LOCAL BODIES, COURTS, ETC.

Waikato Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1559, 18 May 1903, Page 2

LOCAL BODIES, COURTS, ETC.

Meetings Local 'Bodies, week ending Mag 23 Piako County Council—Wednesday Waikato County Council—Friday Htotly Road Boaed—Saturday Magisi.-ate's Corrt Sittings Te Awamutu—Tuesday, 26th, 10 a.m Huktly—Tuesday, 9th June, 11.30 a.m Hamilton —Wednesday, 10th, 10 a.m Caajridge—Friday, 12th, 10 a.m Te Awamutu— Tuesday, 23rd, 10 a.m Raglan—When necessary Football Fixtures. May 23—Waipa Union : Cambridge v. Kihikihi, at Kihikihi ; Paterangi v. Te Awamutu, at Paterangi.—Hamilton Union : Suburbs v. No. 1, at Sydney Square

FOOTBALL. HAMILTON RUGBY UNION. LBy The Punter]. Tiie Hamilton Rugby Union's senior competition was commenced on Sydney Square on Saturday afternoon in perfect weather, when City and Suburbs played a moßt interesting game in the presence of a large number of spectators. The match resulted in a decisive victory for City by 19 poinis to 3. The teams lined out aB follows : City (maroon) : Full—Wallace ; three quarters—Wright, J»ckson, PiUe (captain) ; five-eighths Johnson ; half— McNicol ; wings—Taylor and F. Innes ; forwards—Holloway, C, Innes, Heath, Williamson, Wallace, McGarrigle, D. Wright.

Sdbcrrs (blue and white) : Full— Ranstead ; three-quarters—Tait, Bailey, Livingstone ; five - eighths Devery : half —Ranstead ; wings—Coombes and Simms ; forwards—Kelly, Manktelow, Corhoy, Olarkin (captain), Callaghan, Windsor, Magner. City started the ball rolling, and the game was soon made a very willing one, the forwards on both sides working hard. The maroons gradually worked the ball close to the blue and whites' line, where F. Innes picked up aDd made n dash to get over, but he was collared on the line and lost the ball. From the kick-out the ball went to Pike, who made a good run and looked like scoring, but the ball was knocked out of his bands when a few yards from the line, eventually going out near the corner flag. From the throw-in Holloway secured possession and raced over the line, scoring fiist blo»d for City, but no goal resulted—City 3, Suburbs 0. There was no further score in the first spell. The second spell was stubbornly contested, but the City badts soon asserted their superiority. The spell had not long commenced when C. Innes singled himself out, and dribbling nicely down the field scored a well deserved try. Wallace converted—City 8, Suburbs 0. The blue and white forwards got on a good rush, which resulted in Tait scoring near the corner flag, but Livingstone failed in the attempt at goal—City 8, Suburbs 3. A free kick was awarded to City shortly after, but Wallace failed to convert, aud D. Wright following up fast got possession of the ball before his opponents could realise the fact, ecoring the third try. No goal resulted—City 11, Suburbs 3. Pike and Johnson scored tries immediately after, one of which was converted by Wallace, making the scores —(Jity 19, Suburbs 3. About five minutes before call of time Livingstone was badly winded, and the game was brought io a conclusion. For City, all the backs played well, Wallace aud Johnson being especially good. The forwards all worked well, C. Innes, Holloway and Heath playing splendidly. Taylor and F. Innes (wings) did a lot of work in this department. The Suburbs backs were both weak in attack and defence. Devery and E nstead being the pick. The forwards are a fine set of men, all willing grafters, Kelly, Manktelow and Clarkin being especially prominent. Mr H. Johnson controlled the game in an efficient manner, while Messrs Mayes aud Hughe3 acted as linesmen.

On Saturday next Suburbs and No. 1 will meet on Sydney Square. WAIPA RUGBY UNION. The following teams played at Cambridge on Saturday, when the local men proved victorious by five poiots to their opponents three :—Paterangi : Full—D. Ryburu ; three-quarters—G. Ryburn, C. Macky (captain), Bowman ; five-eighths L Macky ; half—W. Robinson ; wings —Bruce and P. Ryburn ; forwards Livingstone (2), Sing (2), McCallum, May, E. Robinson. Cambridge : Full— Tucker ; three-quarters—Matiill, Armer, Shepherd ; five eighths—Stewart (captain) ; half- G. Asbwin ; wings—H. Ashwin und Brockelsby ; forwards—G. Armer, Bell, Keeley, Dwyer, Conner, Lowe, Montgomery. Mr Geo. Berry, of Pirongia, was referee, aDd he was most impartial and gave every satisfaction to both sides. The game was two spells of 30 minutes each, and the teams seemed very evenly matched ; but the PateraDgi men seemed to be having the best of it until just at the very last, when the home players roused themselves and by a supremo effort managed to get over the line before the final blow of the whistle. Nearly the whole of the first spell the ball was in the Cambridge ground, the visitors being helped by a stiff breeze, and Stewart saved his side more thau once by clever kicks when they were hard pres-ed ; but his play would be improved if he did not stick to the ball so long and passed before he was collared. He is a terror to ' bump' an opponent when he is heiDg charged, as one of the visitors found, but it does not come off every time. In the first spell Paterangi were awarded a free kick for their opponents playing offside, and D. Ryburn landed a neat goal. That was the only score in that spell. It was thought the Cambridge men would reverse matters when they had the wind with them in the second spell, but the visitors played up well and appeared to be in better trim than the homo men, who seemed to tire when about half-way through the spell. However, they recovered as the game got near the close, and from a tcrum right on the visitors' line E. Armer got the ball over and grounded it. Atkins took the kick and landed a clever goal. The game was a forward one throughout, there teing but few good runs. The ground was very slippery and several got laid out, but no serious damage was done. After the match the teams dined together at the Criterion Hctel. Te Awamutu v. Kihikiui.

The above teams met oo the To Awa* mutu Domain on Saturday, when the home team scored a victory by 12 points to 3. For the winners tries were obtained by Laurie and Cuuniugharn, oue of which was converted, while Morgan potted a goal from the field. The only seoro obtained by Kihlkihi was a beautiful goal kicked by Gardiner from a penalty kick about five minutes after play started. Mr W. llaeky made an efficient referee. This match counts for the O'Connor banner, now held by Kihikihi. WAIKATO RUGBV UNION. HUNTLY V. TaUI'IUI. This match was played at Huntly on Saturday last in the presence of a large number of spectators. The gmr.e was a splendidly-contested one, and was fairly even until the last fifteen minutes, when Hunlly scored two trie, making the score six points to nil. Mr M. G/leeson had charge of the game. PIAKO RUGBY UNION. WAIUOU V. MOKRINSVILLK. This match, which was played at the latter place on Saturday last, resulted in a win for Waihou by eight poiuts to nil. Mr Power acted as referee. A PROTEST. TO TIIK KDITOK, Sir,— Kindly allow me space to protest, against the thoughtless and unfair acion on the part of the spectators at Saturday's match on Sydney Squire iiv continually crowding the entire tonchline on the grandstand sine nf the ground. If they have any love for football the least they can do is to keep at a civil distance and give the players a chance, instead of stopping the name on one m- two occasions, as on Sitnrday, whet) the crowd were so close to the line at times that, it was almost impossible to distinguish the players from them. The requests of the line judges, referee, and certain members of the Union to 'keep clear' were entirely ignored. The necessity for keep- I ing tho spectators outside the wires was) manifested towards Jtho conclusion o f