FOOTBALL MATCH.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 2197, 29 April 1874, Page 2

FOOTBALL MATCH.

TARANAKI CLUB V. COUNTRY.

Another football matoh took plaoe on Saturday last, in whioh tbe Taranaki Clnb were again victorious. In a recent issue of Bell's Life in London that journal whilst commenting on the features of this pastime made the remark—" that football has the special merit of attracting players who, in their love of misrole, despise the tamer regularity of crioket and join in the purauit of the larger ball because they fondly imagine they can play as they like. Bat when they come to know the game they find it very different to what they expeoted. Not only have the forces of either aide to be manoeuvred with as tnuoh, if not more skill than in a cricket match, but far more prompt decision and presenoo of miud are required to avert defeat or secure a victory.. The discovery of this faot staggers them at first, and the frequent exclamation from the captain ' Follow up there, Brown,' ' Come, keep your eyes open, Brookes,' soon dispel the illusion that football is a miscellaneous hustle where strength and brute force prevail. How provoking is that snakelike little balf-baok Smith on the other side. Brown thinks be can annihilate him, as he sees the youngster fearlessly dribbling the ball straight in his direction. Ho rushes at him like a bull, but with au adroit little side kiok Smith dodges his assailant and pursues his course towards tbe goal nnoheoked, amid the oheers of his friends, while Brown hears with boiling feelings the smothered groans that rise at his discomforture. But the excitement of the game has taken bold of him. He finds it not all scuffling. So he sets himself to work to learn the science of it, and his natural inolination to the stir and bustle which are its characteristics make the task an easy and delightful ooe. So Brown is trapped into taking his first lesson in discipline and obedience to authority, and who shall say but the lesson will not tnrn ont to have a most valuable influence on his future career in the great game of life. 'Yes, rough it may be, and mammas may say they * wish Edward wonld not play that nasty game,' but football is magnificent sport for all that, and Edward had far better take to that than oroqaet, for all that this is so nice and proper." In New Plymouth the game ia becoming qnite popular, and owing to the Taranaki Club gaining a viotory over the Egmont some time since, their fame as players seems to have spread. This has caused a combination of country players to form, who challenged the Taranaki Club to a game, which oame off on Satnrday last, on Poverty Flat. Many were the conjectures as to who would win. The oountry side was a heavy one, and amongst their number were some exoellent players, yet the Taranaki Club were well in praotice, aud commenced the game with a determination to win. It took bat a very short time for the players on both sides to become warm and desperate in tbeir endeavours to gain a goal. And now was the time for the country members to show their colours !— now was the time for onlookers to judge of the sides' respective merits. The country players fought well, but the Taranaki Club quickly showed to the front, carrying the ball close to their opponent's goal, where they, in spite of tbe strenuous exertions of tbe enemy, succeeded in keeping it almost the whole of the time. On a change of goals being made, a similar fate befel the ooantry, for although they struggled manfully they were obliged to succumb to the superior skill (ao. quired by practice) of the champions, who gained a goal. This was disputed, bat on appealing to the Rugby rales, it was dis. allowed, and tbe game proceeded until about a qourter-pait 5 o'olook, when the players appeared to hare lost a large amoant of the zeal exhibited ai commencing. The game was at length won by Mr. R. J. Matthews (captain .of the Taranaki Clnb) collaring the ball, and, after dodging five or six of the oonutry players, dived in and gained the third tonch down ; thus two oat of the three touch downs, which according to Rugby rules equal a goal, were won by him. Tbe ball was brought home at half-past 5 o'clock. Although this was somewhat of a rough game, and notwithstanding the number of collisions, yet no acoident ocourred beyond that to Mr. W. C. Cook, who diving into the thick of the fight, got slightly lamed. There is no denying that the country players have not bad much (if any) practice, or tho resnlt might havo been different ; but by this match the members of the Taranaki Club have fairly established themselves as the champious of tho Provinoe.

The GouuiiAYS. — We have received intimation that the Gourlay family have postponed tbeir visit to this place for the present. Cricket. — A matoh between the Armed Constabulary and Touru will be played at the llenui to-day, wickets to be pitched at 10 o'clock. Justice or thb Peacb. — We notice in the New Zealand Gazette of Thursday, the 23rd April, that his Exoellency has appointed Henry Westpu, Esq., of New Plymouth, to be a Justice of the Peace for the Colony, Thb Commissioner of Crown Lands. — Mr. C. D. Whitcombo has been appointed to the offioe of Commissioner of Crown Lands, rendered vacant by the death of Mr. J. Steplienson Smith. Death of Mrs. Putt.— Another of our old sottlers died on Saturday last, at the advanoed age of eighty-five. Mrs. Putt, arrived with her hnaband and family in the • Willian Bryant' — the first vessel that oame to this settlement. She leaves a large namber of descendants ; amongst them many great grandchildren, aomo of whom are eight or nine years old. His Honor the Superintendent returned on Sunday last, in the s.B. * Taranaki,' from Wellington, whore he has been on business connected with the Province. We believe that his misßiou hns not been fruitless ; but the result of his iuterview with the Ministers he will communicate to the Council wheu it is Again collected together, which, we learn, will be in about a fortnight's time. Sunday Seevicks in Aid of the Hospital. — We are glad to see that the ministers at the several ch arches and chapels in the Province are beginning to hold services in aid of the hospital funds. On Sanduy last, services wore held at the Wesleyau Chapel, when £7 128. 6d. was collected. We have been requested by the Treasurer of the Provincial Hospital to acknowledge with thanks, the receipt of a cheque for this amount. Captain Kennedy, late of tho p.s. ' Paterson,' is we learn about to settle at Tuurnuga, where he bus received the appointment of Pilot and Harbour Master. Pew captains could havo boen worse spared from Now Zealand passenger steamers than Captain Kennedy who was deservedly popular and made overy vessel he commanded tho favourite one for persons to travel by.