NOTES BY FULL BACK.

Otago Witness, Issue 2674, 14 June 1905, Page 56

NOTES BY FULL BACK.

The following table shows the positions of the teams engaged in the contest for the Fivst Grade Banner :—

Acting undei medical instruction, W. Mumro, the captain of the Union Club, who was injured in the match against Southern on Saturday, has . decided to retire from the game for the remainder of the season. The Maroons could better spare any other member of the team than the sterling fiveeighth, who has borne the brunt of the defence work for Union for a number of years past. Munro's many well-wishers trust that the spall from active participation in the game will bo the means of thoroughly restoring him, and that he will be able to take the field next season sound in wind and limb.

Notes on the play and players in local Senior Grade matches being dealt with immediately after the matches are played in Monday's issue of the Daily Times, it is not my purpose in future to cover the whole ground again, as to do so would not only take up valuable time, but space. One is quite at a loss to understand the objection raised by the Auckland Rugby Union to the New Zealand Union's decision to send a ooich with the New Zealand team to England. Had the A.R.U.'s mo tion bean confined to the wisdom of sending a coach merely as a coach, there might have ceen come reason in it, and the northern union might well have asked the head body in Wellington if the expenditure in that direction wis warranted. _But the motion goes further, and "considers the extra cost would be better expended in sending another player." Is 'tbsre an extra cost/ The New Zealand Union original'y decided to send 26 players and a manager; now, in its wisdom, the union agrees to send 25 players, a coach, and a manager The gentleman selected* as coach — Duncan, to wit — is in addition to being pi-obably the besD man in the colony for the position, a cluycv xo boot— one, while

possibly passed his zenith, is still in the front ranic of backs, and, with his knowledge of the game, the eqiial, if not superior to, some even as a player in the Home combination. By the way, is there not something more than meets the eye in connection with Auckland's obiectier. U* JJuncan a 9 coach of the New Zealand team?

Commenting on Duncan's s-elecfcion as coach of the New Zealand combination, "Touchiine" is enthusiastically appreciative: Congratulations to James Duncan on his appointment as coach of the New Zealand team. There is not a better man in the country for the position, and the team will be all the better for having the veteran's counsels to guide them in their bigger engagements. Duncan's name has be^n so long and closely associated with Otago and New Zealand football with credit to himself and with honour to his province and the colony, that it seems to me only a fitting reward that this appointment should have been offered and accepted by him. Now, all together, boys, "Three cheers for Jimmy !" The flying three-quarter back of Sydney University, Nigel Baiker, who will oppose OUgo University next month, won the 100 yds and 440 yds championships at the inter-v arsity sports meeting held in Sydney recently. In the "quarter" his time was 50 4-ssec— the best on record in New Stouth Wales for a grass track.

It is understood that Mr N. Galbraith, who has been appointed manager of the New Zealand team which is to visit Sydney, is not certain that he will be able to get away on account of business engagements.

The football spirit which pervades the Maoris of the Ha wire's Bay district has resulted in their establishing a union of' their own, and arrangements have been made for a series of matches to be played between the various pas for a handsome silver cup which has been presented to them for competition.

Apropos of the Ota.go Referees 1 Association meeting last week for the purpose of considering the advisability of forming a New Zealand Referees' Association, I understand that the meeting of delegates from the several associations for the purpose of forming a controlling council will be held in Wellington prior to the departure of the New Zealand team for England. A meeting of the Otago Referees' Association was held on Wednesday evening for the purpose of considering the advisability of forming a New Zealand Referees' Association. Mr J. Williams presided, and there were about 25 members present. Mr J. M. Robb, late secretary of the Wellington Referees' Association, was present, and explained, among other things, that Wellington and Auckland were both in favour of the proposal. After discussion Mr H. White moved and Mr W. J. Wilson seconded — "That it is desirable m the interests of referees' associations £bab a New Zealand Referees' Association should be formed, and that a meeting be called at an early date for the purpose of giving effect to the suggestion, at which this association be represented." The motion was carried unanimously.

