GOAL TO GOAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2671, 24 May 1905, Page 57

GOAL TO GOAL.

By Linesma.it.

Canterbury -five-eighifch Deans, who has been, ■elected far the- Horn© trip, is justifying his selection. The Auckland Rugby Union Annual is now published, and is as complete and up-to-date as usual. The takings at the gates for the SouthernKaikorai match on- Saturday amounted 1 to c early £80. - "How old is Duncan?" asks a correspondent. Will James oblige, and settle an oftdebated point? During tbe match between Grafton and North Shore (Auckland) M'Gregor had! one of lis ribs broken. Roddick, the ex-Alhambra forward, is playing well in the cup competitions in Christchurch this season. Mr H. Harris, treasurer of the 0.R.F.U., has been appointed. sole selector of Otago representative teams. The committee of the New Zealand Rugby Union has decided not to send v, trainer with the team to England. The Otago Rugby Union has voted the sunn ©f £40 towards the expenses of the Otago UniTersity team's visit to Sydbey. C. Hislop, the Pirates and Otago half back, •was in town last week. Hislop witnessed his ©Id club's first win c<n Saturday. ' There were quite a, number of football heroes about town on Saturday evening. You can tell the football hero by his limp. Joe M'Shane, who captained Carlton (Melb.) last season, has retired from football, having played in the ruck for 17 years. " An Auckland appreciation of an ex-Otago *ep. r Scobie Mackenzie will, on his exhibition, liold his place in the New Zealand team.

According to present arrangements the first International Rugby match between England »nd- France will take place in Pari9 in April, 1906.

The ex-Auckland representative Gillett, now lesidenit in Christchurch, is playing exceed>ingly well for Merivale-, which club ha has joinect. An Auckland writer states, apropos of the suggested scheme- of district football here, -that Dunedin would be well advised in adopting the scheme. Bedell-Sivright, captain of last year's British team, is not likely to play in Sydney this sea■cn. He will in all probability leave for the OW Country shortly. Are£ib*ld Bcwd, whs played half back for

New South Wales and Australia against the British Rugby fcotball team in 1899, died a fortnight ago at Sydney. W. Kilgouar, the ex-Association representative, played for Union against Pirates on Saturday, and proved himself quite as good a Rugby exponent as a "socoerist."

The Queensland Rugby Union is moving in the matter of securing a visit to Brisbane of the New Zealand team, should a match be played by them in Sydney.

A Kent (Eng.) Rugby team recently played a match against Combined France, defeating the Frenchmen by 5 goals and 2 tries to a goal and a try— or 31 points to 8. At a meeting- of tho Permit Committee of the Victorian Football Association recently the chairman stated that a player had asked for £36 to play with the Port Melbourne Club last season!

A silver football has been donated by Mr Moss Davis as a challenge trophy to the Auckland Rugby Union. It will be a-wardied to the club scoring tho greatest number of points in all grades.

Inquirer. — The rule reads.: "A kicker and a placer must be distinct persons, and the kicker may not under ajiy circumstances' touch the ball when on the ground, even though the charge has been disallowed/."

The Taranaki Union has formally notified the N.Z.R.U. that the annual match between Taranaki and Wellington on the latter's ground this y^ar will be in the form of a challenge match for th© Ranfurly Shield. The M.L. footballer is associated with the laather from birth nowadays (says Bulletin). A "junior," elected as a member of a Christchurch club lately, was barely a fortnight old.

His Excellency the Governor has forwarded his acceptance of the office of patron of the N.Z. Union, and Mr A. E. G. Rhodes (Christchurch) has accepted the office of president.

There's great heart-burning in Sydney public schools at the proposal of teachers to compel the pupils to play only the Australian branch of football, many of the scholars wanting to play Rugby.

