CANTERBURY RUGBY.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 32, 14 March 1914, Page 3 (Supplement)

CANTERBURY RUGBY.

UNION'S ANNUAL: REPORT.

LOSS ON YEAR'S WOEKINO.

The report to be presented by the committee of the Canterbury Rugby Union to the annual meeting of the Union next Friday evening states that for the second; year in succession the balance-sheet shows a loss on the year's working/ This deficit was caused last year by the unusually heavy expenses connected, with the outside matches.... Commencing the year with a credit balance of £32, it was found necessary, in order to meet the liabilities, to withdraw from! the bank the sum of £IOO, which has been on fixed deposit for some yea/s past. As the credit balance at the end of the year amounted to only £47, it will be seen that the loss on the year's working amounted to about £BS. Considerably more than this amount was j expended on outside matches, beyond | the annual fixtures, the tour of the team through the West Coast costing the Union over £72, while the visits of teams to the several sub-union districts and the sending of a team to Waiau cost over £SO. A donation of £lO was made j to the Ashburton Sub-Union, and a similar sum was voted towards the maintenance of the Linwood Park. These special and non-recurring items total £142. It is pleasing to note that the public interest in the club matches was well sustained, the gate, takings for those and the trial games amounting to £373,. as,against £326 taken in 1912, while the attendances at the various Inter-Union and other outside 1 matches, were very satisfactory. Nine matches were: played by the senipr representative team, six being won and three lost. The team scored 100 points and had's7 points scored against it/ - : ■* The report continues: —"During the coming season, visits are due here from Otago, Southland, and South Canterbury, and it is very probable that a team from the West Coast or the Buller Union will return the visit of our team of last year. Canterbury, this season, visits the North Island, going as far as Auckland. '' The interest in the inter-club matches was fully sustained throughout the competitions. The Senior competition was very deservedly won by •the Boys ? High Sch*ool Old Boys team, after being beaten twice during the contest. Their record reads: Matches played 13; won 10, lost 2, drawn 1, which, must be considered a very good record, and the committee desires to congratulate the winning team on its success.* "The Junior competitions resulted as follow:—-Juni or flag—Meriyale, matches played 15, won 13, lost 1, drawn 1. President 's Cup—Lyttelton, matches played 11, won 11. Fourth grade—Merivale played 12, won 11, lost 1. , Fifth playe*d 6, won 6. . • . !

"During the season, a team from the combined districts of Kaikoura, Waiau, and Cheviot* paid a visit to Christchurch, and met a combined Canterbury team at Lancaster Park) being beaten by 6 points to 3J A. return match was played at Waiati, when the county representatives were «,gain beaten by 14 points to 6. As a result of these games it is confidently expected that a Sub-Union will be formed before the commencement of the coming, season, comprising Cheviot, Waiau, and Kaikoura." As a partner in the ownership of Lancaster Park, the committee expresses the gratitude of the Union to the Australian cricket team, for its handsome donation, in the form of a benefit cricket match, toward the ground funds, and especially to Mr Arthur Sims, Whilst many improvements have already been carried out at Lancaster Park, much still remains to be done in the matter of providing additional seating accommodation for the general public, and in improving the south grounds. "The training hall which was erected at Lancaster Park last season," concludes the report, "has proved a source of great convenience to the members of the various clubs, and has been very well patronised by players. In order to assist the movement, the ground trustees of the Canterbury Eugby Union have advanced the sum of £3OO, for three years, at 4 per cent, per annum, on a first mortgage over the property. It is the duty of every member pf those clubs interested in the hall to assist the committee by attending on the training night arranged by the training hall executive. The players of Christchurch are extremely fortunate, in having for their training work such a rine hall, which has been frequently spoken of as one of the best of its kind in the Dominion."