Vouchers Were Destroyed Said Football Club When Asked For Explanation.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18614, 16 November 1928, Page 14

Vouchers Were Destroyed Said Football Club When Asked For Explanation.

SPORTING NOTES FROM LONDON.

(Special to the 44 Star.”) LONDON, October 4. The Football Association have given further evidence of their determination to enforce the strict observance of amateur principles. By’ rule all the clubs are compelled to make a financial return at the end of the season, and when that from Le>’ton, who have won the amateur cup during the past two years, was received, the authorities were astonished to see that the season’s expenses amounted to £3300. The sum was so exceptional that an explanation was called for. Now there is a law which orders clubs to retain their bills and vouchers for two years. Those of the Leyton Club were called for, and they were not forthcoming. The explanation was that they had been destroyed. At once the club was suspended, and their cup and League matches had to be abandoned. This was before a decision was reached. The members of the team, however, were not affected. They were at liberty to play for any club they might choose, and many of them did so. Meanwhile, the inquir3 r went on. and finally it was decided that the executive officials should be suspended from further participation in the management of the game. It is an unfortunate case, and it has strengthened the suspicion that all is not well with the amateur side of the game. It may be recalled that the Football Association took-drastic action a month or so ago in suspending officials and also players in Durham on a wholesale scale. The trouble in that instance was over the allowance of match expenses. Instead of their being paid their out-of-pocket expenses, the players had been given a flat rate. Now the Welsh Football Association have ordered an inquiry into amateur-

ism in the principalit> r , owing to reports about illegal payments to players. No New Golf BalL Perhaps those most concerned about the proposal to introduce a new golf ball have been the manufacturers. If it were ado.pted, it would mean the outlay of many thousands of pounds on fresh plant,’and all the successful experiments which they have made during recent 3*ears to improve the. ball, would be wasted. But these fears have been dispelled. At any rate, it is their belief that a new ball is as far off as ever. After practically agreeing to the larger and lighter ball put forward by St Andrews, America suddenly came to the conclusion that the restrictions it would impose were not sufficiently farreaching. They want a decided cut in the length of shots. At the same time they do not desire to go back to the old floating ball, and on the lines so far explored, this would be necessary to get the proper reduction. In these circumstances they are try’ing to solve the problem in another fashion. 'They want to fix the resiliency of the ball. This, it is stated, is impracticable. “What they are trying to do is to pick the good and the bad eggs out of a basket,” said one of the leading manufacturers.

There is no doubt that St Andrews wish they were well rid of the question. They realise that the vast mftjority of golfors in this country do not desire a change, but in order to keep in friendly' touch with the American authorities, they' took up the scheme, which the latter have now been pleased to turn down.

Originally the intention was to make the new ball serve for only champioships and open competitions, but, again to satisfy the Americans. St Andrews abandoned this part of the plan. Presumably there will be a new ball, but it is certain now that it cannot be introduced before 1930 at the earliest, and only then if the change is on the lines recently proposed.

Soccer Team For South Africa. South Africa is evidently expecting a visit from an English Association football team at the end of the present season, and the plea which has been put forward is that the side which opposes Scotland in the premier international match should be chosen to make the trip. Meanwhile, nothing has been decided by the Football Association, but there is no doubt that the invitation will be sympathetically considered, and in all probability accepted. But it is not an easy matter to arrange for a party of, say, sixteen players to go so far away from home. So far as the professionals are concerned, the Football Association can only ask for their assistance; they cannot demand it; and the clubs naturally like their players to take a holiday during the summer, This, it is contended, is necessary in order to ward off staleness. If the men were left to make their own decision, there is no doubt that every one would jump at the chance to visit South Africa, and, after all, a little persuasion may enable the Football Association to get together a thoroughly representative team. England is now mainly cut off from the Continent, having withdrawn from the International Federation, and we have been strongly urged to direct our efforts for the advancement of the game in the Empire rather than in Europe. The Soccer authorities in South Africa, it is understood, are anxious that the visit should be next year. The tour of the All Blacks has given the Rugb- r game in the Dominion a big fillip, am*.

it is believed that the dribbling code would make the same response, if a first-class English side were sent out. Smith’s Success in. Billiard Test. The first round in the billiard struggle between Smith and Newman went to Smith. The men played at Liverpool on the new time principle. That is to say, each session lasted an hour and a half, and the object of each man was to score as many points as possible in the time.- At the finish. Smith held an advantage of just over six hundred, so that the result was close. Indeed, it represented, little more than one break to players of the ability of Smit i and Newman.

It has always been contended that Smith was the finest match winner m the game—the best, in fact, the game has known. On the other hand, tnere were some close watchers who declared that he had lost some of his forin ; and that Newman would beat him. Unfortunately, the match at Liverpol was not as fair a test as could have been st.’Av ioej aqi oj Suiaio ‘p^qstAv played on the same make of table that Smith has used exclusively for several years. This gave him an advantage which was estimated to be equal to a start of more than a thousand. At any rate, it was significant that Newman was not seen at his best until the third day, when he had become accustomed to the table and cushions. Newman again showed himself to be the more fluent scorer, but he did not play with the consistency of his opponent. I who hardly missed a session without I making a break of four hundred or so. 1 It was bv means of these breaks that he kept ahead after taking a long lead in the early stages.