NORTHERN UNION NOTES.

Otago Witness, 1 June 1910, Page 61

NORTHERN UNION NOTES.

A NEW ZEALAND COMPLAINT. (Fbom Oub Own Corbkspondeht.) LONDON, April 8. "Forward " writing in the Athletic News, remarks: The Australian sub-committee

- have so fur advanced their arrangements that only minor details connected with the tour now need attention. The muoh- ■ d:6<-u*sed right wing three-quarter back ': position Juius boon ottered and accepted by I J. Bartholomew, tlhe Hud do re fie Id full back, who. fortunately, has fully recovered- from the injury which prevented him playing in the trial games at Leeds and Wigan. Bartholomew is a sort of ''handyman." and he has in recent games at Fartown, demonstrated that tiie effectiveness of the threequarter line is increased by his inclusion. In case of accident to Sharrock and Young, Bartholomew would, of course, piay in hi? usual po&ition, and this advantage has l brought him the consideration extended to j Barton and John. | A most important alteration was made ! on Friday, when the committee decided to reverse the elates of the league and cup final The latter game should, in the usual order of things, have been played first, but in order that the Wigan players mijGht be free, the league deciding game will be played on April 23. This date will make it possible for the players, travelling by the overland route, to arrive in Sydney by June 2. Already passages by the s'e. Osterlev have been booked for Batten and Farrar Smith and Jukes (Hunslet), Jenkins (Ebbw Vale), Davies, anu : Bartholomew (Huddersfied), Ruddick (Broughton), "Winstanley (Leigh), and Juley , (Halifax). I NEW ZEALAND RECRUITS.

The council of the New Zealand Football League are looking to the future of th-ir eame, and a strong protest is to be made against the further registration_of colonial players by English clubs. Ihe Northern Union prohibitive resolution only applies bo players under the jurisdiction of the New Zealand League, but tlhe new proposal from the colony is much more drastic and would absolutely prohibit-even colonials from Rugby union clubs jostmng English teams. The matter is one that needs serious consideration,, for even at the present time certain olubs in England and playeis in New Zealand are in communication, with the avowed object of registration by Northern League teams for next season. If the game is to develop in,the colonies the immigration must be checked, and the Home union will be half-hearted measures. Another impm tent item from New Zealand is the election of Mr S. B. Houghton, a son of the Northern Union president, to the office o Surer to the New Zealand Football Council. CUP FOR NEW ZEALAND.

The Northern Union Committee is presenting a cup to the New Zealand League, and the trophy will to taken by Mr Houghton and dufv handed over to the New Zealand League officials. The cup is a massive solid silver one; .the central paaul bears the following inscription: • " Resented by the Northern Rugby Football Union to the New Zealand Rugby Laegue for annual competition." On the foot of the etem the arms of New Zealand and England are done in brilliant enamel in correct heraldic colours. The cup has been designed and made by Messrs Fattormi and. Sons, of Bradford. RUGBY NOTES. THE COLONIAL CONFERENCE. The Athletic News observes: "It seems a pity the Intercolonial Conference between representatives of the New Zealand, Queensland, and New South Wales Rugby Unions had not been delayed by some weeks. Then thev might have learned to what extent the International Board, at its March meeting at Edinburgh, had determined to sanction alterations in the rules of the game. Some of the suggestions made a long time ago by the Australasian authorities have, it is understood, been accepted by the board, mow partcularly those having regard to touch play, taking ball into touch, and length of the throwout, but not many more. Still, the colonial delegates, even though they made many alterations in the laws, were not over pressing iii their requests that all of these should be approved by the Home authorities. Quito humbly, they asked that, though their changes might not meet with the approval of the Rugby Football Union, they might be allowed to suit local and climatic ncessities, it being pointed out that while the alterations would obtain in matches played under the jurisdiction of the three colonial unions, they would not apply to matches with, bodies outside of Australasia and New Zealand, in which case the laws as issued by the Rugby Football Union should govern the contests. "But if all the alterations were not approved permission was particularly asked for two changes which, it is hoped, would be granted to three colonial unions. The first of these had reference to throws-out from touch, and proposd to make section (a) of Law 12 read: — _ (a) Throwing- it out so as to alight at right angles to, and at least five yards from the touch-line, or . . . The second concerned an altered definition of ' held.' an omission alike of the definition of ' tackle ' and Law 6 (c). The altered definition of ' held ' reads : Held is when the ball is held by opposing players, and includes the case when the holder of the ball is held by one or more players of the opposite side so that he canncfc pass it." TURNING BACK THE CLOCK. The two particular requests seem reasonable enough; possibly the former will be found embodied in these laws of the game which have been drafted for publication. Some of the other alterations which were carried were interesting. New Zealand's request for four spells of 20 miniutes each—that was turning back the clock to the early eighties with a vengeance—was lost, but it was decided to incorporate into Rule 4 the words: —"The period of plays shall be divided into two or four equal spells." The wording of the constitution of a scrummage,. was altered and by a majority it was decided that the referee shall himself punt the ball into a 6crimmage. Memories of the bygone will be revived by : this agreement. A NEW ZEALAND LETTER. j A correspondent sends to the Morning j Post a long letter received from a promi- ! nent official of the New Zealand Rugby I Union. This points out that the Queen - [ land, New South Wales, and New Zea- ' land Unions have met at Sydney to diecuss the proposed new laws of the game and the general welfare of the Bport in Australia and New Zealand. New South Wales displays some anxiety on account of the progress of "Northern Union" foot-

ball, and is seeking the aid of New Zealand. The Northern Union of England is «e<nding out a team to Australia and NewZealand this summer; but the side will find something of a surprise if it hopes to make money in New Zealand. The New Zealand Union officials resent the attacks on their amateurism. They are working as hard as ever in the interests of the game as a sport. The writer proceeds:— " I think that the game in New Zealand is administered even with a closer observance of the rules as to professionalism than it is in the Old Country." The conference of the Colonial Union was unanimous in its determination to keep the amateur flag flying. It agreed tentatively to the passing of some amendments in the rules of the game. There is a disposition in the colonies to "open up'"' the play, and to he rid of everything that retards pace and passing. The letter suggests that the last has not been heard of the controversy on touring allowances which arose last season, and endangered the nlaving of England and Scotland match. More figures have been furnished to Mr Wray Palliser to combat the statements of the Scottish authorities on questions of finance. The New Zealand Union insists that it is doing its best for the game and for amateurism. That is the point which it desires English unionists to appreciate.