NOTES BY FULL BACK.

Otago Witness, Issue 2663, 29 March 1905, Page 59

NOTES BY FULL BACK.

The annual meeting of the New Zealand Rugby Union will be held on April 20.

Black, the Southland sprinter footballer, is now settled in Christchurch. He should be »n acquisition io the northern province.

Now that the football season is approaching, it behoves players who purpose retiring from active participation in the game to keep up their interest and assist the pastime by joining that worthy body the Referees' Association.

The New South Wales Rugby Union has decided that it cannot this year entertain the proposal for a visit from a Canadian team.

The following fixtures New South Weles v. Queensland have been made, subject to the New Zealand team not playing in Sydney this year — viz., at Brisbane July 1 and 8, afc Sydney August 5 and 12. The combined' Australian team will leave for New Zealand after the inter-State match «m August 12.

In big football in England_the international representativ3s of Scotland 1 , England, •nd Ireland have been beaten by the little "Welshman. It would appear that this is the combination of Rugby talent which the Kew Zealanders have most to fear on their tour.

It was rather significant at the annual meeting of the O.R.F.A. on Saturday evening that the veteran Duncan declined pomination for the committee. One member asked the "old man" of Rugby if he intended playing again this season, but Duncan vouchsafed no reply. My own opinion is that the hero of a hundred Rugby battles will again be seen in a blue jersey watching operations at the back of a scrummage. The New Zealand team for England is not closed to the veteran yet. It is reported! that a well-known New Zealand representative in South Canterbury has been given some time by the New Zealand Rugby Union to reply as to his ability to make the trip to Egland. The Star Football Club, Tiniaru, is trying to arrange a match against Kaikorai at Dunedin on Easter Monday. The annual meeting of the Wellington Kugby Union will be held on March 31. The / sub-committee of the New South Waler' Association reported at a recent meeting that satisfactory arrangements had been made to finance a New Zealand team to tour New South Wales, and that the agreement drawn up only awaited the signatures on behalf of the association. It set out that the sum of £1-00 had been advanced towards financing a New Zealand team throughout New South Wales during the approaching season. • . Mr- W. G. Mitchell, the old' Cambridge University and international Rugby footballer, has just died at Vancouver City. He was a student of Oaius College, was a prominent player in the late eighties, obtaining his Blue for Cambridge University in 1886, and he -fterwards assisted Guy's Hospital and Richmond. In 1890 he secured his first of a series of international caps, and in this and tbe following year he played full back tor England in all three matches. He also played against Scotland in 1893. Mr Mitchell was a good -weight-putter, and represented Cambridge against Oxford in that event at Lillie Bridge Ground in IS&7. An agreement has been signed between the Crystal Palace Company and the Football Association, whereby the final for the Association Cup will bo_ decided at the Crystal Palace for the next five years. It has been suggested that the North v. South Island match should this year be flayed in Wellington on June 3 (Pnnc& of

Wales' s Birthday), in the presence of tl.e New Zealand selectors, who could note the form displayed with a view to filling fche vacanc:e&"in the team for the Old Country. D. R. Bedell-Sivright. captain of the British team that toured the colonies last season, returned to Australia in the steamer Empire a few days ago. He has visited Japan since leaving Sydney, and will leave for England in Mny. The twenty-sixth annual meeting of t;ie Canterbury Rugby Union takes place on the 31^t inst. The report to be presented thereat states that the union's representatives took part in seven matches, and. with South Canterbury and "W-estland, played ag-ainst th© British team. The Canterbury Union's scores totalled 66 against 52 scored by their opponents. Regarding the large attendances at the matches against the British team, it is remarked that this clearly demonstrates the interest evinced by the public in the national game. The success of the New Zealand team, in which Messrs E. T. Harper and P. Harvey (Christohurch) and B. Fanning (Linwood) represented the Canterbury Union, is recorded with pleasure. Referring to the decision of the New Zealand Rugby Union to send a representative team to England, it is stated that at least two players from this province (Messrs E. T. Harper and R. G. Deans) have been selected, and that Mr P. Harvey was chosen, but is unable to make the trip. The balance sheet showed, that the profit on the year's working was £80 16s. The profit from representative games did not come up to expectations. The accident Fund cost the union £8 3s 6d over and abovo the amount received from the clubs entitled to benefit. The union records its thanks to the medical gentlemen who kindly gave their services to injured players during the season. Amongst the notices of motion given for consideration at the annual meeting is one requesting the incoming committee to consider the union's finances, and report on the feasibility of the union acquiring a ground of its own. Several alterations to rules will also be dealt with.