandor Kir-sirk, Fogsrty. O.F.S. ieam: Full-back, Mentz; three l ■ quartors-M-llardy, I 1 Dixon, Osiorloh. So--fontein; halves—lluman, Van Schalkw/k; forwards—A. M. Horak, Kohler, A. I. Horak, R. Wall, Ilattkigh. Krick, Van N:elurk, and Hugo. A DASHING OPENING Tho All Blacks a;jain met with a great rociption. 'Jlie sun was shining across the yrourd, and was of advantage to neither ieam. The one-iing was sensational, as th" locals tricxl passing, but before they oould prathor llvan was through .ind a rush almost led io score. Mentz just saving. BEST TRY OF THE TOUR. Onoo tho Now Zealanders tried a pretty .movement, but 'ho ball was too slow in coming out to Storey. Three times they wero up and al! but over, but each t-imo the Oraug.a basics came to the rescue and kicln d out. Gradually the AH Blacks assumed control of the game until at last, M'Hardy streaked through and <aii 60 yatds bcfoit! he was bundled into touch. Play raged furiously for a second or two in the All Blacks' territory, but t'.un swung bade to tiie Orangias' end. Ryan threw out a bf.'lhant !on.g ball to the forwards, and lie hooked over, but Oslerlo'ii tackled marvellously. Orun«ji.i could not dislodge thc aggressive attack set up by the forwards, and at lengt. - . thr- Ail BLucks were rewarded,

as Sandman flashed out low. and Ryan, M'Naught. and Roberts handling in turn, lord, the final recipient, scored tho best try of tho tour, in ,the corner. Hasoll foiled ai. goal. The visitors having scored, maintained a heavy pressure on thc home base. Wi:hm threo niiTvjfcos tho forwards had footed their way to tlio lino, and, the local backs mulling. West headed tho New Zealand pack, to score anotho:- try afc the corner, but Ryan's shot, for goal hit tho cross-bar and the ball rebounded. The resumption was marked bv a sensation, for in the loose at midficld Dixon picked up and broko away brilliantly. ORANGIA SCXDRESL Thc movement caught the All Blacks napping, ami boforo the danger was realised, Scrlontein, taking tho final pass of a brilliant movement, scored a great try amid tremendous applause, which was redoubled when Mentz convcrteci, leaving the All Blacks with a point lead. llio All Bla/:ks fought their way to the Orangia jjosts, but were driven back, only to return once moro. The second time they scored brilliantly, Roberts and Storey completely outwitting the Orangias' defence —Storey scored behind tho posts and ITasell converted. The interval arrived with the Now Zcolanders loading by 11 points to 5. In the second half M'Hardy dribbled rightthrough tho field with everyone in pursuit. Just as he snapped up in front of tho New Zealandcrs' post 3 Roberts overhauled him and brought off a sensational tackle, which, however, was serious for the visitors, as tho centre's knee gave waj' and ho had to be carried off tho field. A brilliant bit of work by M*. Naught, who played masterly football, saw another deadly attadc delivered, but he was brought down on the line. Singo gavo tho All Blacks an opening, and a rare passing movement led to another Now Zealand attack, which ceased only when the ball was -touched down. Thero was no denying that Dixon and Osterloh played brilliant, football, but thc tackling was desperate and they oould not make headway. Titno was wearing oil and the spectators frantically implored the local team to go all out. but a lot of time was wasted in kicking out, and they thus lost a grand opportunity In a flash Roberts (who had come'on again) seized a chance, kept the 101 l in play, kicked, fielded, ran down and gave to West, who capped a great surprise movement by scoring a brilliant try in the corner, which West converted by a fine offoitt, the applause of the spectators showing appreciation of the brilliant work. This was a surprise indeed, but it had finished Orangia and a very fine game In-

