FOOTBALL

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VII, Issue 352, 22 April 1897, Page 3

FOOTBALL

[By

Vigilant.)

The annual general meeting of the Auckland Rugby Union was held last Tuesday evening, though too late, of ■course, for notice in these columns. As the meeting has, however, been fully dealt with by the dailies I will merely select one or two of the most notable features. The report, after setting forth the results of the 1896 season’s operations, shows the profit on last year’s transactions to have been £604 14s 9d, inclusive of the slight balance, some thirty odd pounds, brought forward from the previous year. Of this £5OO was voted to the Ground Trust Fund, which now totals £l3OO 12s Bd. A motion was tabled by the Newton Football Club to the effect that in future the selection committee be chosen at the annual meeting instead of being subsequently chosen by the managing committee. A good deal of discussion pro and con took place anentthe proposal, the weightiest remarks to my mind being those of Mr T. Henderson, who pointed out that the selection by delegates of the 11 committe ” would probably have the result of introducing club feeling, voters naturally having an inclination to get on those who thought they would favour the clubs they represented. Also, he said, the matter would be rushed through too hastily without sufficient consideration, and it would perhaps afterwards be found that the very man they wanted had actually been omitted. His remarks had, I believe, a good deal to do with the motion being negatived, and I might also say the meeting acted wisely. The chairman of the meeting at the A.R.U. annual meeting (A. E T. Devore, president) is very much in favour of a one man selection committee, and his remarks in this direction had the effect of notice of motion being given, that rule 5 with reference to the three-man committee be expunged and a clause inserted that the committee in future compose one man only. This will be discussed at a special general meeting this (Thursday) evening. The managing committee of the A.R.U. for the incoming season comprises the following gentlemen: —Messrs T. Henderson (chairman), J. C. Webster, W. Airey, V. Langsford, and A. Cotter. The football season will open here on May Bth with the championship fixtures. I hear there will be a great deal of difficulty this year in getting together a satisfactory Referee’s Association. The alleged professionalism on the part of the Parnell Club in inviting young Asher, of Tauranga, to come up and play for that district has been cleared up. The communication was a private one sent by Mr Tapper, of Parnell, and entirely without the sanction of the club. With the exception of the Suburbs district the whole of the senior clubs who will compete in this year’s championships seem pretty well satisfied with their lot, the one in question being very much in doubt as to whether or not they will be able to put a fifteen in the field. Beyond the usual round I do not see that there will be much to interest followers of the Rugby game, the season in this respect seeming to be a decidedly quiet one, the only visiting team of moment with which the local “reps.” will try conclusions being the New Zealand fifteen, which goes to Australia in June next. Of course the usual matches will be played with the outside unions in the province, some of which, at times, are worth watching, and judging by the lively team that the Thames this year will put in the field the local men may on that occasion look forward to a very tough contest. In Grafton district there has been very little change, though that little inclines to be for the worst, as it means the loss of Gittos, one of their best forwards. Certainly I. Mills (Newton) and 8. Browne (City) are inside that district’s boundaries, but I am led to believe that they intend giving the game best.

The City boys are very fond of their chance of carrying off this year’s honors, and when one is informed that they have added to their ranks Siddell, Newton’s three-quarter, McConnell, the old Aucklander who last year did good service in the front rank for the Merivale Club, Christchurch, Rockley, of Taranaki, and probably Allen, they certainly seem to have room to feel a little “ cockey.” There is one absentee who they will sadly miss, and that is the flat-footed scoring three - quarter back, Frank Surman, who had furnished into one of the best men one could wish to see in this position. The Ponsonbyites have not a great deal to crow about, as they will be without Masefield, Stitchbury, and V. Langsford, but then, of course, they are able to fall back on their first juniors to replenish the falling away of the old “ birds,” and as there are some very good men in that fifteen they should not be altogether out of the running. It might also be noted that they have Oily Riley back again.

The Newton Club sustain a severe loss in Siddell, Hazeman, G. Murray, and I. Mills, but from what I am given to understand the new men grafted into the district will just about counter-balance the losses, in which case the Club will be sort of “as they were before they were” ; that is to say, just about as strong as when they were bracketed with Parnell and City last year when the trio divided the senior honours. The new comers are

W. Airey, who by the way is more aptly described as an old ’un back again. Richards, of Wairarapa, a three-quarter to fill Siddell’s place, and they say a couple of reputed coastal forwards. North Shore have added quite a string of new men to their ranks, and being a team who badly needed it no one would be sorry to hear that it is so There will be Pitt, Irwin, and White, all “ sodjers ” recently transferred from Wellington, and who are said to know a thing or two about the rugger game. H. Dacre, an old Auckland boy, Jamieson and Prince, of Franklin, and, last but not least, the well-known wing forward Teddy Binney, who is this year residing inside the Shore boundaries. They will, however, suffer the loss of their oldest, and certainly one their best representatives, W. Wynyard, who is unable to don the jersey for his Club this year. Parnell have certainly added to their strength this year, for while they lose a sterling forward in McLean, and a rare old general in “ Billy ” Elliott, they add to their list of membership Cranston (Pukekohe), D’Arcy (Wairarapa), Pike, and Brody, who played three-quarter for the team two seasons back, and G Murray, the dashing Newton forward. It is also understood that Frank Jervis, the crack three-quarter, will play throughout this season, so that putting two and two together the eastern suburb will be a very hot lot. Suburbs, as above stated, will probably

not be able to place a team in the field at all, and should thoy not do so I suppose the boundaries will be altered and their players divided amongst the other districts. It appears that Yorkshire will not be the champion English County this season, as both Cumberland and Kent have come to the front and will be hard to dispose of. A. Mason, who played halfback for Otago last year, is now in Wellington, and will, it is said, throw in his lot with the Melrose Club.