Football.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume III, Issue 141, 6 April 1893, Page 9

Football.

Mr F. H. R. Alderson, a well-known Englishßugby football player, lecturedrecently in the Free Library Hall, South Shields, on “Football, and howto play it.” He said that at present they were passing through a critical period in connection with Rugby football. The game, he thought, Was worth playing, and for the young and healthy a better recreation could not be got for the winter months. It was a great mistake, however, for those to play football who were not “young and healthy,” and he thought that football was a cheap recreation for the masses. Speaking of the system of playing four three - quarterbacks, he said in the alteration of the style of play which had been brought about, there was now so much work thrown upon the centre man that he was run off his legs, and he had to have another man in the centre to help him. He had played in the centre now for several years, and he found that each year he got more work, and he could not do without the assistance which the four three-quarter system supplied. There was a proposal to reduce the number of 'players to 13, but he did not think that that was a good system at all, because if they reduced the number to 13 it reduced the game to merely runners. Now, they did not want merely sprinters or runners; they wanted plack in going for a man, and determination in pushing. Stick to 15 and play four three-quarters was his game. He appealed to them to guard against professionalism, put down betting, and play the game in a gentlemanly manner.

The annual meeting of the City Football Club was held at the British Hotel on Thursday last. There was a large attendance, and Mr F. W. Edwards occupied the chair. The following officers were appointed :—President, Mr T. Thompson, M.H.R.; Vice-Presidents, Messrs G. Powley, M. J. Shehan, J. Gallagher, J. Halyday, jnr., T. Foley; Captain, Mr C. A. Caradus; Vice-Cap-tain, Mr C. Stone ; Committee, Messrs Stevenson, Blewdin, Pilkington and O’Connor; Delegates, Messrs Edwards, Stone and O’Connor; Secretary, Mr P. Kane ; Treasurer, Mr T. Foley. The annual report of the Wellington Rugby Union shows that of the 1891 season’s liabilities had been paid off, and there now remains a credit balance of £39. The Union had a most successful season. The City Council having undertaken to put Newton Park in good order, the cup matches will probably be played at Petone if suitable train arrangements can be made. The well-known Sydney amateur champion sprinter, W. T. Macpherson, has been elected captain of the Randwick Football Club for the ensuing season, and the ex-Merivale footballer and professional runner, F. Surman, has been chosen as one of the selection committee of the same club, A E. Sefton, another well-known amateur athlete, being also one of the selectors. J. Taiaroa’s long jump of 20ft put up at Timaru, has been passed as a record by the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association.