FOOTBALL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2664, 5 April 1905, Page 57

FOOTBALL.

NOTES BY FULL BACK.

It has been decided to open the Rugby •eason in Dunedin with Flag matches on Saturday, April 29.

The majority of the senior clubs held practice matches on Saturday last, where there were good attendances of members. Th© form shown was no better than that ■usually displayed so early in the season. Several promising junior players were noticed taking- part in the games, and with *he enthusiasm of youth were putting forth their best efforts. Not so several of the anorß "experienced" players, who were noticed hanging off a bit in the hurlyburly.

The Pirates Club has suffered a series of Josses by departed players since last season. C;. Hislop, their mainstay in the half-back division, is now situated at Balclutha, and can no longer assist his club, '"while J. Stuart, who played centre in the three«iua.rter line last season, has taken his departure for England. Fitzherbert, a solid forward of the dashing type, who promised to turn out a useful man for the Pirates. fcas also left Dunedin, having taken up an appointment in the North Island.

Appears as if the New Zealand team for England next season will include more than one player who a season or two ago stated that lie had "played his last game." Wonderful the effect a prospect of a trip has on the average, footballer. ,T&© combined New South Wales and Queensland team which is to tour New Zealand 'this year has rather unfortunately chosen the season when the New Zealand team will be fighting for Rugby supremacy in England. Consequently the several provinces will be unable to' place their best fifteens in the field to oppose- the visitors. Maybe they will be equal to the task of again twisting the kangaroo's Rugby tail. Yet, again, maybe not. The Hawke's Bay native is an enthusiast ■over Rugby football. Several of them in the Hastings district are arranging for a trip to New South Wales during the approaching winter. The annual - meeting of tlie New Zealand Union, originally _set .down for April 20, has been fixed to take place on May 3. I wonder if the- Otago University Rugby enthusiasts purpose carrying out their scheme of sending a team to Sydney this season ?

"An item of interest about a British footballer: Dobson, the old international,' who since tho elcs& of the English Rugby team's tour in the antipodes has been travelling in Canada and the United States, has returned home, and is expected to take his place in the Newton team. His clever play and the value of his experience -will be a great acquisition for the hard-working but none too lucky MidDevonians. — London Sportsman.

At the annual general meeting of the Southland Rugby Union, he-Id ""on Friday night, th© following office-bearers were elected for the ensuing season : — President, Mr A. F. Hawke: vice-presidents — Messrs C. & 'Wilson. O. Todd_and H. Royds (Invercargillh._G. R. George (Bluff), J. F. "White (Winton), and M'Ara (Gore) : General Committee — Messrs Geddes, Morton. Jjennie, Manson. M'Grath, and Russell ; Match Committee — Messrs C. Todd, J. M'Qrabh, and J. Manson ; secretary and treasurer, Mr R. Galbiaith ; editor of annual. Mr J. Aspray ; delegates to N.Z.R.U., Messrs J. O'Shea and F. Tipring.

At the annual meeting of the Christchurch Football Club Mr J. R. Evans produced an old minute book of the club from the period from 1876 to 1833. He said that in 1876 the olub, which was then the only one in Christchuroh, had 39 members, and a credit balance of 15s. In those days they played a sort of mongrel Association game, and a player if he kicked a goal had to go under the bar. Subsequently a change was made to the Rugby game, which has been played ever since. At this time the record of the club read like some of the early history of Christchurch, ehronicling/'as it did. the football doings of Messrs A. E. G. Rhodes, T. W. Stringer, the late Mr W. Y. Millton, and the late Mr A. M. Ollivier, and others. It is intended to preser\e tho ancient records by having a little narrative of events written from them for circulation amongst the members of the club.

