FOOTBALL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2456, 17 April 1901, Page 50

FOOTBALL.

NOTES BY FORWARD. There was an attendance of 45,000 at a match between the Association teams Aston Villa and Notts Forest in England, and the takings amounted to £1330. Ireland has met Scotland 18 times under the Association code, and has not won one match. The last match was played on the 23rd February last, when the Scots were victorious by 11 goals to nil. A match was played in Edinburgh on February 25 between the North of Ireland and Edinburgh University. The former team included five internationals, and the latter six, one of them being A- N. Fell. The 'Varsity won by 23 points to nil, the exOtago representative being responsible for two of the five tries obtained by his side. At the conclusion of a match between Bedford and Northampton in England the public were so incensed at some of the decisions of the referee that the crowd surrounded that official, who had some difficulty in getting into a cab and being driven off. The twenty-third international Rugby match between Scotland and Ireland was played at Edinburgh on February 23, and terminated in a victory for the home team by 9 points (three tries) to 5 (a goal). The game was practically won in the first quarter of an hour. Scotland scoring ail their points in that period; but thereafter the game was a very even one, notwithstanding that Ireland lost the services of their crack half back, Magee. Of the 23 matches played Scotland have won 17 to Ireland's 3, while 3 games have been drawn. Commenting on tha match, the Edinburgh correspondent of the Sportsman says: — The Scottish victory over Ireland was the subject of great jubilation in Scottish Rugby circles on Saturday evening, and hopes are now high that the Scottish fifteen will "go the whole hog," and land Scotland indisputably at the top of the poll. The match was not so brimful of exciting passages as that against Wales a fortnight earlier, but this, so far as the home backs were concerned, wa.3 to a large extent attributable to the laudations which were previously showered upon the Scots the Irishmen being more prepared than were the Welsh, though this does not apply to the play during the first 15 minute?. As in the Welsh roatoh, Fell was too closely watched ever to bring off one of tho.se delightful runs which have earned him so great a reputation, and so unique a scoring record in club matches. The most remarkable feature in the story of international football, says the Athletic News, is, naturally enough, the ding-dong struggle for supremacy between England and Scotland under both codes. The ancient foes in war have been facing each other for 30 years, and under Rugby rules neither can claim any superiority. The figures are : Ene Scot. England. Scotland. M. W. W D. G. T. G T. . 27 9 9 9 15 14 14 15 From the°e figures it will be seen that cncli has not only won the same number of games, but has also scored against the other tho same number of times — to wit, 29 ! It would be difficult to match this equal issue of the 30 years' football war. Nor is the balance much disturbed if are thrown in the result* against the other nations. The figures are : For. AgsK P. W. L. D. G. T. G. T. ScotUnl ... Cf, 3(1 17 13 66 62 23 31 England . . (5) 37 21 11 68 81 40 42 It will bo seen from these figures that England has been stronger in attack and weaker m defence than her oldest, and, perhaps, still her greatest, rival — certainly her greatest when both codes are included. There is an expenditure item of £58 12s for medals in the balance Eheet o f the Metropolitan Union (bays a Sydney exchange). We do not believe 111 expenditure of this chaiaetei. It is a mere waste 01 money that could -scry profitably for the game be otherwise expended. The winning of the piemiership might vei}" easily bo commemorated in a less costly way, and in a way, too, tbnt would appeal 11101 c strongly to the best clas=: of spoitsmen connected with the succes-ful clubs. In a parliamentary paper recently published it is stated that out of 125 of our chief pieparatoiy bchools no fewer than 110 devote themsehes to Association football, 10 only play the Rugby code, and the remaining 5 divide their attemion mine 01 1 less equally between tli 0 two. This means, in few word--, that tin? vast majority of boy~ enteimg our public school-) Lave had no ti aiming whatsoever in the TUi«by pame. and unless they display a marked aptitude for it arc likely to be left bc\orely alone by the authorities. With tli j Association game il 1^ \eiy different. M< -t bi)y< !ea\ 0 their pirparalory school at the age of 14 or theieabout--. with a '\ cry sound knowledge of thf game indeed. Thcie ar" fort good t-ehools of this natuie now that r.nii'ii < nmt oi;p 01 mile capable playeis, among their staff, and tl.e amount of care :ui 1 tiouhle expended in tli"*e days upon the true'inig ol an eleven of ?mall boyp would surpiise many whose school day- date a ( [iiaitei d! a century bdrk. It may well be that thib fact has something to do with one or two points m the modern history of Rugby football 111 England — with the number of Scoti-inon, foi example, who annually find place-, in tho two University teams, and with the diminished number of fifteen re pie«ontative of "old boys." It seems difficult to suggest a remedy. Association, foot-