At a recent meeting of the Wellington Rugby Union a nian who, while intoxicated, took part in a match between Petone and A.ddin%ton Workshops at Easter waa disqualified for three years. Thg Taranaki Union has written the N.Z.R.U. that it would donate £10 to the cost of the British tour, and would endeavour to arrange a benefit match for the accumulation of additions l money. Captain Bedell-Sivright is still in Sydney. He acted as referee in a recent schools match. In another match he had for line umpires two other members of the British team, in B I Swarm-ell and Dr Crowther. The New South Wales Union has cabled to the English Union asking for confirmation °( , th ? 5 e P° rt thafc the field goal has been abolished, and that a goal from a mark shall in future count only three poiiit3. Local knights of the whistle will be interested to learn that their brethren in London t v< \_* c of amendments on hand which will come before the English Rugby Union s annual meeting this month. For the North v. South Island match, to b& Played at Wellington on June 3, the men from tne bouth will play in. red and black, and the men from, the North in yellow and black. Mr P. Mttckie is to ba asked to referee. __ Two players- ordered off the field for fighting in a. recent match in Wellington have been suspended by the W.R.U.-fhe man who Struck the blow for two playing seasons, and the man who retaliated for one playing sea-

/What an old wonder he is" said an exOtago rep. to the writer on the Caledonian Groundcn Saturday, j-eferring to Duncan, as toat worthy was seen dasMng in amongst the Southern backs and spoiling the passingrushes. °

A Wellington appreciation of an ex-Alham-bra player: There was only one Poneke man appeared to trouble Oriental, aaid this was T7 ay> m. stron ? TaTme *> "ho appeared to fend well. The mistake made was in tacklinsr such a man high. The New South Wales R.F.U. has passed » resolution to the efFecfc that £100 be voted for the purpose of providing a souvenir for Mr W. A. Rand and Mrs Rand, in recognition ot his many years of honorary service as secretary to the union.

Nineteen players of those selected to make the British tour have signified their intention of going to New South Wales. The team will leave for England by the Rimutaka early on the morning of July 30, and is expected to arrive on September 8. The death is announced of George Lindsay, * Scottish international three-quarter back, who was a famous drop-kick in his day and generation. The great feat of his International career was the scoring against Wales of no fewer than five tries. A circular letter has been receive^ by the Wellington Rugby Union from the New Zealand Union, asking local unions to remit as quickly as possible all money raised on debentures in connection with the tour of the iNew Zealand t«am for Great Britain. George Smith, the three-quarter of the '97 JSiew Zealand team, who has come out of retirement after an absence of two years, played in a recent match in Auckland. Smith is said to have kicked and fielded the ball well but otherwise his play was only moderate. Seeling, the Auckland crack forward, is said to be in better form this season than last. A northern scribe considers him the best for. ward in New Zealand at the present time. There are evidently quite a number of "best forwards'' in New Zealand a 4 the present time.

Seeling retains all his last year's form, and has, if anything, improved (says an Auckland writer). G-. Nicholson, also, showed up well in the opening match, while G-. Tyler, the other of the three Auckland forwards selected for the JTew Zealand team, played but moderately.

A Sydney writer makes an error in stating that the drop-kicked goal has been reduced by the International Board to three points. It is the goal from a mark that has been reduced to three points. The proposal to reduce the dropped goal to three points was not carried.

Bulletin story: Already the English Rugbyjtes are talking of "coming again*' to rip the laurels Sivright lost from Maorilnad's nobility. Said that the team will fall on Maoriland in 1907, and that, at even this distant date, the Selection Committee is hampered by having too many to select from " News has been received by the English mail that Mr Arthur O'Brien (son of Mr M. O'Brien, of Christchurcli), recently a student at Guy's Hospital, London, has passed hia final examination, and is now a duly qualified medical practitioner. Mr O'Brien toured the colony^ last year with the British football team, of which he was manager. Football in Wellington shows a decided improvement this season. Nine teams axe contesting the Senior Championship, and four of the nine possess good winning chances. The play is better than it- has been in previous seasons, and so far there have been no exhibitions of the brutality that disfigured some senior games towards the end of last season.

N.S.W. Rugby Union is going to make a- big effort to boom country football. In Sydney First Grade competition a bye occurs each match to the ninth team, and each team will be seat to * different part of the State

in order to unearth fresh, lusty, young players. Also, seven country teams will be brought to Sydney for "Country week," which begins on June 3.

B. I. Swannell, of British team, made his first appearance in Sydney competition football the other day, and shaped in good form. Though not as fast as one or two of the other Shoremen, he played a "headier" game than most of them, and both in attack and defence remembered what many forwards appear to forget — viz., there are backs about to assist, or to be assisted.

