Second Edition ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 14, 22 May 1913, Page 6

Second Edition ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL.

. ' ,1 ■ • • ■ ANNUAL REPORT. The annual meeting of delegates of the New Zealand Football Association will be held in Wellington on Thursday next, May 29. Following is the annua] report submitted for the season 1912-13:—“In placing before you the annual report submitted by council for season 1912, your council notes with pleasure the progress that lAssociation football is making in the Dominion in all departments of the game, and hopes that similar progress will be made during the coming season. During the season the South Canterbury and Westland Associations were formed; this brings the number of affiliated associations up to 13. There are now about 325 teams in the Dominion, being affiliated as follows: —Auckland 45, Canterbury 20, Hawke’s Bay 10, Manajvatu 10, Marlborough 11, Otago 85, Southland 20, South Canterbury 6, Taranaki 8, Wanganui 3, Wellington 94, Westland 3, and about 10 unaffiliated. This is a very substantial increase over the previous season. Your Council is glad to note that each association is leaving no stone unturned in its efforts to promote the game amongst the, youth of the country, and the schools’ competition of the. larger centres are now on a firm footing. The younger Associations are all realising that is where the future of the game lays, and are making very praiseworthy efforts to run strong boys’ and schools’ competitions. There is no doubt that many boys’ teams throughout the Dominion show a very high standard of play, and the gradual promotion of these juniors into the higher grade teams will, your Council submits, improve the standard of play and so add increased interest to the various games. Special mention must be made of the Auckland v. Wellington Fifth Division game played r -in Wellington, when the local team won by six goals to five after a sterling and exciting game of football.

Results of Brown Shield games are as follows ;—Canterbury, 9 goals ; Poverty Bay, 2 goals; Canterbury, 5 goals; Wanganui 3; Wellington 6; Canterbury 2. The Wellington team is to be congratulated upon defeating the strong -Canterbury team. Challenges from the Otago and Taranaki Associations were held over until this coming season, and will be played as your council may direct. During the season your council, received the very pleasing news from Die Football Association that they had altered their rules, so giving power to the council

to invite representatives of British Colonies to attend meetings, but without voting power. Mr A. E. Gibbs thereupon acted as our representative. Your Council regrets, however, that we are not very much further advanced towards a long cherished scheme of securing a visit of a British team. Strong representations were made to the Football Association on the question, but the stereotyped reply was received that at the present, time the request could not be entertained. .... It seems to be entirely a question of finance and of getting the players away for the length of time required, but principally finance, and until your Association sees its way to overcome the difficulty and pay the expenses of a visiting team, there is very little hope of anything being done in the matter. Co-operation would have to be made with the Commonwealth Football Association, but real financial guarantees are what ar=> required. As an alternative a ' bit of a team from the colonics to England has been suggested from time to time, but your Council suggests, that .->uch a project would meet with very little success. Mr A. E, Gibbs continues to act .as our representative to the Football (Association, and his recent visit to Australia has no doubt given him a valuable insight into the requirements of the colonies. During tho past season or two your Council has had to deal with various appea's against affiliated associations, arising principally/out of transfer ndes, and your Council would suggest that a rule should he drafted so as to have uniformity in these matters througnout the Dominion. The New Zealand , Referees’ Association is not yet the strong body your Council would like, to see, but is doing useful work as far as lays within its oower; we must not forget that it takes years to build up a strong body.” Signed: B. L. SALMON, Hon. Secretary.

The balance-sheet shows an excess of assets over liabilities of £9O 3s Id, about £3O of this sum being cash in bank. The receipts for the year were C 73 12s sd.

The Taranaki delegate to the meeting is the Rev. WxF. them, of Kaponga.