FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 18, 21 June 1913, Page 7

FOOTBALL.

TO-DAY'S MATCHES. Star v. Okato, at Recreation Grounds. Rovers v. Inglewood, at Inglewood. NEXT WEEK'S FIXTURES. Wednesray, June 25—Taranaki v. Wellington, at Hawera. Saturday, June 28—Taranaki v. Wanganui, at Wanganui. THURSDAY, JUNE 26. Juniors. Clifton v. Star, at New Plymouth, 3 p.m. Tukapa v. Stratford, at New Plymouth, 1.30 p.m. Second Juniors. Stratford D.H.S. v. Technical College, at New Plymouth, 1.30 p.m.; N.P.H.S. v. Stratford, at New Plymouth, 1.3.0 p.m. There will be no senior match next Thursday owing to the Wellington-Tara-naki match at Hawera on Wednesday, and also the Wanganui-Taranaki match at the same place on Saturday,. In order to allow .Saturday players to view the Wanganui match, the Saturday fixtures have also been put off, and the third round will therefore not commence until July 5.' The third round will be drawn up next week.

Given fine weather, the match between Taranaki and Wellington is certain to draw a record crowd to Hawera on Wednesday afternoon, because football enthusiasts still bear pleasant memories of the delightfully crisp exhibition put up by both teams at the Dominion Show time last year, and all are looking forward to seeing another such brilliant exposition, and may the better team win! Of those who competed last year, five will be seen again in the Wellington ranks and nine in Taranaki's colors. The team chosen to represent Taranaki is a particularly strong one, and on the form shown in the North v. South match, it is difficult to say wdiere it could be improved upon. ■ Some good men have been left out, and it is pleasing to see that should there be any of the present fifteen unable to play for any reason men of almost equal calibre Will be available.

Congratulations to Mr. H. J. Mynott on having been appointed one of the selectors for the North Island and also for the New Zealand team. No one is more qualified for the position than the genial "Simon," of All-Black fame, and no one takes a keener interest in football.

'The New Zealand Rugby Union, at its meeting on Wednesday night, after some discussion accepted the invitation of the . Californian Rugby Union to send a team to California in September and play a series of matches, commencing in October, The conditions of the tour ar,e that the expenses of the members of the team from their homes and return thereto will be guaranteed; the party to consist of 21 players and a manager; team to be located under one roof and not to play more than two matches per week, with not less than two clear days intervening between each match; the manager of the team to approve of the referee before appointment to each match; all arrangements whatsoever concerning the team to be subject to the approval of the manager. Mr. Dixon considered that before taking any steps the Unions should be consulted, and he also thought that the invitation had come too late for this year. Mr. Isaacs considered that sending a team away in September would interfere with the New South 'ales test matches. Ultimately it was decided to accept the inivtation, the team to leave by the October boat. ■ The Wellington Rugby Union has granted £lO towards the expenses of a tour of a team chosen from the Wellington public schools, who will play matches at Palmerston. Wanganui, Stratford and Hawera during the August holidays. Could not the tour Tie extended to include New Plymouth? THAT WANGANUI CRITICISM.

Vexatio Quaestio forwards the following letter and a copy of this week's criticism in the Wanganui Chronicle. As th« matter lias been dealt with" by our Wanganui correspondent, and also by the secretary of the Wanganui-Rucby I nion, we make.no comment. The let-j ter is as follows:—"Your Wanganui correspondent has been "kind enough to \ forward you my criticisms on the Tara- i nakiteam. T liave replied in this week's column inthe Chronicle, and desire that you will give publicity to the same when Wednesday's Chronicle comes to hand. T disclaim any intention to hurt the feeliiv,'s of Taranaki players. When wrenched from their context my strictures do scan somewhat severe, but I had no desire to reflect on either players or rpferee beyond candid criticism. Then, again. I only spoke for mvself. The notes were published a week after the match, but were written as soon as the match was over, and probalilv a disap-pointed-and distinguished selector was the cause of the "shockingly" and 'dirty" being used. Your correspondent miiy not have informed yon that T quite recognise that our men were badly beaten. We hope to give you a good" run at Hawera on. the 2Sth. I trust that vour readers, especially Cain, will accept' this "amende honorable."—l remain your:-:, etc., Yexato Quaestio. The notes in the Chronicle slate"The Wanganui correspondent to the Taranaki Dailv News lias taken exception to my criticisms of the match on -lun- 3rd. Re regards these remarks as an insult to Taranaki players and to .Mr. L. Nassett. the referee on the day in question T wish to make Ihe "amende honorable" if the Taranaki plavers and the referee should regard the criticism as an insult. Let me assure them that it was not so intended. Wrested from its context the strieutrea do seem rather severe, but all that I intended was candid comment on the game. My remarks about Wanganui players were just as severe except, perhaps, the reference to Cain. I must apologise to him for the use of the word "dirt.y." Unfair would have been a more parliamentary word. Cain tripped players more than once on June "rd and he has done it on oilier occasions, f am not prepared to sav it was deliberate but it looks bad, and he should strive to drop it, T have no objection to a hard game and f only wish that some of our boys had more of the dash of Cain and Dustin.