Mr J. M. Robb, the late secretary of the Wellington Referees' Association, who was in town last week, on holiday leave, during which time he took the opportunity of waiting on the local Referees' Association in respect to the formation _of a New Zealand Association, returned to Wellington on Friday last.

"It appears that, after all, none of the "orney-'anded' will see the New Zealand team, and 'Tom' Cress, 'Joe' Calnan, 'Bill' Warner, 'crocs all are among those who are going to be left ; not because they cannot play football, but because their accent is pure colonial, unconfined, and their fancies don't turn to 'biled shirts and stingarees.' In their dark days, when the team is plugging against some of the Welsh or Yorkshire miners, mentioned by Swannell, the members will doubtless think. 'Oh, for a few of the don't-care, dash-and-devil sort, the free-and-«asies like Cross, Calnan, and Warner !' " The foregoing is strangely reminiscent of one "Off-side Mac," who has never been able to rid himself of the idea that a man to be able to play football must not have a speaking- acquaintance with a biled shirt and whose accent must not be other than "pure colonial." Strange reasoning, this. Anyway, how many of the present New Zealand team — to meet the foregoing critic on hie own turf — run to biled shirts and a monocle? You can count them on one hand; but the crimeanshirted, or " 'orny-'anded," to quote the above enthusiast for the manual-labourer-footballer, is written large over the Home combination. Moreover, the New Zealand team is not going to run up against Welsh miners in every match on the tour ; mostly they will be meeting- the footballer who wears the _ northern writer's pet aversion a "biled shirt." And in any case, supposing the New Zealanders do line out against the miners from Wales, I am pinning my faith to the tough young giants in the colonial vanguard, whose names are Gallagher, Seeling, and Nicholson, of Auckland; Glasgow and Sidlivan, of Taranaki ; Newton, of Canterbury; Corbett. of Westland 1 ; and Johnston and M'Donald, of Otago. If you .want crimean-shirted players with twice the dash of n Cross, a Calnan, or a Warner, they are there. The respective weights of the players selected in the New Zealand team for Great Britain are as follow: —

"Forwards.

The average weight of the team is about 12ist. Newton, of Canterbury, is the weightiest of all; he weighs 14-st 61b. Stead, who weighs only lOst, is the lightest man in the team. The district cud competitions aader the

auspice* of the Auckland Rugby Union, were continued on Saturday afternoon (wires my Auckland correspondent) under very favourable- conditions. The match between the Ponsonby and North Shore First ITifieens furnished the principal event of the day, and, as anticipated, proved one of the most exciting and keenly contested "goes" of the eeuFo«. Setting out with a determination to win at all costs, and to wear down their opponents as much as posMble, tbo combatants on both siaes spared neither ihemselves nor their opponents The result was inevitable, the game became imbued with a certain amount of feeling which, egged on by spectator, was given vent to in a certain amount of rough piay, several players being injured in consequence. There was no score in the first spell, in which the Shore men had decidedly the advantage. A try was scored for Shors in the next, but as this wae not converted, it only gave tliPim a lead of 3 points, which was not enough. Ponsonby equalised Uio score soon afterwards by a penalty goal. The match thus ended in a draw. City defeated Grafton by. 24points to 3, while Newton won by derfault against Suburbs, who did not put in an appearance. i'lif non-ii. elusion of 'Seobie" Mackenzie, the Auckland three-quarter, in the the New Zealand team for Great Britain, has formed tha leading topic for discussion in footbal. circles during the past week, and local enthusiasts are loud m vheir condemnation of the committee's i ction in dropping Mackenzie. It has been freely stated^ that a strong prejudice existt in the South against Mackenzie, and while being unwilling to think that a sentiment of that nature .should sway a selection committee in its deliberations, it must be confessed that it is ha.rd to find any other explanation for their action. The form shown by the Grafton throe-quarter during the past three seasons was tuck as to place him first among the Auckland backs last season. The majority of the New Zealand backs played in Auckland, and on ihe form displayed, critics were unanimous with thpir verdict that Mackenzie compared more than favourably with the visiting three-quarter's. During the present season he has shown equally good form, and his inclusion in th© colonial team was regarded a-s a certainty. When his name was found missing from the published list it was fear-ed that his display in the North v. South Island match v.-as such as to account for his non-inclusion in the team, but from all accounts he did all that oame his way in a creditable manner. It is a matter for great regret if a man with Mackenzie's football record is to be passed over on account of outside prejudice, and it is to be hoped that it is not too late to remedy what appears to be a grave injustice. Auckland is strongly represented in the New Zealand team with six players, but it can safely be said that on the past and present season's form Mackenzie is quite as fully entitled to a place in the team as any of those chosen.

