TAIHAPE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 75, Issue 139, 15 June 1932, Page 3

TAIHAPE

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

The second round of the senior competition* commenced on Saturday, when Hautapu defeated Huia by 21 points to 3. while Pirates beat Mangaweka on the latter’s own ground by 13 points to 3. Pirates still occupy top position on the championship ladder with 9 points, Hautapu being second with 8 points. These two teams meet again next Saturday, and the result will be awaited with very great interest. Hautapu v. Huia. Bad tactics, weak handling and inferior tackling were the chief causes of Huia’s defeat at the hands of Hautapu on Saturday. The Huia backs made the mistake of playing too close up, with the result that they were frequently outmanoeuvred by the fast Hautapu rearguard. Then again, the whole pack of Huia forwards often followed up a kick when it was advisable for some of them to remain behind to deal with the return. Huia’s handling of the ball in most cases left much to be desired, while with a few exceptions their tackling was deplorably weak. Hautapu players often, ran half way through the team, before being brought down. Huia must learn to tackle properly before they can hope to achieve much success. They possess some very promising players, and with a little coaching and attention to essential points of the game they should be able to win more matches than they lose.

Hautapu were superior, fore and aft on Saturday, although the game was not as one-sided as the score would ap pear to indicate. Hautapu possess th< j best set of backs in the competition, while their forwards though not quite up to the standard of the Pirates vanguard, have shown marked improve ment in their play in recent matches. The blue and blacks have secured some overwhelming victories since their one and only defeat at the hands of Pirates in the first round, when the blacks won by a potted goal to nil. Just how strong the Hautapu team are, it is difficult to say, but next Saturday’s match against Pirates should give a good indication. Harry Brogden played a sparkling game for Hautapu on Saurday as halfback. Harley Jones was the pick of the Hautapu forwards. Hekenui and Pikari, tho Maori wingers showed promise but the former should run with more determination and not slacken speed and look for somebody to pass to when danger threatens. Had he gone 1 ‘eyes out” for the line on Saturday he would probably have scored at least two tries-

The place-kicking on both sides was weak, and several comparatively easy shots at goal, were missed. The teams lined out as follows: — Hautapu (blue and black): Johansen, Prince, F. Thompson, Hall, Smith, Siddle, Brogden, Jones, Spooner. Blockley, W. Thompson, Joblin, Gre gory, Dean, McCarthy. Huia (red anJ black): Pine (2), Bennett, Hunter, Pikari, Kingi, Raukawa, Nicholls Rauhina, Wilson, Murphy, Cha>e, Hekenui, Ropata, Wake. Hautapu kicked off and a tcium folliwed almost immediately. The blue and blacks pressed and Huia infringed in their anxiety to clear the line, but F. Thompson’s kick underneath the crossbar. Hekenui broke away down the sideline and punted when danger threat ened and followed ap fa;t out failed to regain possession.

Had he gone “ayes out” for the line instead of kicking, he would probably have scored. Offside play by Hautapu saw Whai Pine make an unsuccessful attempt at goal. Harry Brogden intercepted a pass in neutral territory and broke away, eventually kicking into touch. F. Thompson had another unsuccessful shot at goal. Hautapu kept up the pressure but Kingi sent the invaders back with a well judged kick. Blockley, Spooner and Jones broke away with the ball at their feet, but Chase effected a good save. Pikari figured in a spectacular dash down the sideline with Hqnter in support. The latter, however,'failed to take a pass and the movement broke down.

Hautapu forced the Maoris back into their own twenty-five and securing from a melee, Harley Jones (undoubtedly a great forward) raced over. Johansen failed with the kick. Hautapu 3; Huia 0. A few minutes afterwards, Joblin gained possession in midfield and broke away with W. Thompson in support. Joblin passed to Thompson at tho right moment, and when the latter was about to be tackled he in-passed to Joblin who scored one of the best tries of the match. F- Thompson converted. Hautapu 8; Huia 0. Half-time sounded with tho scores unchanged. Brogden, tho nippy Hautapu pivot broke away soon after tho resumption of hostilities and passed to Smith, to Thompson who knocked on. Harley Jones broke away and short-punted a little too hard, tho ball going over the line for Huia to force. Murphy centred to Pine, who transferred to Kingi, to Bonnett to Hekenui, who got over in the corner, and incidentally scored tho first try that has been registered against Hautapu this season. Whai Pine failed with the kick. Hautapu 8; Huia 3- The blue forwards followed up a high punt and Gregory almost got over tho line. Tho blue and black kept up the pressure, and Brogdon, Siddle and Smith handled in turn, the last-named scoring. F. Thompson converted. Hautapu 13; Huia 3. Raukawa set tho Huia roarguard in motion, but the movement was nullified when Bennett knocked-

F. Thompson and Siddle both had penalty shots at the goal but without success. Kek&aui was responsible for a dazzling run down the sideline but his pass went astray and a good opportunity was lost. He would probably have done better if he had not passed at all, and had tried to score on his own. Hautapu carried play into their opponents’ twenty-five and securing from a line out Brogden beat the opposition and scored. F. Thompson made no mistake with tho kick. Hautapu IS; Huia 3Siddle, Smith, Thompson and Hall figured in a passing movement which culminated in Hall scoring The kirk

failed, Hautapu 21. Huia 3. Mr. C. L. Mullany was referee,

Junior Football. Tho principal junior match—that between Utiku and Pirates—resulted in a win for Utiku by 6 points (two penalty goals) to 3 (one penalty goal). Pirates had a great chance to score in the last few minutes of tho game, but their back play lacked finish. Johansen kicked Utiku’s two penalty goals, while Woodhead registered a penalty goal for PiratesHuimai 10 defeated Hautapu 3.

