DUNEDIN FOOTBALL CLUB.

Otago Witness, Issue 1324, 14 April 1877, Page 17

DUNEDIN FOOTBALL CLUB.

The annual meeting of the above Club was held in the Shamrock Hotel on the 6th. Mr Thomson was in the chair. The following is the ANNUAL KEPORT. The Committee of the Dunedin Football Club, in bringing down their report for the season of 1876, have to congratulate the Club on its success in the past season, notwithstanding the opposition with which it was dogged by those who have hitherto been considered as promoters of all athletic exercises here. * The number of players, and the interest shown by both players and the public, are tdgns that the game is still In favour and likely to increase in popularity each successive 1 year.

A large number of scratch matches were played among the members of the Club, and also matches with the Union and Oamaru Clubs, in both of which the Dunedin Club were victors, defeating the former at their own rules, which were strange to our Club, by one coal to nothing, and the latter by one goal and four touch-downs to one force-down. A match was also played with the High School, which was loat by one goal to nothing; but, the Club mustering very strongly for the return match, their opponents considering it hopeless to contend, yielded the palm without playing. With regard to the financial position of the Club, your Committee have to report that only 31 subscriptions were paid, and would remind those who overlooked this trifling matter, that they are at liberty to add last year's to the ensuing season's subscription; they would recommend members to assist the Secretary as much as possible by volunteering their subscription at an early date, instead of waiting until they are solicited for it. Notwithstanding that the expenses of last season were rather heavy, there is a small balance to the credit of the Club, as Trill be seen by the balance sheet.

Your Committee trust that the railway communication now available will lead to regular matches with the country districts. Owing to the large number of gentlemen who have intimated their intention of joining the Club as active members, and to the spirit evinced by the other Clubs in this and contiguous Counties, your Committee hope that the example set by Auckland and Christchurch will be follow«jd here, and that a powerful team will go north to do battle on behalf of this portion of the Colony, and with the material at command they confidently anticipate a victorious career for our representatives. Your Committee recommend the Club to adopt the Rugby Union rules, to place it on the same footing with Clubs in the rest of the Colony, where these rules are universally in vogue, and would suggest that unless members practise with regularity they should not be elected to play in matches of importance. They especially recommend members to -become acquainted with the rules before playing, and when on the ground to obey the captain under whom they are ranged, thus avoiding these unseemly disputes which, tend so much to mar the game and destroy public interest in it. Your Committee have great pleasure in stating that satisfactory arrangements have been made with the Caledonian Society for the t use of their ground for the ensuing season, and trust that, from its superior extent and the

removal of the cause of all disputes, those members who stood aloof last year will again take an active part in the game. The Society stated, when proposals for the use of their ground were first made, that they expected the roll of the Club fto show about sixty members, whereas little more than the names of half this^ number could be submitted, only those being given of members who had paid their subscriptions. Still, to encourage the game as much as possible, they decided to grant the use of their ground in the hope of their action promoting an extended interest in the c;ame, and strengthening the ranks of the Club, for which the thanks of the latter are due. In conclusion, your Committee trust their anticipations for the ensuing season may be more than fully realized, and that the support given them will be accorded to their successors. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. The meeting then proceeded to elect officers with the following result. President, Mr John Cargill ; Vice-President, Mr 3. P. Maitland ; Secretary and Treasurer, Mr A. Cargill ; Captain, Mr Thomson ; De-puty-Captain, Mr Dixon ; Committee, Messrs P. Fulton, William Cargill, F. Smith, William Mills, and H. Maitland. ADOPTION OF BULES. It was unanimously resolved that the Rugby Union rules should be adopted during the ensuing session. After some farther business of a routine nature had been discussed, the meeting adjourned.