Apropos of the non-inclusion of Seobie Mackenzie in the New Zealand team for England, I have just heard that the exOtago player had been granted seven months' leave of absence to make the trip to England, and that a Dunedin officer was going to Auckland to relieve bin AuclJanders appear to be attributing Mackenzie's non-selection to " prejudice in the south." * What has put this idea into their heads requires some explanation. So far as the province is concerned, genuine regret is expressed at the rejection of the ex-Ofcago playei now in Auckland. The present writer had a good opportunity of judging the capabilities of "Seobie" last season, when h© was easily the most oonsistent badk in Auckland. It may he that the reason of Mackenzie's non-inclusion in the New Zealand team is not that his form is below what is required, but that he was placed on the same plane as another threequarter back whose province was not so well represented as Auckland. This explanation is more than feasible, and may be found to be the correct one when inquiries come to be made.

In last week's issue I dealt very fully with the selection of the New Zealand team for England, characterising it as a very sfcronq 1 combination, powerful in the vanguard and solid in the rear. Having aired my own opinion, it may not be altogether uninteresting to hear what writers in other centres think of the Home combination. Thus the football scribe of the New Zealand Times (Wellington) : "The New Zealand team for Great Britain is picked at last, and the present writer feels sure that it has given more satisfaction than the efforts of selectors for many years. The team is really a first-class one. pa.rticularly in the back ranks, and if the British teams can beat the colonials, then the British teams are too good for any lot we can line out. Of course, one or two men have not been included who on play should have found a place, but there were other things than play to be considered. Some of them could not get away, and, after all, their superiority is only a matter of degree. The 1905 team for Great Britain will be as good a set as New Zealand ever put into a playing field when it gets into harness properly." The Evening Post writer has this to say: "It is quite impossible for any set of selectors to please everyone in picking a New Zealand forward team. There are perhaps a dozen men who are generally admitted to be above the ordinary mark, but after these there come scores of men who have a claim for recognition, and who have plontv of supporters, in whose eyes they are the best forwards in the colony. Taken right through, the New ZeaJand forwards are a, solid, handy lot, who can play a hard game without being rough, and they will doubtless turn out as fine a set as has ever left New Zealand." "Punter," of the Southland Times, says: "Of the 25 men chosen, 11 (not counting Coach Duncan) have previously represented New Zealand, and these can be relied upon to do work in any company. From all accounts the new men — especially those hailing from the north — are a dashing lot, fast as hares and sturdy as Trojans."

— A curious fact is that the pay of the British soldier is no more at the present time than it was 200 years ago. In Cromwell's days the soldier got Is daily — a large sum in tho-e times. — and now he receives no more on enl'stment.

