NOTES BY FORWARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 2456, 10 April 1901, Page 50

NOTES BY FORWARD.

At the -annual meeting of the Wellington Ilugby Union the qtrestion was raised as 'to whether the Union's secretary and treasurer should be honorary officers (receiving 'an annual honorarium) or paid officers, and l£t was decided to write to the registrar of irjeEdly societies asking for his opinion. G. W. Smith, the well-kcnown Auckland /w-ng three-quarter back, intends playing this season.

At the annual meeting of the Clinton Football Club last Wednesday the following office-bearers were elected for the ensuing Cear : — President, Mr John Garden; vicepresidents, Messrs Ritchie and Garf orth ; Secretary, -Mr R. J. Irving; captain, Air J. (Fiulayssa ;' -deputy, Mr A. Charlton : match 'committee — Messrs Finlayson, Charlton, and jCameron. It was resolved to join the South •Otago Rugby Association. Mr W. Thomson ,wa3 elected delegate to the Rugby Union. There was quite a surfeit of football in" •Dunedin last Saturday, no less than four .visiting teams being engaged with local clubs, and in each case the home team won. The main attraction was the double event at the Caledonian ground, where the Linwood met the Union and the Merivale tried conclusions with the Alhambra. When the arst-mentioned match commenced a little (before 2 o'clock, the weather was sultry — indeed, it was ideal cricket weather. Under xhis condition, to say nothing of the want of form that wa3 inevitable at so early a stage of the season, few of the spectators expected to see a good exposition of the game ; and so far as the Lin wood-Union match was concerned the majority were not agreeably surprised. It is true there were Occasional flashes of good work among the forwards, •but the back play was of a very inferior order, the passing of the Maroons being both ill-timed and ill-directed. The only excuse that can be urged is that some of the backs ■were playing in positions that were quite new to them. Peake was unable to show his true form on account of being played as centre three-quarter, a position to which he is unused ; while M'Queen, whatever he may "be a3 a centre, is an exceedingly weak wing. Thomson seemed to be under the impression that it was his duty to get rid of the ball as soon as he received it, regardless of the .position of the player to whom he transferred. This "player has come qualification's ■that go to make a good back, but he has also a deal to learn before he becomes such. His weakness is wheu he has po?session of the leather in a passing bout. Armstrong played up to his reputation, and W. Munro's kicking was effective. Watts, a wing threequarter from last year's junior team, was not disappointing, while Adams, as usual, was cocl, and his work effective. Of the Maroon forwards, Rowlatt and George weie the most prominent. The latter player was last year a member of the premier junior team, the R.ivensbourne, and is likely to make a name for himself in senior football.

The Linwood team was by r.o means representative of the strength of their club, and so may be said to have acquitted themselves fairly well. Their forwards were inferior to those of the Union, but the backs on occasions pas?ed with crispness and accuracy, while their kicking was much, superior to that of the home team. Though the game between the Merivale and Alhambra was a distinct improvement on the previous one, it was also full of faults. The Alhambra pack contained too mary passengers, with the consequence that though they almost invariably got the ball in the scrums it was rarely heeled out cleanly. The defence of the backs wa3 weak, and the passing, with some few exceptions, was not effective. Knowles and Johnston were not at their best, but Dey was serviceable, though he repeatedly hung to the ball too long. Bennet, especially in the second spell, did clean and good work, "'while his placekicking was excellent, and reminded one of Restieaux. Stephenson was quite up to his tisual form, but Dacre, the new wing threequarter, was a disappointment. He is very epeedy, "but, like the majority of fliers, is very erratic. He is extremely weak at taking the ball, either from a kick or a pJ^ s, and, should he remain in the team, is likely to prove an expensive member. Ross is a player who, though he has now no desire aO appear on the field, is prepared to sacrifice himself in the interests of his club. Mackay, it seems, for some reason or another, was unable to. play, so Ross was asked

to fill the position. Under these en rumstances it would be unfair to find fault with his play. One of the weaknesses which the Merivale felt most was the want of their recognised front lank men in the scrums. The players who did duty in that position on Saturday were junior players, and were unable to compete successfully with their rivals. Fraser and Menzies were the best of the, Merivale backs, though the spectators would have'hked to have seen the latter get more opportunities than he had. The only try scored by the visitors was the outcome of a goorl run by Menzies, and that player wa3 heartily applauded for his effort. Drake was by far the best forward on the Meri vale side. The Kaikorai Club were ill-advised in sending such a weak team to Invercargiil to try conclusions with the powerful Star Club, which contains in its ranks 10 or 11 players who have represented their province. The only players in the Kaikorai team who had any claim to be called seniors were Adanispn, Williamson, and Wilkinson ; none of the others had ever played in senior football. Bain, the Star Club's sprinter, obtained four tries.

The following item is an extract from the annual report of the New South Wales Rugby Union: — "Your council is in communication with the New Zealand Rugby Union with a view of placing the interchange of visits with them on a sound and definite basis."

After a tour round the clubs who were practising on Saturday afternoon, one was astonished at the number of young players the various clubs have to choose from. Numerically all the clubs, are stronger this year than they have ever been. It is too early in the day yet to give a summary of the prospects of each individual club. After the Easter matches, and when the veterans make up their minds to don the jersey (which they never do until after the holiday fixtures), things will be a little more settled and one will then know what particular club has the rosiest chance for coming out on top. But here, I may say, that the 1901 football season promises to eclipse the seasons of the past. Zingari will be particularly heavy in the forward ranks this year judging from tho material available to choose from. The club has always had a good body of ecrummers. W. Dacre, an ex-member of the Christchurch Club, has thrown in his lot with the Alhambra Club for the coming season. Dacre is a wing three-quarter, possessing a good turn of speed, and is a fair kick and^ collarer. His debut in Dunedin football circles will be watched with interest.

