NOTES BY FORWARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 1994, 12 May 1892, Page 30

NOTES BY FORWARD.

I have received from Mr E. D. Hoben a printed copy of the proceedings at the meeting of delegates at which the establishment of the New Zealand Rugby Union was, by a majority, decided upon, together with the revised rules of the union.

The prospectus has been issued of an amateur tug-of-war, open to teams from football clubs and other athletic organisations, which is to be held in the Garrison Hall on the 24-th inst. The contest is promoted by the Dunedin Amateur Boating Club in aid of the movement for the erection of a new boat shed for next season. Each person competing must be able to comply with the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association's definition of an amateur.

The newly-elected member for Bruce is president of the O.R.F.U. and also president of the Alhambra Club.

The Rugby Union in Melbourne has collapsed. More's the pity. "Actseon" in the Auckland Evening Star says: — "Newton have secured a wanted addition to their backs in Robinson, who, I hear, played three-quarter for the crack Dunedin club, Alhambra, last season." I don't know

him. The vice-captaincy of the University Club is vacant, A. Crawford, who was appointed to the position at the annual meeting, having received an appointment in North Otago. A correspondent of the Pall Mall Gazette has compiled the usual "butcher's bill" of football accidents, and a formidable list it is, occupying two columns and a-half of space. It throws out a challenge to those who contend that football is as free from accidents as almost any other outdoor game to prove their case by collecting and publishing the statistics of accidents received at other games and exercises. It gives the following quotations from references by coroners and others :— Dr Dill, the Belfast city coroner, said at one inquest that "the game of football was a brutal, dangerous, and often fatal game. He would have the authorities say to the football clubs, 'You must make your rules so rigid as to exclude the dangerous element from the play, or you must not play the game.'" Dr Clark Newton, on the other hand, lecturing at Newcastle, declared that "he had seen more persons injured by football than by all the other games and exercises put together. In addition to accidents, football involves risk both of heart and lung disease." As for the cause of the frequent accidents at football, Dr Raw, at an inquest at Bolton, said that death in almost every football accident was due to kneeing the ball, and he suggested that this ought to be prohibited by the rules. According to the Field, "ruffianism and unsportsmanlike play are greatly on the increase, and, unless checked by vigorous methods, we may find that it will be necessary for magistrates to deal with assaults arising out of what should be an innocent and healthful pastime." Mr Rowland Hilli the Rugby Union honorary secretary, .sounded a note of warning at Gloucester as to rough play, and urged that strict adherence to the rules would prevent serious accidents. Mr Herbert Gladstone said at Leeds that the present system of playing football was a source of danger ; he abominated the professional system, the gate money principle, and still more the betting. Lovers of the game would certainly do well to look into the butcher's bill, for it is a significant feature of the season's accidents that the police have begun charging players with manslaughter for deaths caused in the football field.