1 —The. pear tree will continue bearing I fruit for several centuries. Trees tearing fruit in abundance when at kast 300 years old are not uncommon. They are much longer lived than the apple, which rarely lasts more than 100 or 150 years. The pear tree also grows much larger than the apple, and when 200 years old has often the dimensions of a, forest tree. — Oil has become firmly established as

part of the fuel in the British navy, and every arrangement is being made for its supply, storage, and distribution. Huge reservoirs are in course :>f erection at Portsmouth Dockyard for the storage of the oil, and suitable apparatus is being installed for the transfer of the latter to the compartments intended for storage in the holds of the battleships with facility and celerity. — £500 a year i v distributed in dowries to the girls of the town of Hachmann, in Germany. A Polish nobleman left the money for this purpose, and the amount of the marriage portion that each girl receives is regulated by the measure of good looks that she possesses. A plain bride is given £50, and the prettier a girl is the less she receives from this fund. The donor's aim was to equalise the chances of marriage of the plain and the pretty. — A new cadmium lamp has bean recently invented in Germany. Some seven years ago, Gumlich made a lamp, using cadmium and mercury, and the light contained the very brilliant rays ot the cadmium spectrum superposed upon the mercury rays. The lamp did not last long, however, as the globe broke very Foon. The new lamp, it is stated, continues to work regularly, and takes a current of one or two amperes. — Some interesting experiments have beon made to ascertain which wood lasts the longest. It was found that birch and aspen decayed in three years, willow and chestnut in four years, maplo and red beech in five years, and elm and a-h in seven years. Oak. Scottish fir. and Weymouth pine deoaj'ed to the depth ot gin in seven years; larch and juniper were uninjured at the end of seven years. In situations so free from moisture that they may be. practically called dry the durability of timber is unlimited. — Tf the confetti thrown in the streets of Paris during Carnival and the mid-Lent festivals were placed end on end, they would make a ribbon that would circle the earth 60 times, or cover six times the distance which separates the earth from the moon, or build a cottage 66,606 times higher than the Eiffel Tower. A confetti-ma,kiiig machine produces 256,000 of the l'ttle coloured discs per minute, or 15, 7 60.000 per hour, representing a weight of 1001b. To give an idpa of the importance of the trade in confetti it may be mentioned that one manufacturer in Belleville sells 1,600,0001b of confetti of various per annum, of which he exports 1 200 0001b. — The •servants at Fulham Palace, the Bishop of London's residence are routed each morning by what is probably a survival of the old r-ousing-staff formerly used in churches to '"stir up" dozing members of the congregation. ~ The 1-odgekeeper, whose duly it is to arouse the servants, is armed with a slender rod. about 15ft long, with which he knocks on the antique casements of their bedrooms in the quadrangle within the spates of the large western arch- — Sir John Murray Sfcott has iust sold Bagatelle, the fourth Lord Hertford's famous property olose to the Bois de Boulogne, to the ' City of Par'"s for £250 000. This, we believe, is over 10 rimes what the fourth Marquis save for it before the creation of the Bois by Napoleon as a puHio pleasure r>laoe. Lord Hertford' left it to Sir R. Wallace, who left it to Sir J. Scott. The latter inherited much other very valuable property in Paris, returning many thousands a year.

— A curious example of a doge's intelligence is lo be seen on the Midland railway station at Wellingborough. This dog. a terrier, belonging to an official, has taken upon him^f the duty of welcoming every train arriving 1 there on which there is a i-estaurant car. He takes ut> his position on the platform opposite the- kitchen compartment, and it is rare that he is not rewarded with a bone, with which he trots off to some auiet nook. Jack is quite indifferent to all ordinary trains, and will not stir from his master's office.

— Gloucestershire nha.mbe.r of Ae-ricurture discussed the r-u,est''on of what wild hhr'a they considered most injurious to nericnlture. The vot.inc- was as follows: — In onn> rjpmnation of the sparrow. 27: wood nis^on, 22: Took 20: bnlir^ch 17: st-arlins. and masrpie, 11 were. 12 back marks against the ; a-clcdaw nine asrainot the iay. =even each aeainst the rhaffirmh and the lark, six each against the tomtit and the blacVNrd two aeainsrt the areifc titmouse ' and the «spa.r>*ow-hn\vk. and only one eacb a<?ain«t +3ip thru=h the ke«trel, the hawfinch, and the moovhon