ball is undoubtedly, in the eyes of most headmasters, a more suitable game for young boy? than the other ; there is le»s rolling in the mud, at any rate, and fewer torn garments. Perhaps the public school authouties might take a little more trouble in teaching their recruits ; but the public schools have always been a conservative body, glow to take advice. In the meantime it is undeniable that a few of the Scottish Eehools— Loretto, Fettes, and Merchiston — are supplying a larger number of Rugby Blues at Oxford and Cambridge than is consistent with their size and position. The following is the draw for the first round of the senior fixtures at Christchuich : April 20.— Albion v. Kaiapoi, at Kaiapoi ; Menvale v. Christchurch, Linwood v. Sydenham, at Lancaster Park. April 27 —Albion v. Menvale, Kaiapoi v. Sydenham, Linwood v. Christchurch, at Lancaster Park. May 4.— Albion v. Christchurch, Menvale v. Sydenham, at Lancaster Park , Kaiapoi v. Linwood, at Kaiapoi. May 11.— Albion v. Linwcod, Kaiapoi v. Menvale, Christchurch v. Sydenham, at Lancaster Park. May 18.— Albion v. Sydenha,m, Menvale v. Linwood, at Lancaster Park; Kaiapoi v. Christchuich, at Kaiapoi. A gratifying feature this *ea.=on is the large number of young players engaged in the game every Saturday. Almost c\ciy club in and around Dunedin has Lad a cor siderable accession to it-? playing ranks, and doubtless from so many 0 few good on Q s will graduate. Wiiile this i* a, it hhould he, there is another >-ide to the pictme. I r< Tei to the want ot support, active and moial, shown by the oldoi inembei= of weral club-. The \eccran n , instead of attending the practice ■> on .Saturday aftunt.on*, are conspicuous enly by their absence. By not putting iii un appearance they me failing in their duty to their club, and this action on their part is sdie to have a discouraging effect on t'i2 youiigei players. It is not unreasonable to d--k thu*- old players should attend piac--:ce matc^e- and give the young- ones the beuf/i!, of their gi eater knowledge of the game, that our future represent athes may be as proficient exponents of Rugby football as those of the pa^t. That the district peheme — that is. the subdivision of the larger centres into distiicts. each with its own club, the members of which must be resident in that particuhi district — is making progress throughout tho colony is evident. Influenced by the sueoe,-. lof the system in Sydney and Auckland, the Hawke's Bay and Poverty Bay Unions have decided to adopt it, and are now busy worknig out the details. Referring to the adoption of the scheme by the Poverty B?y Union, the Gisborve Times fays: — Tho result of last e\ ening's meeting should be hailed with great satisfaction by footballers generally throughout the district, and we trust that nothing will intervene to affect the success of the scheme. It was particularly pleating to members of the Rugby Union to see such a large and ieprecentative gathering at the meeting, and it is to be hoped that one and all will woik with a will to place football on a. sounder basis than it has been during the past two years. There is no reason why Gi&borne should not be able to put a team in the field that would hold its own with anj thing 111 the colony. and we are of opinion that the step takea List evening will do more towards that end than anything else. The Southland Daily News, commenting on the contest between the Kaikorai team and that of the Star Club, says: — Neither team could be expected to have =truck form v/ith the little practice possible since the opening of the season, but, ne\ertheless, the game was looked forward to with much mterp?t by those who were unaware of the f ac t that the gieat bulk of the Dunedin representatives had yet to earn the status that would justify a comparison with the members of the Star. In sbort, the visitors were not removed from the novitiate stage with one or two exceptions, and they gave Southland's premier club not the semblance of trouble, a,3 indicated by the scoie— 3l- points to nil. The result is a fair criterion of what the relafiic merits of the teams were; t'lu visitors neither in back nor forward dh i°ion being copfble of rising above mediocntv-. Those m Dunedin responsible for the choice of the team must have had a poor opinion of Southland football, but by this time will have learned that it would be wise to in future treat it with some respect. The Star had a picnic, scoring, especially 111 the fecond