During a football match between two large clubs a spectator was seen helping himself ..occasionally to some refreshment which he carried in a flask.* It was a rather cold day, and a Scotsman who was standing l>eside him cast' envious glances at the flask every time it made its appearance, and at length ventured to remark, "I think ye' Ye been a fitba' playei yersel'. hae ye no?" "Oh, yes," replied the owner of the coveted liquor. "But what makes you think so?" ''I can see ye're a graund dribbler. I wish ye were as gnid at passin'." Three members of the British team which toured New Zealand last year, in the persons of Stang-er-Leathes (full back), Hulme (half), and Rogers (forward), played for England' against Ireland in the international matoh, in which the Rose was defeated by 17 points to 3 ipoints. An Irish appreciation : ' " Stanger-Leathes operated fairly well at full back. He did not make any glaring mistakes, but he could not stop any of the tries." The English half ibacks were amongst the .hardest-worked of the side, and both Hulme and Butcher had to stand a terrible gruelling, and each man is deserving of (praise. It is a tribute to their ladmirable efforts that they endeavoured to open the game, but their well-meant woi-k was futile against their alert opponents." The following office-bearers were elected at the annual meeting of the Canterbury Rugby Union : —President, Mr A. E. G. 'PJiodes; vice-presidents, Messrs F. T. -Evans, G. H. Mason, and J. R. Evans; honorary secretary, Mr W. G. Garrard ; honorary treasurer, Mr F. G. Wallburton ; delegate to the New Zealand Rugby Union, Mr W. Coffey ; honorary auditors, Messrs G. Allard and J. R. Morrison ; Selection Committee— Messrs F. T. Evans, C. WGarrard, and S. Wilson ; General Com. snittee— Messrs G. Scott, A. H. Npall, W. iWalton. E. R. -Guthrie, and S. Turtijl. " = The Southland Rugby Union has decided not to open the Flag season in Southland" until May 10. ■•- ' An extract from the annual report of the Southland Rugby Union:— The season f began with a debit balance of £108, and ft is extremely satisfactory to be able to that the- union is Sgg-|li§ .fe*^

debt — a position it has never previously attained. Seeing that this season the bulk of the matches will be played in Invercargill, it is probable that the following season the union will be in a position to fulfil its promise, made two years back, of returning the visit of Auckland and other northern unions. The balance sheet showed among- the receipts, which amounted to £465 15s lOd, club sxibscriptions £21, proceeds of art union £65, rent of ground to cycling club £30. Among the items on the expenditure side appear: Interpro. traveling aoid hotel expenses £125 15s Id. The statement of assets and labilities shows the value of grounds and estimates to be reckoned at £1000. Eulogistic reference must be made of the fact that a local player, W. Stead, captained the N.Z. team against the Britishers. In the match Otago and Southland v. Britain, Messrs Stead, Murphy, Burley, Robinson, and Hughes assisted from this province. It is a matter for hearty congratulation that our genial star player. W. Stead, has been chosen as one of the team from the colony to tour Britain this year, and the committee contemplate with confidence his exposition of the game, even in the important trials of the tour. Whether our province is further represented depends bo some extent on the form of certain players in the early part of the season's games, as the final selection remains yet to be made.

Among the navvies at work on the Main Trunk line north of Taihape are two members of the football team selected to represent New Zealand in the coming tour of the Old Country. They have forsaken their ordinary avocations and gone on the line for the express purpose of "getting their muscle up." Although they felt the effects severely for the first few days, they are now getting used to the change, and are quite proud of their manual prowess.