Members of the Sydenham (Christchurch) Football Club to the number of about a hundred attended divine worship at the Sydenham Presbyterian Church on Sunday last, when the Rev. J. Murray preached a sermon to footballers, taking rs his text the twenty-fourth verse of the ninth chapter of St. Paul's first Epistle to the Corinthians. "Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth th© prize? So run, that ye may obtain."

A misguided enthusiasm for football is, according to Mrs Quinn, of Preston, one of her husband's failings. He is a great admirer of the famous North-end team, and he went to Sheffield to see them play Sheffield Wednesday in the English Cup tie. "And because Preston lost," said Mrs Quinn to the local magistrate, "he came home in a fury and gave me a black eye." This, she asserted, was in addition to the average of three thrashings a week that she usually received. She wa3 granted a separation order.

The marriage of P. Harvey, the well-known Canterbury representative half-back, is announced. An enthusiast thus refers to him: Football has lost an able exponent, and one of the most popular players in the colony. The time is not now to speak of Harvey's deeds and prowess ; they are so recent as to loom largely in the public eye. Sufficient to say at the present period that he inusi ev-^i-be regarded as fit to rank with the famous New Zealand heroes of the half-back brigade. He played the strenuous game, and he played clean.

The funniest incident in connection with football that I have ever seen or heard of, writes Mr Leonard Tosswill. occurred in a match between the United Hospitals and the Stade Francaia in 1900. It waa a very close game, and the score stood at 11 points all. The numerous gendarmes" parading up and down the touch-line had a good deal of difficulty in keeping back the crowd. At length one of the French forwards — whose name has unfortunately escaped me — broke away from a scrum and dribbled the ball fully five yards! What, became of the ball then I don't remember — it probably went into touch. But the enthusiasm aroused by the heroic act was tremendous. Cheers and cries of "Allez done, Stade!" rose from every side. But the climax was reached when a friend and compatriot rushed past the gendarmes and on to the field of play, and theze and then solemnly embraced the hero. He then retired with the satisfaction of having suitably tnarked bis appreciation of so famous a deed.

OTAGO RUGBY FOOTBALL UNION.

The weekly meeting of the O.R.F.U. Committee was held on Monday, there being present — Mr F. H. Campbell (president), and Messrs Harris, M'Laren, Munro, Sinoock, Dey, Cavanagh, Dunn, Wilson. Priest, Hanlon, Foster, Macdonald, and Hutchison, and Drs Crawford and Hunter.

The sub-committee's action in accepting the lease of a ground at Sawyers' Bay for 10 years at a rental of £27 10s for the term was approved.

In connection with Brother Brady's resignation as secretary of the Schools Association, it was decided to ask Mr Melville to call a meeting of the association to receive and deal with the resignation.

It was mentioned that the Wednesday Flag Competition would start this week, five teams having entered. The Flag Committee was recommended to arrange the matches upon grounds other than the Caledonian and Carisbrook Grounds.

Mr Harris was unanimously appointed sole selector.

The Secretary of the Peninsula Club wrote explaining that several members of his team had been unwell on the previous Saturday, and, owing to the distance separating players, it was impossible until arrivingupon the ground to say whether a team could be raised. — It was decided to remit the fine, but to inform the Peninsula Club that if it defaulted again the committee would have to take into consideration the advisability of disqualifying the club. — An amendment by Mr Sincock to the effect that the fine be enforced lapsed for want of a seconder.

Mr M'Pherson, chief of the Gaelio Society, attended to request the assistance of the union in the matter of selling tickets for an entertainment being arranged by the Gaelic Society to raise funds for the erection at Te Anau of a cairn, surmounted by an lonian cross, to the memory of the late Quinton M'Kinnon. The fact of the late • explorer having been a representative Rugby footballer was urged as a reason for the request. — Upon the withdrawal of Mr M'Pherson, a proposal was made to grant £5 5s towards the object, together with permission to sell tickets at the Caledonian and Carisbrook Grounds during- the progress of matches. — An amendment, moved by Mr Hanlon, that the amount bo £10 10s was carried.

The Secretary of the Forbury Park Land Company wrote advising the postponement of the Forbury Park races and askingthe union to forg-o its rig-hts to the ground for next Saturday. — Request granted, the company to be a-sked to forgo £5 of the rent.

