STRATFORD FOOTBALL CLUB

Taranaki Daily News, 17 July 1929, Page 10

STRATFORD FOOTBALL CLUB

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEETS.

With reference to the proposed scheme that the present North and South Rugby divisions should have full control of all club football in their respective divisions, a circular (already published) was received at a meeting of the Stratford Football Club management committee last night from Mr. A.- J. Christie, Manaia, on behalf of the southern division cl übs.

The game needed a little “boost,” said the chairman, Mr. D. J. Malone, and he thought that if the proposed scheme were instituted more attention might be paid to local management. Nevertheless the present system was satisfactory, and until the contrary could be proved he saw no reason for alteration. Mr. E. H. Young said that if the north and south committees took the proceeds from all club matches the union ■would be crippled for finance. Also the breaking up of the province into two divisions might have a detrimental effect on provincial representative football.

Messrs. R. Masters and E. H. Young were appointed as representatives to a conference to be held at Inglewood when the scheme will be discussed. Mr. D. Malone was asked to attend the conference in case of the absence of either of the others. The representatives were given a free hand. The Stratford v. Star match on Saturday will be played on the usual ground. Additional seating accommodation will be provided.

THURSDAY JUNIOR RUGBY.

CENTRAL REFEREES APPOINTED.

Referes for the central division junior Rugby matches to-morrow have been appointed as follow: — First junior.—Stratford v. Toko, at Stratford, 2.45 p.m., Mr. H. Gush; Celtic, a bye; Inglewood v. Cardiff, at Inglewood, 2.45 p.m., Mr. G. Collins; Eltham, a bye.

Third grade.—lnglewood v. Stratford, at Stratford, 2.45 p.m., Mr. J. D. Crawford; Celtic v. Eltham, at Eltham, 2.45 p.m., Mr. J. Colson; School, affiye. To decide the w-inner of the central division fifth grade competition, Inglewood and Stratford Technical High School fifths will meet to-morrow, the venue to be decided by the Rugby Union. These teams have already met twice to decide the competition but both matches were drawn.

CORRESPONDENCE LIGHT-FINGERED MOTORCYCLISTS. (To the Editor.) Sir, —I crave a portion of your valuable space in the interests of the motorcyclists who visit Stratford on Saturday nights. It may be that lam more unfortunate than ■others, but I eliall be interested to learn through your columns if by any chance any of your readers can beat my unenviable record. For the past two years I have visited Stratford fairly regularly on Saturday nights, and during that period I have on three occasions had my tool kit rifled, lost three pumps, one suit of overalls, one lighting switch, front of a head lamp, numerous gallons of benzine and oil, and various odds and ends in the line of bolts and nuts, all of which have undoubtedly been stolen from the machine, presumably by fellow cyclists. Surely this is a most despicable form of theft! My latest loss was a rather serious one, my machine having been rifled of numerous parts on Saturday evening last. I am meantime pondering whether the best plan is to give Stratford a wide berth in future, or to guard niy bike with a good stout “waddy,” or to urge motor-cyclists to petition Stratford Borough Council for the provision of safer parking places for motor-cycles.. Surely a parking place in Central Broadway could be provided. Those parking site's at present available are in parts of Broadway which are very little frequented in the evening, and cycles parked there fall an easy prey to rogues in quest of spoil. In giving a decision to any petition which may be brought to them I would ask the borough council to consider certain facts: (1) Most modern cars can be locked, and are therefore immune from interference in their owners’ absence; consequently the sites meantime available for cymes would admirably suit cars; (2) three motor-cycles could be parked in the space at present allotted to one car, leaving ample room for the passage of pedestrians; (3) it is impossible for motor-cyclists to carry replacements for those parts usually stolen, and a genuine loss by theft- may not always be looked upon as such by the inspector when a lighting bulb is discovered to be missing at midnight; (4) motor-cyclists visiting town are generally regular patrons of business people in Stratford, and I personally feel inclined to take my custom in future where I can park my machine in comparative safety. My experience of other Taranaki towns may be of interest. On several occasions I have parked in Eltham from 7 p.m. till midnight on Saturdays and returned to find everything intact. Once I parked in Hawera from 10 a- m - on Saturday till 5 p.m. on Sunday in what would be, to the light-fingered gentry who seem to frequent Stratford, a veritable El Dorado. In my absence, which was very much longer "than anticipated, I left all my riding gear strapped to the carrier. In the interval I was 00 miles from Hawera and it rained. On returning I was delighted to find that' some good Samaritan had covered my bike with a few empty sacks. Should he happen to read this I hope he will accept the grateful thanks of —Yours, TRIUMPH RIDER. Eltham, July 15.