A despatch from Vancouver, 8.C., tells us that a representative team of British Columbia Rugby footballers will leave for New Zealand and Australia in April or liar. The players who will make up the trip will come from Victoria, Vancouver, and Nanaimo principally. This is probably the team which the N.S. Wales Rugby Union decided not to sanction coming this Reason. Maoriland's haughty refusal to send to Sydney half a football team to assist in laying out the last British visitors is, no doubt (says a. Sydney writer), at the bottom of the cold indifference with which the N.S.W. Union treats the suggestion that the Maoriland team for 'Britain should rake in a few shekels in Sydney as it passes through. The election of officers at the annual meeting of the Wellington Rug-by Union resulted as follows: — President, Dr A. K. Newman (re-elected) ; vice-presidents, Messrs G. F. C. Campbell. jST. Galbraith. G. C. Fache (re-elected), J. P. Firth; vice-presi-dent N.Z.R.F.U., Mr G. F. C. Campbell (re-elected) ; "secretary. Mr D. M'Kenzie (reelected) ; treasurer. Mr A. W. Stevens (reelected; Management Committee— Messrs J. T. King, S. S. Brown, E. Wylie, T. Hunter. G. A. Hill. D. D. Weir, H. M'lntyre, J. F. O'Sullivan ; Senior Selection Committee, Messrs J. Laugh ton (re-elected), E. Wylie, C. Campbell: Junior Selection Committee — Messrs M. Welsh, G. Howe. W. Nimmo; Wednesday Representative Selection Committee, Messrs H. Osborne. F. Priest, E. Read; delegates to N.Z.R.F.U.. Messrs A. Campbell, G. C. Fache, N. Galbraith, J. T. King. J. Laughton : auditors, Messrs J. H. Pagni and A. F. Wiren. The ex-Otago rep. footballer Mackenzie, now of Auckland, has been selected as a member of the Maoriland team for Britain. " Scobie." as Mackenzie is familiarly known amongst Rugby enthusiast?, is getting up in years (says a Southland writer), and is hardly the man whom many would give a place in the combination. It is a curious selection to those tof us in the south who are acquainted with a wing three-quar-ter like Arthur Reid. Against the- best men in the. colony* Reid was an easy first when played in his favourite position, and because he was last season otherwise used, owing to Southland's weakness, he has never been considered. Weighty, fast, determined, and with youth on his side, it is a great pity he has been overlooked, and as far a' kicking goes, the writer will assort that there is not a man in the present list to be compared to him. A man Jike the Britannia ulayer is invaluable to forwards, as with his long and beautifully-judged line kicks he sayes^ his vanguard time after time, and invariably tires his opponents. We saw the English crack "wingers" play. and there was not one- -of them who could beat the southerner. However, it is nothing new to be forgotten at this end of N-ew Zealand, and the day will come when the North Island will not loom quite so large in the matter of representing the colony. The Wellington Rugby Union have decided to adhere to the three-selector scheme as against the one-man selector. The winner of the New Zealand Rhodes scholarship this year is a Mr P. W. Robertson. Says a New Zealand paper of him: Were he a 15-stone footballer, with muscles like Sandow's and a. head like a bullet, and his hair worn in a fringe over his eyes, and had kicked a goal or two, he would be famous all over New Zealand. But as he is only a brilliant scholar who has gained the blue riband of scholarship, not much attention is paid to him by young New Zealand." At the_ annual meeting of the Wellington Kucjby Union some strong remarks were made concerning the "Rugby rough." The discussion at the meetimr started with a proposal from Mr D. D. Weir "that in all senior club contests line umpires shall have, the power to report to the referee any cases of misconduct on the part of players, and also report to the union any spectator who misconducts himself during tho progress of uhe game." Mr Weir (one of the senior neferees) said referees were not able to watch players closely enough to stop all rough play. The people of Wellington Saturday after Saturday were called upon to watcih disgraceful and disgusting exhibitions of rough play at the Athletic Park. There were no referees in New Zealand who could cope with the evil. The game a3 played in Wellington was worse than anywhere else in th© colony, and fche union should do its best to remove that sort of thing. Another speaker recognised that rough play was growing in Wellington, but he thought more support should be given referees; while another made the astounding statement that there were half a dozen players in Wellington who wer.& killing the game. The motion was lost. Finally a motion was passed to arrange a conference between the Management Committee and the Referees' Association on the subject of suppressing rough play. C. J. B. Marriott, a famous forward a,nd once a captain of England, was recently interviewed on football matters by an English PjjpmaJU J&kf§L ag Jo tlje nglaSive merijg