An application from tho Railway Locomotive Football Club for affiliation (to play on Wednesdays) was granted. A similar application from the Limerick Football Club (Bald Hill Flat) was granted.

A letter was received from the University Football Club returning thanks for the donation of £40 towards expenses of the New South Wales trip. — Received. The following permissions to travel on the Prince of Wales's Birthday were granted : — Ravensbourne, to play at Waikouaiti (Mr S. Balkntyne, manager)' Union (First Fifteen), to play at Oamaru (Mr R. Duthie, manager); Union (Second Fifteen), to play at Balclutha (Mr C. Corbett, manager).

An application for permission to play c match Trinity v. King Street Young Men's Club on tho North Ground, at 11 a.m. on June 5, was referred to the Flag Committee.

Tho Secretary of the Zingari-Riohmond Football Club called attention to tho fact that money had been removed from the pockets of players in the dressing rooms at Forbury Park. — Resolved that the ZingariRichmond Club be informed that a member of the committee would be on the ground next week to see that the rooms were provided with keys. A telegram wfue received from the Ath>

letic Club (Oam;iru) asking if the term of George Broad's disqualification had expired. — the secretary to reply that Broad, who, playing 1 for the Athletic Club, was disqualified two years ago for foul language, and had failed to attend the inquiry, would require to go before the North Otago Subunion to answer the charge.

The Secretary of the Union Football Club wrote in the matter of the subscription of a player who had joined from Canterbury stating that his club had the authority of the Linwood Club to state that the question in dispute had been settled, and also that that club had not taken any action in the matter. His committee considered the player had not received fair treatment. — It was decided to refer the letter to the Canterbury Rugby Union.

The Secretary of the New Zealand Rugby Union wrote asking, inter alia, that all moneys raised on debentures in connection with the sending of the New Zealand team Home be remitted without delay. After protracted discussion, during which the correctness of the term " debenture " was disputed, it being generally agreed that a "loan, with the possibility of non-payment, 1 ' would be a more- accurate designation, it was resolved, on the motion of Dr Hunter, seconded by Mr Foster — " That the New Zealand Rugby Union be informed that £100 would be forwarded by this union upon receipt of the £100 debenture form."

The Town Clerk wrote granting permission to use the reserve -in Cargill road during the pleasure of the council. — Resolved thai; the letter be received, the council to be written to asking whether it had any plan in view for the improvement of the ground.

The Secretary of the Shag Point Club wrote asking for permission to play Palmerston and Waikouaiti (unaffiliated) Clubs, these being the only clubs they could conveniently meet. — It was decided to write to the Waikouaiti Club asking whether it was its intention to affiliate with the O.R.F.U.

Attention was called to the danger arising from the pressing of draes into the gateway of the Caledonian Ground when spectators were leaving the ground. — Resolved to draw the attention of the City Council to the matter. •>

Thw encroachment of spectators upon the field of play was reported by various mem-hers.—-It was resolved that the Referees' Association be asked to arrange some signal between linesmen and referee whereby the referee shall understand when the spectators have encroached beyond their limits, the game then to be stopped till the ground be cleared; also to suggest to the association that it would be a salutary lesson, upon som-e occasion when the trespass was repeated continually, to close the match altogether.

Mr Hanlon raised the question of Law 3, which says that the referee sha.ll be the sole judge of fact, and expressed the opinion that the ruling of the Enelish Ruerbv Union should be obtained. There was a difference of opinion amongst members as to whether the interpretation of the law under whioh oases were decided by the O.R.F.U. was correct. He pictured the position in the eyes of his employer of a player convicted upon the referee's statement of the use of foul language, no defence being permitted. The employer might reasonably conclude that a person not fit to play football was not fit to be his employee. — After discussion it. was decided that the president and Mr Hanlon prepare a case upon which the opinion of the English Rusrbv Union was riesired. the case to be considered at next committee meeting, and finally forwarded to th<» New Zealand Rmrhv Union, with tie request that it be submitted to the English Ruwbv Union for a ruling. It %vas decided that Gr-een, who has nlaved this season for bofch Union and Zingari Clubs, be asked to appear afc next meeting of the committee to explain his position, and that Messrs Smith and Stewart (Zingari) and Munro (Union) be also asked to attend.