spell, apparently when so inclined, and the Kaikorai reps, prehented a sorry sight, which id is to be hoped, for the sake of the future prospects of the popular pastime, will not be repeated, as the public, though forgiving, arc not pofi-esserl of that quplity to an unlimited exteat, and really good display* are liable to be meagrely patronised. Tho personnel of the several senior tenrm of Invercargifl this beacon is not likely to differ much fiom that of last =eason, though several who formerly belonged to northern clubs are expected to assist the different '••earns. In the Star, if its personnel on the occasion of Good Friday's match is to be accepted as an indication of what it v. ill be in the games which will start shoitly (says the Daily News), there will bo little alteration, and no material change in the con-ti-tution of the Pirates or Butanina is foreshadowed; though a matter ot this kind is= sometimes not divulged till sececy 1- no lonper possible. Tho O.R.F.U. Committee hene approached tho Forbury Park Land CnmD.my with a to securing portions of Forbury Park as playing grounds, and the piobabilities arp that the company will come to teims with tho committee on the matter. .Should the negotiations be successful, tho O.R.F.U. will then have a lea«e of no less than four giounds — viz., Caledonian, Cambrook, Tahuna Park, and Forbury. The Flag Committee ot the O.R.F.U. have revised the rules for the Flag matches Those requiring immediate attention from the secretaries of the various clubs are rules 7 and 8, which lead:— 7. Each club wishing to compete must notify the secretaiy (in writing) on or before the 23rd April, aud supply a list of the teams entered for each giade on or before the 26th Apul. Without such notice and lisi, of playeis no team shall be allowed to compete. 8. The Flag Committee shall luue the power to lefu-e

to allow any club to play a member w! ose grade shall not have been notified to the committee on or before the 26th April. On breach of this rule the team offending shall be liable to have the match forfeited et the 'discretion of the Committee of Management. O.R.F.U. Flag matches aio to commence on April 27. Messrs H. Harris, P. S. K. Macassey, and 1 G. Smith have been appointed a Flag Committee for the O.R.F.U. \ Linwood and Merivale footballers returned to their respective homes on Easter Monday. They had a great send-off at the railway station by the local players, who cheered and cheered again as the train moved off. Tho ram, which was not anywhere -visible on Easter Sunday night or early on Monday morning, descended in torrents just as the teams were assembling to depart north, and took a fiendish delight in finding its way down one's back ju=t as one was gmng a \oeiferous "Hurrah for Linwood and Climtchurch ! '' All the touring teams ha\e returned home, each with their little romance about their lespective trips. Kaikorai particularly had a good time at the hands of the Star team 111 Invercargill. Dunedin also in Christchuich met real good sorts in the Sydenham plajer?. Tl.e Duuechn team came through by the night express on Monday, arriving in town jo-terday morning at 7 o'clock. The annual report of the Otago X'nion, dealing with the suspension of Porteotis, concludes thusly : "Your committee regret that no action was taken 111 the ca'c of tho Wellington player who gave provocation to th# Otago player " " Touehhno. ' commenting on this, says : "What action could have been taken. I would like to know ? The only person who cmild c\ui = c any action to be taken V 1.13 the retereo, and lie could not have seen the provocation alleged, or the Wellington player would have had to join the Otago me. Ihe Wellington player may ha^e been lucky to hs\e missed the referee's eye, but still, having done so. no one should haul him over the coah." Exactly so, '' Touchline," but why should the player who caused the trouble escape Pentridge because (by a piece of good luck for him) the referee had his face towards the retahator and the man provoked? Otago Rugby Union by-law now empowers the committee to inquire into ca=es of misconduct on the part of players reposed by persons other tha-n the referee. Wellington Rugby Union and other unions might safely take a similar step. Daore, the cx-Christchurch speedy wing three-quarter, playing in that department for Alhambra against Merivale on Spturdny, showed none of the quality with which 1101 thcrn football experts crrdited him. Tn fact, Daere on the day was a speedy " frost." His style of pby was that made famil.ar to us on many occasion* by reputed fast men — looking out for 0 (hance to cut out the 100 yds in 10=ec, and coveung a lot of ground unnecessarily — minus the ball. Daere may, during the «eason, scoie a try or two for his club, but his play on Saturday showed that he would also cost them a few. Connoll, tho jtmioi forward promoted into first fifteen ri'-aks, is t'->c makings of a