At the same time T still contend tint Tiii-nnaki jilayod a. jircat ofl'-Kide »amc with the word shockingly withdrawn With nil due deference 1,,' Mr. Hasseft for whom I have a. ..real respect, I maintain that lip was very lenient and Tarnnaki made the best n=e of it, while our liovs did not. The \Van«amii plavers have still to learn that it is almost their first duty to discover the method of the referee and then-play up to it. Every referee lias his own stvlr and gamp. y t is_not a very din'icnlt thin;.- to discover what points he is keen mi 'and what he is prepared to let pass by. Then when both teams adopt (he Kilni( , stv ] (l nf ~u . llmmw are eqnalised. TI.o corrcspamle'nl, " I'" IH.lv News is perhaps „ot aware fliat at hall-time more (| mi „ m , ~i.,V (M. ■'""1 more t h;ui one member of WP it complained that Taranaki were plavi,,, "''"* ' / )l1 " m«-nil,r.r of the i;.,ion JvmitsofM-aslodnw.l,,. Meree's a " '"H '.»'".'!»{ al.me in mv opinion, sii'l -uivtlniiy | mny v . ri | ( , u (]|j|v (!)] '• 'MStl.Pl.inon or anyone else |, r „! ', »»«vwri(P.n l?r hT,.oi,lP„:| |1 , Mt Th,,-. «n-v .™i.fi ( ,,<i«,,w to j„d,e a, ~ H> ike nc-v). m , n . Ajivhov; yl,,f " / , |''''o.l ota f-oam. or ,d;M-pv 01 . :;,,,'; ,! <— J;U"

Bassett, at any rate, that lie is not pre-1 pared to make a storm in a tea cup of [ any fancied reflection upon himself. Then / again, if I am of the opinion that a thing is wrong I am not going to cover up that opinion for the purpose of "smoodging" to the other side. Whilst making use of candid criticism of our opponents I pointed out that they gave us a "daddy"of a beating and admitted that we had no chance aaginst our doughty opponents, who carried too many guns for us."

I Thursday's match contained many f bright incidents, and was much ahove the average cup match. Tukapa deserved the win, and were superior in back play i to their opponents, and handled the ball neatly. "So they should win," remarked a Clifton supporter, "with four TaranaKi reps, among their backs." Just so, but , that was no excuse for the wretched tackling of their opponents' rearguard. Bar Crowley and Waka, the Ciifton backs could not tackle worth mention;ng. Stohr was in poor place-kicking r orm, but was finding the line well Mid running well. Much interest centres in the meeting between Stratford and Tukapa, which takes place here on Thursday week. It will surely be a test of supremacy. Considerable comment has been caused by the action of the •authorities in allowing the Stratford-Tukapa fixture to bo postponed owing to the former team having a few men away at the Palmerston Show. The Tukapa-Clifton third .round match was substituted. Both teams agreed to play, but not without strong protests. Clifton particularly hijd cause to complain, as, anticipating a bye, some of their men had made other arrangements, and considerable difficulty was experienced in getting together a team. Rovers will be represented by the following in their match against inglewood this afternoon, leaving by the mid-day train:—Stewart, Stohr, Welsh, Crant, Thompson (2), Reid, Loveridge, Stannering, Drake, Quilliam. Jennings, Xewell, Lusk and Brooks; emergency, Leary.