For several years now it has been a scandal in connection with Scottish Association football that, although the authorities refused to recognise and regulate any system of paying players, professionalism has existed to almost as great an extent as in England, where progessionalism has. been legalised for five or six years. The English Association tried to crush the system, but it had obtained too firm ahold in the North and Midlands for any restrictive legislation to be of avail, and, realising their impotency, they had the sense to yield to the inevitable. Not so the Scottish Association. The fiction of amateurism was kept up, although everyone knew that players across the border were paid for their services, and to such an absurd extent was it carried that only a year ago numbers of men who had been openly earning salaries as professionals to English clubs were induced to return home and there be reinstated as nominal amateurs. Such a course as that taken in this matter by the Scottish Association naturally aroused widespread contempt, and at length it is announced (the English correspondent of the Sydney Mail writes) that regulations are to be drawn up admitting a system of professionalism and providing for its control. The action has been taken too late for any credit to attach thereby to the Scottish authorities, but it is to be welcomed as a step towards a healthier condition of things than has prevailed for some years. In the first round of the Yorkshire Cup competition Leeds made a " best on record" score, as far as Cup ties are concerned, by putting on 13 goals (1 penalty and 1 dropped), 4 tries, to Wakefield St. Austin's 1 try— 7o points to 2. The Canterbury Rugby Union has expressed approval of the action of its delegate, Mr Marshall, in voting at the recent meeting in Wellington against the proposal to establish a New Zealand Rugby Union. The "gate" taken at the Scottish final tie between the Celtic and Queen's Park tion) Clubs formed a record up to date, the amount being L 1675 3s. Just a week later, however, that record was knocked on the head by the "gate "at the final between the West Bromwich Albion and Aston Villa for the English Association Cup. The match was played on Kennington Oval, and the takings were L 1757, representing 32,810 persons. The two old rival Rugby clubs, Salford and Swinton, met on the former's ground on the 19th March before a concourse of about 15,000 persons. Four of the English team who visited the colonies took part in the match, these being T. Kent and H. Eagles (Salford), and A. Paul and W. Bumby (Swinton). Salford's star generally sets (the Athletic News says) when the electric blue flame of the Swinton jersey sheds its fierce light upon the gory habiliments of the Borough satellites, and the experience of this match did not show any deviation from the customary order of things. Whether there is any more fearful colour than blue has never yet been determined, and perhaps the fact that when certain people have the blues they show a fearful state of collapse must be the reason why Swinton wear that colour, and why Salford are so limp when they see it. It exercised all its old powers in the match in question, and Swinton won by a dropped goal to nothing. The twenty-first final for the English Association Cup was played on March 19, and resulted—as many previous finals have done-in a surprise. The match was played on the Oval, and the contending teams were West Bromwich Albion and Aston Villa. The latter were great favourites, and there never was a team nnre certain of winning. As much as A to 1 was readily laid on them. If ever anything did look to be a dead snip this did— so

says " The Old Athlete." The Villa, however, made an inglorious display, and suffered defeat by three goals to none. After West Bromwich Albion had scored, the "Villans" one and all seemed to lose their heads. They never rallied. On the other hand, the better team on the day undoubtedly- won. . The Albion were superior in every department, they showed far more dash and .confidence, while their combination and defence were far and away in front of that of the Villa. They are now the only club, besides the Wanderers, Blackburn Rovers, and Old Etonians, who have won the Cup more than once.- .-. n In connection with the victory of the West Bromwich Albion in the Cup final, the Athletic News of March 21 says :— " It really does seem extraordinary , that a club that has done so badly in the League for the past two seasons should walk off' with the English Cup. Last year West Bromwich Albion finished up at the very bottom of the League table, and yet they worked their way into the semi-final of the English Cup. This year they are third from the bottom, and a poor third too, and yet they have upset the~ favourites and won the Cup with ease against an apparently much superior team. No one can reckon up form such as this." . . The international match, under association rules, between. Scotland and Ireland was played on March 19, and resulted in the former, according to official decree, winning by three goals to two. It is alleged, though, that Mr Taylor, of the Welsh Association, who acted as referee, gave' Scotland a goal which was plainly put past the upright. Mr Taylor afterwards admitted his mistake, but refused to alter his decision. "Scribe," in the Athletic News, Ba ,y S ; «« The result was actually a draw of two goals each, and it appears more than probable that the Irish' Association will test the legality of Mr Taylor's decision in giving Scotland the goal referred to. I think it is within the powers of the the International Board to order the goal to be wiped off, as it is an injustice to Ireland to be left in the minority after such a mistake."

At the- Association game en Saturday the Rangers met the Northern Club on the latter's ground. A fa^t and interesting game resulted in a draw, neither side scoring. Good individual play was shown by members of both teams. Pollock and M'Leod being noticeable among the Northerners, while M'Lachlan played a brilliant game for the Rangers. The latter player was a member of the Scottish Dumbarton team, and is an addition to the Association players of Dunedin. Owing to the inclement weather on Saturday, the match Pirates v. Alhambra did not come off. The Zingari-Richmond had a very good muster considering the weather, and sides were chosen on the, ground by Captain and Deputycaptain. The Captain's side won by 16 points toll.