rattling forwaid, if he is not already one. His play on Saturday fully notified the Alhambia Match Committee in including him m tlio foiward clniMon against Menvule last week. Weber, a clever little player from the Ravensbourne Club, will be found in the rsnks of the Union Club this year. The match Linwood (Christcl.urcW and Union, oil tho Caledonian ground on Eister Saturday afternoon, which resulted in a win for Union by 3 points to nil, wa-5 not particularly interesting from ou f ;ide the field of play Occasionally there ucic brilliant passing rushes, and occasionally, al=o, there w.i» some 1 eally good forward play, bat these dashe- of biilhancy only showed up more distinctly the general mediocrity of the whole The trying day— it «ai more fitting to don flannels than jen-cjs — and the fact that the majority of the phyers v. ere sadl3* out of form, would no doubt account for the ragged nature of the game Rumoured in Linwood (Chri?tc'nurch) football c-iro^s that R. Murphy, the Otago iop. and ex-Kaikorai forward, whom I leported in last isitie as being outside the football line, is likely to join the green-and-black Club for the season. If this is correct (which I \ery much doubt, as the Kaikorai crack, who was 111 town last week, has gone b?ck to Ranfurly), Linwood' s forward ranks will ho very powerful Such players as Cio-s. Mn-phv. and Faio.mg in the fcrum would be hard nuts to crack. Footballer, who have tender recollections of the "bottom corner" of the Zuigan football ground, where many a hard earned try ha_s been disputed, will be pleased to heir that though the deceiving dip "is still there it is no\V outside the ground, the field of play proper being carried higher up on the level. The ground ha« been thoroughly j loughed and sown in English giasi, and is now qpite one of the most preventable football arenas aiound Dunedin. Tho Zingaii-Richmond Club will be minus the services of A Fordyce this year. Hl3 work m the railway debars him fiom talursr part in field »rorl- on Saturday afternoons. He will be sadly mi— -od from the back illusion of the Zingpri First Fifteen. Another gap m the rank- of the fir-fc fifteen of the Zmgari hard to fill will be that of Mitchell, the 16*t foiward, who has Loen. cho'-en for the Federal Contingent. Mi'c'iell was one of the honest grafter of tho Zingari forward dni-ion — .lot of the biilliant or.'.er, but always doing the hon\ «baP gF v ork A mixed to-un from thf> Znwn Cl'ib journeyed to Gore during the Ka ie: holidays, meeting a icry strong combination of the ExceLior. The gimr— a good 0110 in e\ery respect, — whicli too'c place on Saturday afternoon, 1 culled 111 a draw, neither side scoring Mr Walhce acted as rofeioe, and na\e every satisfaction Dining the Zmgan's visit to Goie th? local 'players and residents generally treated the visitors light royally. " There \vas nothing Wt undone lo'makf the vu-itoi-* enjoy themselves —and they did. On Good Friday the tram vas taken for a drive to Mataura, where a good clay was spent. On Sunday they were driven to Wymlnam, and while there were emertained at dinner, at which the usual "jolly rood fellow," cemented the bond of fellow*

ship which binds all footballers together. The Zingari players returned home on Monday full of their trip, and swearing loyalty to the Gore footballers and residents who had given them such a good time. Mr J. Sinclair has been elected to fill the vacancy on the Match Committee of the Taieri Rovers Football Club caused by the resignation of Mr J. Gibson. At a meeting of the Taieri Rovers Football Club, held on Wednesday last, Mr D. Mann was elected captain and Mr J. Murdoch deputy-captain for the coming season Glennie, a brother of five-eighth Glennie, of the New Zealand representative team •which went to Sydney, has joined the Kaikorai Club this year. It is to be hoped that he will be of more service to the blue-and-black team than his brother was to the NewZealand repe. T. Wood, Otago rep. and three quarter for Kaikorai, who did not play last season, intends stripping off on behalf of his old club this coming football year. Duncan and Sinclair, who, by the way, did not accompany the mixed Kaikorai team which suffered such a disastrous defeat at the hands of the Invercargill Star last week, •will be found in the blue-and-black back division this year. J. Daniels, an old and respected member of Linwood Football Club, leaves Christ-, church for Melbourne at the end of the ■week to take up a patent agency in that city. Jack Daniels was at one time the hardest working member on the Linwood Committee, but of late his exhibition and other duties have precluded him from taking anything like an active interest in football. His friends in Christchurch and this city ■wish him all Kinds of luck. Jack Mac Donald, an old Dunedin boy, now in Wellington, a rep. Association footballer, is about to join the ranks of the Benedicts. Owing to this he is