deed. ASSOCIATION. By Goalie. Tho final of tho most closely contested Senior Cup competition that has been held for years will bo fought out on Culling Park td-day by Southern and Northern, who havo scored an equal number of points and have to pluy off. Thero should be keen and clever football, for both teams have been specially training and both have skill and speed. Further, the matches between. Northern and Southern havo always tho pleasant flavour of friendliness conjoined with tho spirit if rivalry. On Tuesday Northern wero to bo seen on the Gardens Ground diligently practising. It is understood that Brundell will not bo available, and M'LclLtnd is spoken of as a substitute. The present lias been a record year for schools' football. Tho number o£. teams competing was 58, which is 10 more than tho highest number entered in any previous year. Hitherto threo grado competitions— A, B, arid C —were played. This year it was necessary to add a D Grade. As showing the notable development of tho Maori Hill School team it may bo mentioned that last season they plugged away Saturday after Saturday in spite of consistently heavy defeats, and their pluck was rewarded this year in the winning of the D Grade competition with a total of 7 points and every match won but one, which was drawn. The following tables show ths positions of tho team# in the completed grades. The C Grado has not yet been finished. Five-a-side competitions will probably bo started in about a fortnight's time.

INDUSTRIAL ECONOMICS. TO THE EDITOR. Sm, —Heaps of confusing litorataire are still being circulated on what is called " Tho Labour Problem," and a very wonderful problem lias been mado of it—a problem far moro puzzling to tho average man---titan any Chinese puzzlo that was over invented. Tho labour qoiestion is really ono of the simplest questions, uud tho only obstaclo to it promptly fettled is extraordinary greed of a minority who " own" everything, und who, if they oould havo accomplished it, would now lie owning tho air wo breatho and measuring it cut to us at so much per cubic foot. Tho labour product is divided between threo parties— capitalists, and workers. How much of the. product do the landowners tako? I am informed that they take more than one-third. What do the.v do for it? Nothing. Th>?n why Bhoulct they havo any of it? I can understand paying them something for the use of their capital in the shape of land improvements

and machinery and other instruments of industry. I perceive tho righteousness of such payment, and every Marxian on earth would demand it were ho tho owner of t>uch capital; but I cannot understand a man br-ing paid for contributing absolutely nothing whatever to production, distribution, or exchange. It will not do to say by way of explanation that the landholder has bought and paid for the land, and that therefore he is entitled to somo of the product. What lie bought was absolutely of no benefit whatever to him until labour wo a applied to it. What he bought was a value which j is not in the land itself, but in the peoplo i who work on the land. In effcct, he |

bought people—that is to say, lie bought the legal right to appropriat' l to himself more than one-third of the produce of their labour for permitting them to live (for no man can live without land) and toil hard for the barret living. Is not this another form of slavery? Does not this account for what is called " wnge-shiviry" and the industrial unrest which lias ever accompanied private property in land in every country under the sun? Now your Marxian correspondent tells us that it would bo useless to tax out economic rent, or the annual community-created value of land as a means of removing industrial untrst."' Let us see. annual valuo of the baro lp.nrl of Now Zealand (which, of course, jn-elurV-s the value o? tho minerals) is said to he sufficient to meet the whole cost of national and local government, which, in addition to t.lio land rent-tax. is now chiefly borne bv t.lio workers. Xo man in his senses will say that it would not be a great !V>!i"f to labour to have the private landlords' rent-tax aprdWl to national uses. But this would riot be by any means tho whole of the gain. Taxing out economic rent would aboli-di tho land eperulator and free the land from ono end of the .country to the other. No man would then want to hold moro land than he could profitably ur-e. So there would be plenty of good land available everywhere for our returned soldiers and for all others, whose only tax would b'e the rent-tax paid to tho Government, and to be received bac?c in government benefits. This, of course, means an enormous increase in the production of wealth, and most assuredlv with cur present tremendous financial obligations it is imperative that there should bo a great incrcas? of production if we are to escano rational bankruptcy. Who would get this vast iv increased wealth ? I answer that Labour would get it, less the current rato of interest for the use of capital, for the land value tax, and freo access to land, giving equality of opportunity for all, would render it impossible lor capital to exploit Labour, and eap : tr.l (which is onlv a part ot tho Labour product) having bccorae abundant under the now conditions, would necessarily bo cheap, probably obtainable at Y per cent, interest or even less. And in tho faco of all this our Marxian economist tells us that the nation's appropriation of economic rent is " useless for tho abolition of industrial unrest!" I leave that to the judgment of our business men. Now let no ono suppose that I am advocating confiscation of what rightly belongs to landholders. lam not. We are assured by statisticians that fully 80 per cent, of the would gain much by taxing out eoonomic rent and removing other taxation. As for the remaining &I per ccnt., they havo plundered ths nation so much by their monopoly that it is absurd to proposo compensation to them far tho loss of revenue—quite as absurd as it would bo to compensate sea pirates for ending their business. Every man's oonscienco must tell liim that this is true. After reading this our -\larxian friends will still go on shouting for the nationalisation of capital, more especially of 'machinery. They have macliinory on tho brain, and nothing will ever remove their affliction except tho taking by the Stat9 of that value which tho community aro compelled to givo to the land. For their comfort 1 suggested a State Bank, although I hardly think there would bo anv need for it, for Capital and Labour would have become a happy co-operation, and Capital would get no more than nominal interest—no moro of the labour product than would induce a Marxian to lend his money. Marxian organisations which, wherever they exist, nave been moro of dn otetaclo than a help to I abour. would dissolve, trade unions would also dissolve, thero would no longer lx> any need for an Arbitration Court, Corio liat.ion Commissioners, and a Labour Deportment—institutions which our system ot oconomio slavery havo brought into being. Mosf men in the Labour Party now seo at least somo ot the advantages of securing the community created valuo of land. 'I'ho Hon. J. T. Paul, candidate for Dunedin South, sees all the advantages quite as well as I do. Therefore he will get my best support—notwithstanding his association with uncompromising Marxians and pacifists. —I am, etc., K. T. Kvam& September B. (.This correspondents© is ciosed.—Ed. O.D.T.J