Murton and P. Raukawa scored tries for Huimai, while J. Raukawa “potted” a goal for tho winners. Keats scored for Hautapu. Old Boys 14 defeated Mangaweka 3. For Old Boys E. Hurst and S. Whiteman scored tries, Whiteman converting his own try. A. W. Hurst kicked two penalty goals. Smith scored a runaway try for Mangaweka, after covering half the length of the field. Moari Football. On Thursday Huia will defend rfle Mako Cup against a strong challenge from the Hukaroa Club (Ohakune). The match will be played on the Oval Domain, Taihape, at 2.30 p.m., and is attracting much attention, as Maori football has an appeal of its own, SCHOOL AFFAIRS. Delegates from the outlying schools were invited to attend the monthly meeting of the Taihape .School Committee on Monday evening for tho purpose of discussing the formation of a school committees’ association, and other school matters. The chairman and secretary of the Utiku School Committee, Messrs 'B. F. Reid and G. Gibbs, respectively, and the chairman of the Wainui School Committee (Mr. R. T. Dobson) were present. The other outlying country schools were not represented. Mr. E. Loader, chairman of the Taihape School Committee presided, and the following were also present in addition to those already mentioned: Dr G. N. Mac Diarmid, Messrs. W. Jurgens, Q. W. Newport, L. H. Haydon, M Jarvis (secretary), Rev. H. Harris and the headmaster (Mr. A. H. Denne). The chairman asked for expressions of opinion on the proposal to form a school committees 1 association. Mr. S. F. Reid favoured the proposal. He thought that much good would result from the formation of •meh an association. He suggested that the association be representative of all schools in the north ward of the Wanganui Education Board’s district. Dr. Mac Diarmid thought that the association should embrace local and adjacent schools only. The chairman: We should not include schools further south than Mangaweka and further north than Ohakune and Raetihi. We don’t want to cover too wide an area. Mr. 8. F. Reid: Yes, perhaps it would be better to restrict the area as suggested by the chairman. There is nothing to stop the school committees north of Ohakune and Raetihi, and south of Mangaweka, forming a school committees’ association of their own. I will move that a local committees’ association, representative of all schools in the district, suggested by Mr Loader, be formed.

The motion was seconded by Dr. Mac Diarmid and carried, and the secretary was instructed to notify all school committees in the district concerned.

Dr. Mac Diarmid reported that he was unable to accept nomination as a member of the Wanganui Education Board (north ward and it was decided to nominate Air. P. Munro, of Utiku. Mr. Munro, who was summoned to the meeting, said that he was willing to accept nomination, provided that he had the support and co-operation of the scliooj committees in the Taihape district. He was most enthusiastic over the formation of a local school committees’ association and thought that a move in this direction was long overdue.

RUGBY FIXTURES FOR SATURDAY The following are the Rugby fixtures for next Saturday, June 18: Seniors Hautapu v. Pirates, on No. 1 ground, at 2.30 p.m. Referee; Mr F. Ward. Old Boys v. Mangaweka, on No 2 ground, at 2.30 p.m. Referee: Mr J. Graham. Huia a bye. Juniors Old Boys v. Pirates, on No. 1 ground at 1.15 p.m. Referee: Mr C. L. Mullany. Huimai v. Mangaweka, at Utiki, at 2.30 p.m. Referee: Mr C. H. Transom. Utiku v. Hautapu, at 1.15 p.m., on No. 2 ground. Referee: Mr H. Chase. Third Grade. High School v. Hautapu, on No. 2 ground, at 12 noon. Referee: Mr N. Batchelor. HOCKEY NOTES As a curtain-raiser to the Maori football match between Huia and Hakaroa (Ohakune) to-morrow (Thursday), a hockey match will be played between Huia (leaders in the competition) and Tui (runners-up). One point only separates these two teams in the competition and the result of to-mor-row’s match will be awaited with more than passing interest. Tho game starts at 1.30 p.m. GENERAL NEWS At Monday’s meeting of the Taihape Rugby Union it was decided to donate £2 2s to the Evans’ Olympic Fund. OBITUARY MRS M. K. GORDON. A highly-respected pioneer in the person of Mrs Martha Killen Gordon, relict of the late Rev. D. Gordon, B A., of Marton, passed away on Mondav at her residence, Kaka Road, Taihape, after a brief illness, at the age of 88 years. A daughter of the late Rev. James Killen, of Belfast (North Ireland), deceased was born in that, citv end mar-

ried Rev David Gordon at Conlig, near Belfast. She and her husband came to New Zealand in 1884, and settled at Marton where they remained for 27 years, Rev. Gordon being fully occupied with his duties as Presbyterian minister during that period. Upon his retirement some 16 years ago ho and Mrs Gordon went to Shannon for about 18 months and then came to the Taihape district and settled at Taoroa. Rev. Gordon passed away some two years after his arrival in this district.

As long as she was able, tho late Mrs Gordon prominently identified herself with the activities of the Presbyterian Church, being particularly interested in mission work. She enjoyed good health almost to the last, and was a familiar figure at the big Bible-vlass rally at Taihape on Juno 3, being present at the last rally 13 days ago. Those who knew her intimately refer to her with feelings of affection as a “grand old lady” and widespread and since will be the regret at her passing. She leaves two daughters—Mrs W. Mawson, of Auckland, and Miss J. Gordon, of Taihape—and three sons—Dr. W. Gordon (Stratford), Mr D. G. Gordon (Taoroa), and Mr E. B. Gordon (Marton). The funeral will bo held at Marton to-morrow (Thursday) afternoon. Arrangements have been made for a short service to be held at St. David’s Presbyterian Church, Taihape, this (Wednesday) afternoon.