doubtful •whether he will play football this season. If he does, his services will be given to the Swifts (Wellington). Jack played for a j number of seasons with the Northern (Dunedin) Association Club. This is refreshing. At the annual general meeting of the Wellington Rugby Union, held in Wellington on Saturday. March 30, Mr Firth said : " The season had been a most satisfactory one. Tho representative team had lost one match. As usual, they of Wellington had excuses to offer, but he <Mr Firth) was of opinion that Wellington had lost because they had met a team too good for it." Mr Tom Brodie, an ex-V arsity player, of JQunedin, has been elected to a sitting on the Management Committee of the Wellington Rugby Union. Good luck, Tom. The annual meeting of the Alexandra Football Club was held on March 23, when Mr James Kelman was elected president, Mr W. S. Laidlaw secretary and treasurer, and Mr H. Harris delegate to the OR F.U. The acting-secretary reported that the club had a. credit balance of £10 10s. The Bltham (Taranaki) Club picmises to be very strong this year. In addition to J. M 'Govern, D. Moir, Hamblyn, and Duffin, who have in the past figured as Taranaki reps., Healey, a New South Wales player, has taken up his abode lit Eltham, and will " probably join the local club. In ppite of the lying jade- Rumour. Wallace, M 'Anally, and Roberts aie putting on the jersey again for this season. Fred Row, who represented Wellington Club in their ina.teh with the Christchurch Club in the City of Churches last Thursday, | played centre thTee-quarter in the match | Ali Australia against the Englishmen. A resolution to have the Wellington Hugby Union represented in fie function of welcome to the Duke of Cornwall (either by an arch or by a procession) was carried by the narrow margin of one vote. One wit put forth a suggestion that the arch should comprise " a footballer rampant over a disabled referee couchant." A proposal by the same union to donate five guineas to ihe Queen's Etatue fund was unanimously a'-jre^d to. George Tyler, Auckland representative of list season, is back again in Auckland after lu= southern tour, and will play for the City Club for the season. He has been elected to the committee for the ensuing year. Auckland has had the bad luck to lose j several prominent players, owing to the war in South Africa. J. Heather, one of the finest Association players Auckland has yet sesn, has left the northern city to accept a commission in the army. Wright, also a clever and tricky full back player, lias resigned from the fi(?ld. The secretary of the New Zealand Association (Mr F. J. Courtney) has just received a reply from the English authorities. per request of the Wellington Referees' Association, as to a definition of " facing the field of play " when throwing the ball in from touch. Their explanation is that any part of both feet can be placed on the line, and, as long as you have not got your back turned to the field, you are facing the field of play. There is a story told of a visit in the early days of football professionalism of a certain league team to Oxford, which, even if it has been related before, is worth repeating. The team had come up to play the University. After the conclusion of the game an undergraduate asked one of the visiting half backs what he thought of Oxford football. "Well," was the reply, "when we coom oop to Oxford, I was tebblcfeared that they was nout but a set o' passons an' that ; but, t' fust mon as iver I tackled, he says to me, ' Who the are you trying to trip?' I felt," said the worthy man, with a placid smile of content on his face, " I felt nice an' homelike after that." A. E. Stod&art. the crack three-quarter back, who came through New Zealand with the English team in 1888. while driving borne with some friends on January 27, had a ve.y narrow escape of being billed. A heavy gale came on and as the vehicle passed between Stanmore and Harrow a large tree was blown directly across the road, just missing in its descent the occupants of the carriage. An English writer discotr^es thusly on tho rhowing of England in the recent "Internationals." Fell, whose p^y is referred to. is the ex- Varsity three-quarter and one-time Otago representative: ' Tne ■Ruijby International results of Saturday provide plenty of food for reflection, but it will hardly be palatable to Englishmen. NN c stand alone in not having won a match m tho series, and as the outstanding engagement is with Scotland, who succeeded magnificently where England failed, it is difficult indeed to take encouragement from our prospect of avoiding the wooden spoon. This defeat, of Wales may be said to-^nark the wane of Welsh supremacy, which has been hinted at in this column. The Scotch forwards smothered their opponents in the tio-ht scrummages, and though for a time the Welsh forwards profited by opening up the aaiii« they were soou mastered again.

