ASSOCIATION NOTES. By " Sockerist."

Otago Witness, Issue 2501, 19 February 1902, Page 50

ASSOCIATION NOTES. By " Sockerist."

The Unity Club have been very fortunate in securing the'-servhses of Mr »Gpo. M'Millan as their coujft. Under his careful tuition — of which thye is not the slightest doubt — this club should make *reat strides. It is doubtful whether a better coach could be secured in New Zealand, as his prowess has been proved in bringing to prominence such clubs- at Roslyn and Wafcari. and latterly the handling of our representative teams. The Unity Club arc to be highly congratulated on securing the assistance of the leading pillar of " footer " in Dunedin. The club hold a practice at Mornington co Saturday, when Mr M'Millan will be on the ground. It enys a good deal for the enthusiasm of the members, of O.F.A. Committee that there were only two absentees from a meeting held at, the beginning of the present month.

Mr A. E. Ellis, the treasurer of the New Zealand Association, wrote giving particulars of his arrangements r in -connection lyith- " bringing, Association football coaches out to N/ew Zealand, and offering to this associar , tk>n the services of r ]yir'Ashbury (who.isab . present iv Wellington) for a term of three , months upon certain conditions.- The;Qjtago Association, -after considering the>", matter --,;■ thoroughly, expressed their, . readiness". .:{» _ utilise Mr Ashbury'e services for on&i&on.iii^. ■ upon the conditions named, ,but 'word ha*, . been received that tho guarantee must be., for three months, one month not Being considered sufficient. 11l any case, the Wellington Association have annexed Mr Ashbury, and from all accounts ho has already been putting some of the teams through their facings. Mr Coleman, another Eome gun, is coming out to New Zealand in July, so there remains still a chance for Otago to get for a time the services of a first-class exponent of the game, unless Wellington have already a mortgage over him Association footballers will much regret to hear of the resignation of Mr J. Wilson aa vice-president of O.F.A. Mr Wilson hag been a most useful and enthusiastic official during his connection with the association, and his presence at meetings and other functions will be sadly missed. I understand, there was a sub-oommit^eo appointed for the purpoee of endeavouring to secure some new grounds, and am wondering whether they've being doing anything in tho matter. Also the sub-committee appointed to try and arrange a schools competition. It purely is about time they wero bestiring themselves. • The beginning of the season is within hailing distance now and things ought to be set in motion soon. I wonder if it .is true that Alec Haynes is going to throw in hi 1 ; lot with Northern. Hard luck for Roslyn if it is. If Alec gets into anything like old form he will take .a. lot of beating in goal, and there's no ,uso having two such men as he and Smallbone in' one team. That's where Northern cc a in.

Watty Cowan is going to be In town thie winter, and is talking of playing for Green Island again, who ought to be able to put a really strong eleven in the field this season

Those admirers of Peter M'Millan who reckoned to sep him playing this season will be grieved to hear that he has had another rather se\ere illiiPoo. He's about again now, but all idea of playing is utterly out of the question. Had a visit from Jerry Dock! the other day. He's in excellent health, and the only drawback he finds in a seafaring life is that he- cannot get time to play liis beloved game. There is nothing he would like b^.ier, he ..says, than to be able to go to Auckland thi» year with the team and repeat his performance of 1900, when he kicked the" goat that brought the shield to Otago! ' Some time ago the secretary of the. association received a letter all the way from India— Bangalore City, Mysore, to be exactasking for a copy of the rules of the Association game, and any hints he might bo able to give in connection with the formation and governing of a club. This request! was promptly complied with and a grateful acknowledgment has now been received* Strange that Otago's fame should have spread as far as India !

The Minister of Lancld was interviewed at Mataura on Thursday on the subject of the surplus power of the falls. The history oE the grants to use. the power was gone into by the Mayor and Cr Cameron, who gaicl they would like the borough's position defined m the matter. The Minister thought if the companies at present utilising the power had all they required they could nofi reasonably object to the council having tha remainder. The proper course would be to have a local bill put through, and he recommended the deputation to ask their, member (Mr M'Nab) to take it in hand", and he (the M^inifcter) uoulc! give it every

It has. hitherto been supposed that Nevada, one of the United States of America, possesses the best and most expeditious machinery for breaking asundei matrimonial bonds. But it would teem that Australia really enjoys this distinction. Mr Justice Simpson has just described Sydney as the ".Mecca of the pilgrims of divorce." Further commenting on the proceedings that cyoked this observation, he remarked : " Here is a case in which a lady comes from America to Sydney to seek restitution of conjugal rights. She obtains an order, and of course it is disobeyed. She then gels back by the same steamer to America a divorced woman."

'' The -ooner the people of Australia force this Parliament to the country again,'' said Sir William M'Millau, addressing a crowded jpioeting at Sydney. " the better it will be for the-ir industrial life, the better for good and et>lid go\ eminent, and the better for their preUiffc among the nation* of the world." Sir William touched upon the woik done by the Opposition in reducing the duties, and quoted articles upon w Inch this had been done to the extent of 25, 65, and 50 per cent., and others which in the teeth of the Government had been made free. It had been no mean fight for a minority to drag these things out of the Barton. Gqvcrnjaentt