— A centleman named On* possesspp a white wa ; stcoat heai'-°a+h^ +n him Try hiq father who harl i7«erl ' it for the Teop/ntion of Uterarv oel^britip 0 ' •m'Txra'Dhs TTnon the front are written +he -naT>e= °* +^ 11 ' c > 'eyat^p's favoiin'+r> authors imonrr wi-n^h 'jsrarp those of T^ha-rlcp-vav and TV<>W»ns: TT-.«> I>acV is devotix' to <mch a c xver« so hiTh. in favour, while "Hhe ;n«!'Vl*>; n«!'Vl*> ii= Hn^ri with a wfpet ontAhworlr of dead aV^ors' »i™s. tures enf f rom Wtt°ivs -and othpr documents TYUrcTiTspri by +M« eccentric* ooUector at various tinTe*.

The tra rip of too^-stainer followed vi "^.nsterp Asia, is a.= o-rM' a .-"ali'ncr a.= a*w. TTi-r* na+.ivp rvvofpr MaoV +-p«rh +o f^ vTi^-nr 'and. Rnd +'ia t / vo+h-=+fl,in« i r. wifh a lH+^e T-vr>x of Tn-n^^ia anrl (v-Viintip •m ? ,++<iT- rv-' 1 *} <->n his c^tornerp one l <=+"{'■>«: the** f~<*+l->. The nroo-ess is not nniiVr- tba* «f 'HlnrV*in» •> Twvl; 'or a fin* "o1i«h i« i"'™n to iT "^ +cvo+h. T'hp ruenrwit n<wl J« ni"'<-" hnrml.^c". Tn /Xrabia +b-p tva'-V of 'Vo^tw*" Tins "'-•"iv T^P "irn'wnTVvr" nnl'w^ !»" fTi fl v, PW^, +i'f+lp.+j}++lp, iotps anri atonic ho wn "iet hoUl of anrl tl^i ««<«. '"""i hnn^ to hoil«p TPtai'iri,<T tT™>*v. Tf V,^ U= -i onWl -v> fl T,T,pv nurl o, ni , q-Jar.t h^ ~>™+"l* +^ hi<4 TRn<rbv team will r o1"M«- br<mi o n T"W ?8 "Tiri fM-fpnri .n= f«- °« TnvprenreriM. rpj, p fl rt . f -mn+p l^ of t^P bop-shvi fm- +Hp ATpvnViWn frWW liwmfcr-'im •"«■» r>lavo<T nf Uanfii-rlv O" -a-1-,011 Vaw'w -^ th.P local cliiT^ H-So^l rnn-I.l^lll V '--^" ha^ a cnori W *iv"i v " Iwf " f +^<* Tl^ ir '" +lif> «,.=:+ K,np,ll hut t.hp "R»'-"fn>'li' t.<">>n aflTwivor* +^ hp ;n; n W< e v «oiT-i;t;o'i f^" "la^'i" 1 a Wr* watyp n'lrJ fiooic oc-wi^ar"-! ,•„ f>,p •«. r .on^ srv»H.' 4ftp.r a va?'v «+"hHv>-mTv-pmitp»tp<:l by 3 v>oi»t= '" f i - v <=""-^rl htr "PV^f «t^?rh) to nil. A. Smith 'Rnfccon. d-vpr. aw' AiWson were nrornlTi^nt th,r"iwnnnt T o- "RarfnrTv: and 73. PtnitTi "Mprfiha!? awe? Olpnn wv»,rp ro'Tmipnons for thpfr o-orvrj i^ay apmiiir flip visitors. Sf ■RjHi^nc- (12 poinl«) Vat Oinilirlins

A Wnlli'iWon fc'swam «hqf<-« t^it '-■< the cptiiV "Rno-hv f r,ntha" ™ S M,^ OVi -n^g an poi'ntO hpot V,Vto-;n ro'lneo '»;n Afh]etio (13 points) beat 'Wollingt-on (3 uoints),

