OTAGO RUGBY FOOTBALL UNION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2817, 11 March 1908, Page 62

OTAGO RUGBY FOOTBALL UNION.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMEiNTT. The committee, in presenting its annual report, begs to congratulate delegates upon the very satisfactory result of the twentyeeventh season's work. With excellent weather and a very good display of football, both in representative and interclub fixtures, the interest of the players, as well as the public, was well maintained throughout one of the longest playing seasons on record. As long as the game is played in the good spirit that prevailed throughout the season there will I be no lack of support from the public, and your committee feels sure that it will be the aim of both delegates and players to maintain the game at ita present high standard. During the season visits were paid to Otago by representative teams from Southland, Canterbury, "Wellington, and Auckland, while a return match was played with Southland, as in former years. Of the five representative J matches played, Otago won two, lost two, and drew one, the following being the detailed results: — v. Southland, at Invercargill: Southland won by 20 points to 5. v. Canterbury, at Dunedin: Canterbury won by 14 points to nil. v. Auckland, at Dunedin: Drawn, 6 points each. v. "Southland, et Dunedin: Otago won by 11 points to nil. v. Wellington, at Dunedin: Ofago won by | 9 points to 6. j The annual interprovincial school's match between Otego and Southland was played at Dunedin, victory resting with the local boys by 3 points to nil. There was less indifference ' shown towards school football on the part of teachers -than was the case in previous years, ; and your committee feels that there is every hope that the encouragement given to this important part of its work will bear good fruit. The flag matches in Dunedin last year were productive of a high standard of football. The interest of the public in them, was stimulated by the fact that the contests were j fruitful of surprises, and that the issue was doubtful until the interclub season was ! nearly ended. The Senior Flag was won for j the second year in succession by the University Club, to which, as in the previous year, . the Alhanibra Club was the runner-up. The Second Grade Flag was secured by the Dunedin Club, the Third Grade by the Alhambra Club, the Fourth Grade by the Southern Club's B team. A Fifth Grade competition for players under sixteen was inaugurated last season, and produced a very keen competition, the Union Club proving the winners. The Wednesday competition flag was won by the Railway Locomotive team, and the primary schools' flag by the Kensington School. The various flags that were pre- , ' Banted by the union for competition in the country districts were won as follows:—Vincent County, Alexandra Club; Maniou>to County, St. Bathans Club; Tuapeka County, ' Coal Creek Club; Waihemo County, Palmerston Club; South Otago, Owaka. I An increased and more widespread interest j on the part of the clubs in the different districts of Otago and a keener interest on the part of the Dunedin public marked tha Country Week —a feature of last season ' which, tha commdttee is gratified to report, proved distinctly successful. Teams from the North Otego, South Otago, and Vincent Subunions and from Maniototo, Tuapeka, and Waihemo Counties were engaged during the week, the two latter making their first appearance in Dunedin. As in the previous, year, the Vinc«nt teem, which was a specially good combination, and provided «n exhibition ; thai was generally admitted to be exceedingly j creditable, was too strong for its opponents. A combined -country team which was pitted against a team representative of the Dunedirj olubs gained a meritorious victory by 11 points to 3, and the imniediiate outcome we.3 the selection of several country players as members of the Otago team which visited Invercargill. The value of Country Week has, in the opinion of the committee, been clearly demonstrated in the proof it has afforded of the presence of a large number of players of much more than average ability in the country districts. - During the year * very important transaction on the part of the union was the acquisition of the Carisbrook Ground from the Dunedin Amateur Ground Company. Though there has been considerable expense I in order to make the ground a really good one your committee believes that the money h«s been well applied, and that the ground I will in a few years be an ideal one from ! every point of view. Messrs Cavanagn,I Hamel, and Harris are entitled to the thanks 1 of the delegates for-the troub'e they have gone to in connection with the improvements effected on the ground. The negotiations for the transference of the ground to the union were facilitated by the registration of the union under the Unclassified Societies' Regis- ■ tration Act. I From the balance sheet it will be seen that the eeason was started with a debit balance I of £213 9s sd, and there is now a debit balance of £767 3s 6d. To meet this liability ' the committee is arranging a loan of £500 : from tbe New Zealand Union. The assets amount to £2610 03 lid, showing a balance * over liabilities of £1842 17s sd. Once more it is the pleasing duty of the committee to report that the cases of mis- , conduct by players which were brought under ] its notice were not of a grave description. In this connection the committee would take

tHe opportunity of again impressing upon < those who <are responsible for the management and training of club teams that they possess an influence which, properly directed, may tell powerfully for good in convincing young players that a duty they owe to their chibs and to themselves is to observe the laws, to respect the decisions of the referee, and to exercise self-restraint even under stress of provocation. The Aocident Fund wns, the committee learns, fairly well stipported during the year, but it is a matter for surprise that there are still so many players who do not seem sufficiently to realise the benefit of such a fund. As in former years, the Referees' Association lent invaluable assistance last season in controlling matches, and the members of that body deserve the thanks of all interested in football. The most sensible way of expressing that thanks is for those of the delegates who are able to do so to join the ranks of the association, and also to persuade others to assist. On many occasions, owing to the large number of teams engaged, the association was unable to appoint referees for all matches, and the committee would earnestly commend that organisation to the active sympathy of old players and delegates. Six Otago players — A. Eckhold, H. Paton, S. Casey, A. M'Donald, E. Booth, and W. i Johnston — were chosen as members of the j New Zealand representative team which toured Australia. It is to be regretted that the last-mentioned player &roke the promise given by him to the New Zealand Union that -he would not join ;the professional team-which visited England last season. The thanks of the union are due to M-essrs W. T. Monkman and T. Cbalmer,^ the hon. auditors, and to Messrs R. M. Isaacs, A. LauTenson, and R. M. Falconer, the union's Wellington delegates to the New Zealand Union. 1 During the season 33 meetings of committee •were held, the attendance of members being as follows: — P. J. Priest 33, St. J. J. Dunne 33. E. A. Hamel 32, F. H. Campbell 31, V. G. Cavanagh 30, G. W. C. Macdonald 29, J. Duncan 29, H. Harris 27, A. Dey 26, D. M. Munro 25, G. M'Laren 21, J. T. Lilburne 19, W. T. Ross 19, W. J. Wilson 15. J. K. Ross 15, G. Thomson 9. Mr Thomson resigned during the season and Mr J. K. Ross •was appointed in his place, while Mr Lilburne resigned towards the end of the season owing to his removal to Invercargill. I The fact that a British team, organised under the auspices of the Rugby Football Union of England, with -which the Welsh Union has co-operated in the matter, will play a series of matches in New Zealand > during the ensuing season justifies the belief that the year will be an exceedingly important I and attractive one. Another interesting feature of the season in Otago will attach to the 1 circumstance that it will be the duty of the union to send a team to represent it on a I northern tour. While the future thus contains the promise of much of interest in the ! R-ujrbv game, the committee is not insensible of the fact that the open introduction of I professionalism into football in New Zealand I presents an element of Hanger to which it will be necessary for ell who are desirous of seeing the winter pastime conducted moon honourable and pure lines to offer their strenuous resistance. The committee feels convinced that the game of Rugby football, so long as it is played in a truly manly spirits such a.p it is the aim of the authorities of the game to encourage, will continue to re- ! ceive the generous support of the public, and it trusts that its successors will employ their utmost efforts to secure that the* best traditions of the sport shall be maintained.