of Rugby of 20 years ago and to-day, Marriott said: "Well, that is not easy to cay, for everyone naturally praises his own time. Further, the game has greatly altered, and the forwards no longer rely upon their pushing power, as they did up to the days of the Vassall era. or half back tactics of tho ante-Rotherham period. At that time wo played only two three-quarter backs and Iwo full backs, the change to three and one respectively being effected in my second season in the Light Blue Fifteen (1882-3)." "Then to what do you ascribe the present superiority of Wales?" — "To the fact that they have not only brought their system of four three-quarter play into perfection, but they have so greatly improved their forward play that their increased strength and cleverness in that department enables the back division to have- the fullest ecopc for bringing into use their skill and opportunities for finesse. It must also be borne in mind that England is at a distinct disadvantage compared with the other unions on acouut of the plethora of clubs from which the selection of players has to bemade." "Do you think the Rugby game is on the decline?"— "No; candidly, I do not. There may be in and around London a somewhat smaller number of clubs than there wore. Kensington, the Middlesex Wanderers, and others have 'gone under' ; but, on the other hand, in our days we never heard of the clubs putting three or four fifteens in the field on a Saturday. Richmond was able to run two good sides, but I remember the time when Blackheath had very few more playing members than would make up one fifteen. 'A' teams were, at the time tc which I allude, practically unknown. The game, too, has spre-a'd greatly in the south-west of England, and. I see, has an excellent foothold in Nottingham — a stronghold of Association. Nor must yon forget that fivc-and-twenty years ago, or v less, golf was only played by the few, and the game of hockey iittle known. There was no motoring craze, the bicycling boom had hardly begun, and there was not the present week-end exoclus from town. They say it costs a million of money yearly to run football in Great Britain. It likewise- costs a bob or two to engineer a football club in Victoria. As witness (writes my Melbourne correspondent) the balance-sheet of the Carlton F.C., submitted at the annual meeting on Thursday night. This manifesto showed that £114-7 Is Id had been disbursed during Ihe five months of the last season, and that there was a debit of £7 Ms lid. The receipts included £458 in donations and subscriptions, £696 proceeds of matches, and £12 17s 4d collections; whilst amongst the items of expenditure were : Adelaide trip, £252 12s lid: donations, £25 4s 4d; materials. £54 19s sd ; uniiqfms, £23 2s; boots and attendance, £31 lls^ training. £60 ; "general in this connection," £55 10s 6d ; players' 'travelling and incidental' expenses, £157 Os 3d ; assurance of team, and assistance to injured players, £73 12s 6d : cab hire at matches, £29 6s 6d ; t refreshments to players, £47 7s 8d ; concert^ thpatre, and euchre parties to players, j £97 4s 3d ; sundries, printing, advertising, ' etc., £78 7s; and "honorarium" to hon. secretary, £50. J. Worrall was re-elected .secretary for the ensuing season, which promises to be a still more successful ono " for the old Dark Blues. The same evening the South Melbourne F.C. held their meeting, when a balancesheet showing receipts totalling £1782 10s lid was submitted. Of this sum £596 17s 4d had been devoted to erecting a »vmnaeium for the players on the South Melbourne Cricket Ground, fitted up with the latest appliances and improvement?. The players had voluntarily foregone a trip to Sydney in order that the debt incurred by erecting the gymnasium might be wiped - off, and the building is now ivee of debt. The statement of assets .and liabilities , showed— estimated assets. £1294 12s 7d : , liabilities, nil. Under the presidentship of < Mr H. H. Skinner (the well-known caterer), j the South Melbourne F.C. is progressing by ! leaps and bounds. Last season the mem- j bership roll increased from 916 to 1376. In ! moving the adoption of tho report and balance-sheet, President Skinner said that during the coming- season it was intended to pick as many players from the junior clubs as possible, as the committee felt that this was the proper line on which to develop the senior club. It has been do- I cided to alter the playing uniform of the i eliib by having a .Jersey of broad rod and unite sli-jpes, running perpendicularly — in- \ stead, of horizontally, as formerly. " » I << T ■ m . ot ** le veteran Geelong goal-kicker, j Phil" M 'Shane, in town the other morn1!??- ?e? c looks as hearty as a buck, albeit an old kick in the eye, received at football, necessitates his coming to Melbourne periodically to have it attended to. "Phil" is still running a tailoring emporium in Alalop street. ' The "older M'Shane" is likewise holding his end up famously. Ah ! They bred them to stay in Old Ireland. The Umon Club held a successful practice on the Norlh Ground on Saturday when a, large number of players took part. I Good form was shown by several of the younger players. The Southern held a practice at Tahuna Park on Saturday. Sides were chose-n by \ T. Leyden and P. Sheehan, and after a veryfast same the former's side won by 6 points to nil. Tho third and fourth teams played a practice also iit 2 o'clock, about 30 mem- I bers taking part, and after a very fast game j the result was a draw, each team scoring I 12 points. I The Green Island Rugby Club held a practice on Saturday. Splendid form was shown by Govan, M'lvor. Anderson, Waiters. Grant, Barnes, Watt, and T, Watfcers. A Wellington telegram says : — With reference to the remarks of the president of the Otago Rugby Union on the New Zealand Rugby Union in connection with the selection of Otago representatives for the English tour, it is understood that at the last meeting; of the Committee of the- New Zea- | land Rugby Union the president's letter was discussed, but as the team had not | been finally decided upon it was considered j there was nothing to answer. !

OTAGO RUGBY UNION.