THE FLOODING OF THE TAIERI PLAIN. TO THB EDITOn. Sir, —Thero is only ono real remedy for tho frequent flooding of tho Taieri Plain. When it is seen what that rMru <ly is, it will bo at once said that it is "impossible," I "too costly," and so forth. It is on record thai tho tirst Napoleon slid that thero v,a3 no Eutrli word in tho French lantruago "impossible." Then how much less should that word bo in our language, when we road of tho mighty achievements -which have been wrought by engineers within tho last few years? Again, it will be slid to bo "too cost'y." AVoll, I see that the Western Tajeri peoplo arc proposing- to raisa £100.000, to the apparent detriment of tho Northern and Eastern Taieri people*. I must confess that I have not the slightest idea what tho cost of tho remedy would be, but as the years go on tho situation becomes worse and worso, and abnost any expenditure would not be too great to avoid that which will surely bo tho caso before many more years have elapsed;—that is, that tvrico in every 24 hours, at high tide, tho plain will be ono va. ! rt lake, and thus cnuse the ruin of many hardworking men. Tho remedy i> to dredgo out tho river bod to its i depth.—l am, etc., X. I Invereargiil, September 10.

A GRADE. -d _• . <" j . S -2 Team. 1? o « 3 . 3 S 'p Q Christian Brothers ...... 9 9 If Technical A 10 6 2 2 1< High School 10 5 3 2 15 Tecnnicol B 8 1 7 j Normal 10 _ io _ ( » GRADE. Christian Brothers 9 9 CWrshum 11 7 3 1 1; High Street 11 5 2 3 1 = Hiprh School C 9 4 3 2 1C Technical C 10 4 6 f Rnvenshourno 835 ( ITish School B 9 2 6 1 : Christian Brothers O ... 9 9 ( D GRADE. Maori Hill _ 11 10 _ 12] Normal C ... ... 10 6 2 2 14 Kaikorsu B 10 6 2 2 14 Christian Brothers E ... 8 6 2 l r Mornington B 8 4 2 2 1C Anderson's Bay _ 8 4 3 1 < Green Island ... — ... 7 2 3 2 f Moray Placo B ... ... ... 10 1 8 1 " I-ligh Street E 10 — 0 i - High Street D 8 — 8 < — The total amount standing to the of depositors in the British I'os! Umjco Savings Bank is approxinntf>l* £257.000,1.00 1 i alcl