FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVI, Issue 935, 6 February 1908, Page 12

FOOTBALL.

THE RUGBY UNION. A SPECIAL MEETING. Mr. M. J. Sheahan took the chair at a special general meeting of the Rugby Union on Friday. On the recommendation that the Auckland University College should be admitted as a senior team, Mr. Saunders (Grafton) moved, and Mr. G. Bater (Ponsonby) seconded, that the college team should not be admitted. The mover contended that the admission would only be the wedge to break up the district system. It would be a repetition of the Suburbs Club. The college should not be admitted, receive a beating every Saturday. The rule admitting the college was. however, passed, only two voting against it. The rule regarding bona-fide residents was amended, so that graduate students, of the New Zealand University and matriculated students actually attending the lectures should be permitted to play with the college team. On the. question of junior teams, it was explained by Mr. Ohlson that the union desired to get all outside league players and other junior teams to

play under the supervision of the senior district club, and thus come under the jurisdiction of the union. Objection was raised that this would kill the district scheme, and allow the packing of teams from separate districts. The amended rule was carried.

The position now is that all senior clubs, except the College, are bound by the district scheme, but junior teams are not limited to boundaries, being under the control of the senior clubs.

An amendment was moved by Mr. Saunders, “ That a sub-committee be formed from the delegates not elected to the Management Committee, to manage junior football and act as an advisory body to the Management Committee.” There would be such a mass of work for the juniors, that a sub-committee was necessary. The amendment was carried the Management Committee to draw up the duties of this sub-committee. In case of necessity, the Management Committee was empowered to appoint a selector or selectors. Some discussion took place as to the admission of representative players to all matches free of cost. It was proposed that players who had represented the Auckland province for five years should be provided with free passes. It was stated that there were only 28 players who came under this heading. It was argued that men who had played for years for their clubs or only represented the province for one or two years, or had worked for a club for some years as an officer, was entitled to the same consideration. The secretary (Mr. Langsford) and others contended that no distinction should be made to the number of seasons a player represented the province. A motion by Mr. Saunders, that players who had represented the province for five years should be given a free pass, was carried.

An amendment by Mr. G. Donaldson was carried, that a win should count two points, a draw one point; the club having scored the greatest number of points in all grades to be declared the winner of the union cup; in the event of a tie the club teams, to play off in heats to decide the championship. Mr. Pagni donated a cup for competition. The meeting will be continued to-morrow evening.

The New Zealand team have broken their long spell of disasters with a narrow victory over Ebb Vale. The game, which was witnessed by ten thousand spectators, was won by a try to a goal.