TARANAKI PRAISED

Taranaki Daily News, 4 September 1935, Page 2

TARANAKI PRAISED

SCHOOL SOCCER TOURNAMENT. MEETING OF ASSOCIATION. The 12th annual meeting of the North Island Primary Schools’ Football Association was held at .New Plymouth last night. Mr. S. C. Sheddon (Wellington) presided and the following delegates were present: Messrs. G. Ewing (Wellington), H. Ward, J. McMillan (Wanganui), R. E. Kempson (Manawatu), H. McFeehy, R. J. Weir, W. Hayes (Wairarapa), L. A. Wilson (Napier), G. H. Gorringe and J. W. Chapman (Taranaki). After reviewing the success of the tournament at Napier in 1934, the report stated that at Wellington an increase in thv number of schools playing Soccer had been reported. Wairarapa and Wanganui reported continued progress and decided improvements in playing skill. Napier and Taranaki had stuck to their guns in an endeavour to foster the code. Manawatu had had to battle hard. . The organisation was always m touch with tlie New Zealand Football Association the report continued. An increase in the number of balls supplied were made, while handbooks were distributed. Thanks were due to the football association for its donation, making the tournament possible. ’• “We trust,” the report concluded, that New Plymouth’s first essay in running a tournament will be the means of placing the game on a sound footing. The election of officers resulted: Patron, Mr. W. B. Hicks; president, Mr. S. C. Sl.edden; vice-presidepts, representatives of affiliated associations, including Dr. D. E. Brown, Taranaki; secretary, Mr. Ewing. , It was decided to leave the question of the venue of the next tournament in the hands of the president and Mr. Kempson Manawatu, due for the tourney, was not in a position at the moment to A Napier remit that the rules permitting pupils of up to standard 6 or 2 should be amended to allow pupils ox form 3 at intermediate schools to play, was defeated, delegates holding the view that the new rule would be the thin end of the wedge in the introduction of secondary school pupils to teams in the tournament. The Wairarapa delegate, Mr. Hayes, discussing the previous remit, stressed the need for an alteration to the rule requiring boys to be under 15 years by January of the year of the tournament. A motion that the rule should be altered requiring boys to be under 15 years on August 31 of the year of the tournament was carried unanimously. Congratulatory reference to the successful methods adopted by the Taranaki association in running its first tournament was made by delegates It was pointed out by speakers that the billeting had been arranged quickly, that an excellent programme had been drawn up and that me of the finest grounds m New Zealand had been secured for the tournament. The association had even gone to the trouble of widening the ground. . Mr G. E. Roper, in reply, paid a tnDute to the public of New Plymouth for its support of the tournament. At the end, he said, he could have placed. 2b more boys in billets and it was a tribute to the public’s interest that billets should have been so easily found.