Len. M'Kay, the long drop-kick and football back for Dunedin last season, inteiids wearing the red-and-black of the Alhambra for the coming football year. Zingari "missed the 'bus" on the departure of G. Tyler, the heavy-weight Auckland representative forward of last year. Tyler returned to Auckland the other day. Had Dunedin suited he would have taken up his residence here, and thrown in his lot with ZingjirL , The Union Football Club have lost the services of Bennett and Whittakev from the three-quarter division this season. Bennett has been transferred to Wanganui and Whittaker to Southland. The Maroons can ill spare these two players. The back division — especially that of the three-quarters — has always been their weak point. I have not heard of anyone outside or from the junior ranks who can well fill the places of the departed. Some dark horse is, however, s\ire to come to light before the season is half over.

Jock Best, an old Otago and Southland representative, now permanently settled in Dunedin, is going to do his little bit for the Pirates Club this year. The Pirates are fortunate in securing his services.

Outram intends putting a fifteen in the field this year, and becoming affiliated to the union. There are the making of a strong club on the Taieri Plain. Why not?

G. H. Biichanan, an old member of the Pirates Club, who has been transferred so many times, has rejoined his old love. Buchanan is now deputy-cantain of the Pirates.

The Pirates have lost the services of Charlie Sutton, who was emergency last year for the GoldSelds team. Sutton has been transferred to the Oamaru office of the Loan and Mercantile Company. There is, however, a possibility that he will be back before the end of the season.

Still another lo^s to the Skull and Crossbones: H. B. Gordon, one of the Pirates crack forwards, has been transferred to the National Bank, Christchurch. Gordon has given his energy and ability to the Christchurch Club for the coming football season.

Young Rattray, also of Pirate fame, has joined the Christchurch Club. Kaikorai are particularly unfortunate this year in losing the services of three of their front-rankers— T. Cross, R. Murphy, and H. Porteous.

Dick Murphy, one of Kaikorai's forward division, is beyond the zone of football fire. Murphy has gone "out b?ck," being employed on the railway at Ranfurly. " Scohie " Mackenzie is now a resident in Auckland, where he intends taking up the game again. In recognition of his «er\ ices in the Dunedin Club ' Scobie " has been m?de a life member.

Bush, late of the Oriental (Wellington), has loiiiod Merivale (Christchurch) for the s-eason 1901

Keating, a five-eip,hth player from the Northampton Hub (England), has joined the Christchurcli Club, which will this year be a powerful team Campbell, late of the Petone Club, Wellington, having settled in Dunedin, joins Kaikorai as a five-eighth.

A. Paul, who played full back for the English team which visited New Zealand in 1888, has been seriously ill. and i« not making the progress his friends would like to see. He was in such a critical condition when the mail left that his brother, the Rev. F W Paul, was summoned from Cornwall to his- bedside.

The New Zealand Sportsman states that H. Kelly, the well-known Wellington footballer, has retired from the same. It will mean a serious loss to "Wellington's back division if this is true, for in Kelly they lo?e not only a brilliant bock but an able general. Mr N M'Robie. who is well known in football circles in Southland and North Canterbury, having represented the former from 1689 to 1£95 inclusive, and acted as referee for some seasons in the latter district, has been elected a life member of the Timaru F C in recognition of his past services. Mr W. J. Cotterill. who played for Canterbury against New South Wales, in 1882, and in later years acted as referee in several representative and championship matches in Chrifitchurch, has been re-elected president of the Timaru Football Club*

Tho at lion, of the Canterbiny Rugby Union in bringing lorwaid a scheme for the insurance of players against accident" is (caycdii exchange) one to he commended, and if the most recent proposals are not earned it is to be hoped that the mo\eiiient will not be allowed to fall through. The question of insuring playeis was first brought up by Mr W. G. Garrard, the secretary of the union, as the result of inquiries, he had made while in Auckland, and ho, Mc«sis Asquith (treasurer), J. R. Evans, and Fro-t were appointed a sub-committee to draft rules and report to the General Committee. The sub-committee drafted a scheme which was submitted to the General Committee at a meeting held in Christchurcli on Februaiy 12, and they then proposed that each club should contribute two guineas, to entitle members to the benefits of the fund ; but this clause did not meet with the appro\al of the committee, and that and clause 3 were referred back to the sub-committee to obtain certain information from Auckland, where the Fcheme was in \ ogue last year This has resulted in the sub-committee altering the subscription from two guineas for the club to one guinea for every 30 members. In some quarters it is thought that this enables clubs to insure only a section of their members, and not the whole club, which would have been covered by the original clause, and if such is the case it is a pity the latter was not adhered to.

Joe Calnan is in camp with the seventh contingent (says the Free Lance), and has only to pass certain tests to be another of the football fraternity of Wellington tl^at has gone to the war. Calnan's is a name to coniure with in Wellington — aye, in NewZealand — football, for he is probably the finest forward of to-day in the colony. Fearless when opposed to an opponent, full of dash and manly vigour, Joe is of the right metal to make a soldier. It is not only on the football field that Calnan has made his name famous, for it was only the other day that Crawford and he. for the fourth successive time, won the Champion Pair-oar Race of the colony. The Melro-e Football Club, whose Senior Fifteen owed championship honours last season to Cal nan's leadership, and the Wellington Rowing Club will find it hard to fill "Mister ' Calnan's place. Good wishes go with him for greater successes in the soldier's path, and a quick and safe return to the Empire City.