A' meeting of the O.R.F.U. Committee was hold on Monday, tKcre being present — The President (Mr F. H. Campbell, in the chair), and Messrs M'Laren, Cavanagh, Priest, Wilson, Dey, Munro, Foster, Dunn, Sincock, Harris, Macdonald, and Drs Crawford and Hunter. An apology for absence was received from Mr J. Hutchison. The sub-committee apgojnJt^d to report upon the Dunedin Football Chib's application for the use of the Caledonian Ground recommended that the Dunedin Club be granted the use of the ground on the same Jternis, a§ in, 190^ and thai Jiaaoxftry mem,-

bers of clubs be admitted to the O.R F.U.s grounds at all matches in which their clubs were playing- during the coming season ; but that it be a recommendation to next committee that those clubs whose honorary members' subscription is under five shillings should have the right to admission dining the first round only. — Adopted, copy of the report to be sent to all the clubs.

Tho report of the sub-committee appointed to consider the application for permission to form a Goldfields Committee vas adopted in the following altered form: — " (1) That a flag be allotted to the goldfields clubs for competition : (2) that clubs in Maniototo County be granted permission to form a Committee of Management, consisting of two delegates from each club, to arrange and contiol flag matches in their county ; (3) that Vincent County clubs be asked to form a committee on th& same lines ; (4) that the premier team in each county play off for the flag; (5) that in the event of any player being ordered off for misconduct, the County Committee shall at onco obtain the referee's report of the occurrence, and forward it to the O R.F.U., also sending a copy to the reported player, with the request that he forward his explanation to the O.R.F.U. Committee. The County Committee shall have the power to collect any further information if requested to do so by the O.R.F.U. Committee.''

Letters asking for particulars re affiiiaiion were rß*edved from Omakau and Shag Point Clubs. — Secretary to reply.

The Secretary of the Otago Cricket Association asked for portion of the guarantee of £25 towards the cost of the OtagoAustralia match. — Agreed to grant £5 ss.

In reply to the O.R.F.U. 's inquiry as to "the reason for the non-inclusion of a certain Otago player in the New Zealand team for England, the following was received from tho New Zealand Rugby Union:— "As the final selection of the New Zealand team has nol yet been made, my committee has no explanation to offer regarding the noninclusion of Casey."— The letter was received. The Secretary of the New Zealand Rugby Union wrote intimaring that the annual meeting would be hold on May 3. — A discussion aro=;e out of a suggestion by Dr Hunter that delegates should be sent from Dunedin to that meeting- to see how the business wa= done. It was pointed out that if all the delegates were resident in Dunedin, none of their delegates could be on the committee. Others suggested that two or three out of the five delegates be sent from Dunedin — It was decided to defer the election of delegates. , A lotter was received from the Tahuna , Park Trotfcino Club stating tho terms upon • which the O.R.F.U. might have the use of , the park— £4-0, the O.R.F.U. to have the . riohfc to sublet one ground. It was meniioncd that the price was £15 higher than last year.— Messrs Cavanajrh. Harris, and _ Dr Crawford wore deputed to inspect the , ground. The Secretary reported that no reply had been received " from the City Council in reference to the purchase of Forbuvy Park. — Mr Foster stated he had been unofficially advised thai, the matter had been referred to the Finance Committee to be dealt with on Friday next. — The treasurer was in- ; srrueted to interview the owners, with a \iew to securing the right to play on the ■ ground during the season. ' Permission was given to the caretaker of Carisbrook to shift the playing area towards the west side, to permit of top-dressing a portion of the ground. ; Requests wore received from several , hockey olubs for the use of Carisbrook Ground. — Ir being pointed out that the ,' committee had not the power to let the i ground for purposes other than football, it j was decided to refer the applicants to the _ Ground Company. ; Messrs Hutchison, Campbell, and Hanlon ( were appointed trustees. \ It was decided to commence flag matches on April 29, and Messrs Cavanagh, Sincock, ! and Foster were appointed a Fla-g- Commit- j tee. i

Letters were received from he*ad masters of High Street, George Street, and Albany Street" Schools accepting- the gift of a Rugby football — in the case of George Street, where "'Association has captured the boys," to be held in trust till it is required. — and from the head master of the North-East Valley School declining- the gift. — A number of those present volunteered to interview the various head masters, with a view to securing: their supuort for Rugby in their schools. — A suggestion was made by Mr Foster that all schoolboys playing Rugby be granted free •entrance to interprovincial representative matches. — The matter was left in the hands of the sub-committee which is preparing a report upon schools' Rugby.