Petone beat Oriental by 4 points to nil, and Poneke beat Melrose by 5 points to 3. A Christchurch telegram gives the following as the results of senior football matches in Christchurch : — Linwood (16 points) beat Christohurch (3 points), Albion (6 points) beat Old Boys (nil), Merivale (40 points) beat Canterbury College (5 points). A Junior University team journeyed to PalBierston last Saturday to .play a friendly game ■with the Shag Point Club. The ground was in very good order notwithstanding the recent rain. After a very interesting game the University succeeded in winning by 12 points to nil. Tries were obtained for the winners by Rosewarne, Treves, J?raser, and Houghton, S. Thomson making some very good attempts at gcala from fairly difficult angles. The losers displayed very fair form, and with a little more practice would prove a dangerous combination to any Second Grade team in town. Mr Pollard made a very efficient referee. Th* annual match between the Oaniaru and "Union Clubs was played at Oamaru on Monday, the game resulting in favour of Oamaru by 11 points to 3. For the' winners tries were jncored by Grenfell and Hanley, one of which was converted by Mollison, who also kicked * goal from a. free kick. The Union score consisted of a try scored by Green. A team from the Zingaxi-Richmond Club journeyed to Balclutha on Monday to try conclusions with the local club, the game resulting in a win for the home team by 8 points to 5. <3-reig and Hislop scored for Balclutha, Bon* converting one try. Guthrie scored for Zin-ga.ri-Bichmo.nc!, Graham registering a splendid The University Club will practise on the Sfarth Ground this afternoon at 2.15 sharp. The Telegraph Association team will play •11 comers at Mornington at 3 p.m. to-day. A Wanganui telegram states that the Wanganui Kugby Union has decided to guarantee £150 towards the expenses of the New Zealand team to tour England. It is estimated that the attendance at the irter-island match at Wellington on Saturday ■was 6300. The N«w Zealand Union expects to clear over £100 on the gaotne aiter paying ths leavy expenses entailed by bringing men to Wellington from all parts of New Zealand. Gallagher, of Auckland, is unable to make the trip to Sydney. Smith, of Auckland, will also possibly be unable to visit Australia.

Points Kaikoraz University Southern Alhambra Zii-gari .. Union . » Dtmediu Pirates . . o .. 6 .. 6 .- 6 .. 6 .. 6 .. 6 .. 6 .. 6 I 5 5 4 3 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 3 4 5 5 a 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 S o *» S fct -< PciPh 43 20 10 93 13 10 66 14 9 37 37 7 24 35 5 17 61 3 20 56 2 14 78 2

Backs. G-. Gillett (Canterbury) E. E. Booth (Otago) W. J. Wallace (Wellington) D. M'Gregor (Wellington) EC. D. Thomson (Wangpnui) ». W. Smith (Auckland) .. E. T. Harper (Canterbury) H. J. Mynott fTaranaki) .. R. G-. Deans (Canterbury) . ml I. Hunter (Taratialri) I. W. Stead (Southland) .. P. Roberta (Wellington) ... St. ib. ... 12 8 .. 11 10 „ 11 12 .. 12 2 ... 10 12 .. 11 4 .. 12 6 „. 11 4 . . 13 10 .. 11 4 ..10 0 .. 12 4

i. Casey (Otago .. .., k Tyler (Auckland) .. ). Gallagher (Auckland) .. V. H. Mackrell (Auckland! \ Glasgow (Taranaki) '. Corbett (West Coast) _ Villiain Johnston (Otago) .. l. M'DonaH (Ota?o) .., \ Wewton (Canterbury) .. l. Seeling (Auckland) .. V" .Nicholson (Auckland) .. '. O'Sullivan (Taranaki) .. V. S. Glenn (Taranaki .. 12 12 12 12 13 13 13 12 14 13 13 13 12 1 12 8 8 0 S 6 12 6 7 10 7 7