DUNEDIN FOOTBALL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10768, 14 May 1913, Page 3

DUNEDIN FOOTBALL.

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Mr H. Harris, tho president of the local Union, who was to have acted as one of Otago's delegates at the aiiiiua-1 meeting of the Now Zealand Union, found, at the last moment, that _ hewould he unable to proceed to Wellington. Mr A. Dey took his place. At this writing I have not heara what happened as the result of tho circular letter which Mr F. 11. Campbell sent to tho presidents of the various Unions, and which was to have inspired delegates with the alleged shortcomings of tho Now Zealand Union in respect to foreign tours. The Otago delegates were, instructed to ask that the correspondence which had passed between tho New Zealand Union and the Knglisli Union in 1911 should bo read at tho annual meeting of tho former body. No reference was made to this in tho telegraphed report of the meeting, so I am unable to comment thereon. The standard of Senior football as. seen through two rounds of matches already played is much about the same as last year, though it is pleasing to note that the teams are making some attempts to get away from the orthodox. Zingari, still coached by veteran Jim. Duncan, is regarded as likely to be near tho top at the end of the season. Kaikorai, captained by All Black Alex. M'Donald, is likely to give the premiership a, challenge, while Southern and University (though the latter is an uncertain quantity as yet) will bo well in the finals. The others teams, Pirates, Union, Dunedin, Port Chalmers and Albarnbra, are much on a par. Mr Geddes, a delegate of the Southland Rugby Union, passing through to attend the annual meeting of the New Zealand Rugby Union in Wellington, was present at the meeting of the Otago Rugby Union on Monday evening. Opportunity was 4aken by Mr Geddes to explain that Wednesday football was practically a thing of the past at Invercargill, and that the weekly half-holiday now being on Saturday, all m'atches are being played on Saturday afternoons. The introduction of the new order of things was most pleasing, there being, according to Mr Geddes's statement, double the attendance at the opening of the Saturday fixtures to what there had been at the Wednesday the previous season. The innovation in Southland will, of course, necessiate a. rearrangement of the interprovinciai fixtures with Southland; but Otago is certain to fall in line with the ment which best suits the Southland Union.

A sub-committee appointed by the delegates of Tapanni, Kelso, Heriot, Waipahi and Waikaka Clubs —being a sub-union of the Eastern Districts Union—is anxious for better consideration, and has applied for affiliation to the Otago Rugby Union. There can be no objection to this, seeing that the clubs named are in the Otago Education District, and only* by courtesy of Otago are they playing under the jurisdiction of the Southland] Union. _ The probable explanation of the dissatisfaction is that although in the Otago district and entitled to play under the Otago Union, the Tapanui, Heriot, Kelso, Waipahi and Waikaka Clubs are denied the opportunity of playing against the Otago team when it tours the goldfields, and of taking part in the country tournament in town. The Southland Union has probably been unable to cater for this section of the Eastern District Sub-union as it would like to hare done, hence the desire of the sub-union to come under the Otago Rugby Union banner. Should Otago take the clubs named into the fold, no harm will be done, but, on the contrary, a deal of good to football,in the Otago district.