The three quarters might have been weighed down by their ponderous reputations — anyhow, the Scotch quartet cleared them with delightful ease and dash, and at half back Gillespie was a tower of strength. Big as is the defeat on paper, it by no means exaggerates the difference between the sides. Scotland appears to have a really fine side thi 1 * season. Fell played a grand game, and Duncan made p. satisfactory first appearance at full back." Glancing through the football obituary of the year in the Sportsman, one is struck by the number of famous players who have fallen in the South African War. Captain C W. Moyle and C B. Monypenny were international Rugby players, and amongst others one notes A. C. Nixon, the old Cambridge Blue, H. W. Masterman, B. 1Greig, C. A. P. Tarbutt, and eight more. The official ranks are weakened by the loss of Major Marindin and Mr James Maclaren, who did an immense amount for the game, especially the former, whee name will not soon be forgotten. Only three deaths from accident are recorded, and though, no doubt, there have been other case 3 where the victims were of lesser note, the fact would go to show that roughness and carelessness are steadily declining. The Zingari-Richmond Club held a practice match at Montecillo on Saturday President v. Vice-president, and after a very interesting game, the President's side wem by 12 points to 3. Good fcrra was shown by A. Smith, A. King. B. Collie, and D. Mason (backs), and G. Smith, C. Stewart, Abbott, and W. Mason (forwards). The club possess a large number of young players, who are also showing good form, and promise to be a good combination. The Kaikorai Club held a \ery successful practice at Biehopecourt on Saturday. Sides were captained by Adamson and Sinclair, and after a fast and open game Sinclair's side proved victorious by a narrow' margin. The Union Club's practice on the North ground on Saturday was very successful in point of numbers, but owing to the large number of players the game, though fast, was not very interesting. However, it served its purpose very well, and the players should be considerably improved in form as a result of it. The Taieri Rovers held a piactice at Mosgiel on Saturday, when the members showed considerably improved form. This club will probably be able to put a strong team in the field. A team from the Northern Association Club Journe3'ed to Kaitangata on Good Friday and played a match with the local club. A fast and interesting game resulted in a draw, each eide scoring two goals. The Northern team had the best of the play in the firbt half, but on changing ends the Kaitangata men made ihings warm for their opponents until the last qjarter of an hour, when they seemed to tire. Cowan, M'Nair, and M'Lachlan were the pick of the Northern backs, while A. Middlemas also played well. The forwards all played very well, showing fine combination. G. Middlemss, of the Kaitangata team, was the best back on the ground, while J. Burns and A. Morrison played a great game among the local forwards. At the Auckland Rugby Ui.ion's meeting on 12th inst. the statement of accounts showed ths receipts to be £1535 Is Id, and the ex-, pendit-ure £977 19s 7d, leaving a credit of £557 Is 6d. The ground trust fund showed a credit of £1784 6s Id, the total to thp credit of the union being £2141 7s 7d. A presentation of a gold watch was made to Mr Geo. Dixon, the retiring secret iry, who has removed to Wellington. A scratch team from the Port Chalmers Clul^ journeyed to Palmerston on the Bth mst. to try conclusions with the local team, end were defeated by 3 points. On reaching Palmerston a heavy thunderstorm came on, and it looked as though the match could not be played ; but tlic v» cat her cleared up beautifully, and enabled the game to proceed. Soon after the kick-off, from a loose rush the home team carried the ball over the line and scored, and though the visitors pressed hard in the second spell the defence of the home team was equal to the occasion. Mr T. Crawford officiated as referee. The Port Chalmers tc.-.m sj.eak highly of the treatment they received from the local club. The weekly meeting of the O.R F.U. committee was held at Messrs Callan and Gallaway's offices ye&torday. There were present — Messrs Morris (president), Gallaway, Hutchison, Harris, Isaacs, Macassey, Munro, Rosp. Smith, Wilkinson, and Campbell. Permission was granted to Mr W. E. Knott, of Christchurch. to publish an official guide for matches during the coming season. Messrs J. R. Murray, R. Macdonald, J. M. Hume, J. S. Macarthur, and R M. Fr.lconer were appointed delegates to the New Zealand Union. The Flag rules for the season, as revised by the Flag Committee, were adopted, and a Ground Committee was appointed for the season. A Wellington telegram states that at a meeting of the Management Committee of the New Zealand Rugby Union held ]ast night ccrresnondence was read from the New South Wales Union, which proposed to send a team to New Zealand this year, and that this colony return the visit in 3^)03, a Queensland team coming to New Zealand next year. It was decided to send a copy of correspondence to each affiliated union, so that they might advise the delegates to the annual meeting next week. A Wellington telegram states that 'at a meeting of the Management Committee of the Wellington Ruby Union the secretary was instructed to inform the New Zealand Union that teams would be «ent to Otajro, Canterbury, Southland, pnd Wairarapa this season. The delegates to the New Zealand Union were instructed to support the motion to give the Appeal Committee three years' tenure of office.