ASSOCIATION.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 912, 3 September 1910, Page 12

ASSOCIATION.

,Mv. Williams,.'<of Auckland, who .fefereed. , in" th.e -- ■ Taranaki-Wellington'. ; match rit' New.Plymouth the. other day, is- a great belieyer iii condition for'thV .man.with the-whistle. ,He! keeps himself, in. good' fqrin all. through. the season, null takes the field/like, a,sprinting athlete,, in the lightest of running, gear. A- light white, jersejv 'white .knickers, and running shoes constitute his,«earing up'parel ■.on .the day. of■;. a -big /match, and he follows the Bockefellian idea of .exterior whisky treatment, to further. rejuvenate the body.;'Unlike-the American millionaire,, ho does not batho in the liquid, :biit. .merely-applies it .as a form .of embrocation. \. There are some people who:*.'look upon external whisky treatment as ; rank heresy and criminal extravagance. iHHowever, Mr. -Williams has proved himself physically one of the fittest of referees/ and when occasion required in th*.Wei-' lington-Taranaki match, he was.-";level with the van: of: the fastest rushes, while in 1 anticipating play ho shifted over the field w,ith the agility of. a young George Smith, ■ .'': .- v. .- : . >' .'■ ■'■■■ '■'•.' League Affairs. ~ ~'■'■;■ ■ Judging from reports, some of : our New Zealand proselytes to the, Northern Rugby Union- game are, having a bad time in England.' These statements-may apply to those players, .now shreds of their former greatness, but. it is gravely reported; that ,very few , : Maoriland footballers'.are doing well.in Britain. .'This is not surprising. ;There must .be , some-' ■thing "rotten in the state of Denmark," when it is found necessary to import human bone and.muscle 16,(100 miles, for' what? To kick a.leather bag of wind up'; and down a field.-.■..Wβ' send men Home, to .the; Old. Country :to* : learn 1 art, and scienco, and culture, and that which will possibly be an.asset in.life's battle, but the wholesale •' importation' of athletes whose, ephemeral..fame'is as likely as not to bo a deferfont 'to them : in their .'after' life, is. a deplorable circumstance, and constitutes a grave, menace to the independence of physical' manhood. .;■ Country Representative Team. . V There was some" talk a few months ago 1 : of the New Zealand. Unipn instituting the practice of. sending' out a touring country .: representative tsam all over the Dominion. ..At the-time it appeared difficult ito understand if the scheme would work satisfactorily,' owing to the fact that the trip would interfere with other interprovincial (fixtures and the travelling arrangements ' made., by ..players. .Boiled; down, the idea: is unsound,' and-apparf ently it was-agreed to by the New Zea-. land Union/simply, because that august body' had no special'ideas on thq .subject, biit wished. to stand in with the. country unions, which possibly have,been ndglected by the parent body. The country travelling representative . business' won't, prosper, but whenever, thero: is a visiting team in New Zealand every country provincial district' should be visited by them. Further than that, the country teams should work out their own salvation. They-must prove themselves, and much in. this way. can be done by playing club"matches in-tho larger centres. By these , means they bring their leading- players , ' -under. the special notice of. the city public, .press, and selectors. As a matter of fact;, owing to rival attractions, players are apparently not desirous of losing holidays for this purpose. Finally, they play wretchedly in -their ordinary games, all; through want of practice, and then because-"Bill'' Smith (a world's champion if ho only got the chance) is not selected,'players. led .by an unenlightened ..sections of the! tress attempt to raise a revolution.. The same players and. the same press would rebel, against the acceleration ofifallihg bodies, or {Newton's . three Jaws; of motion,, or the' Tsar of Eiussia../ ' V : v , .- Our August Body;, -o' : ! V '' ' Coming "back .'again fa tho great New Zealand Rugby Union. .That body has' done good work in.its time,"but like all. other bodies which grow into a. sort of family party, it is ..apt , to run into one grove, , and. that , 'a.ivery old grove with a.lot of.moss in it;'••; With , the aid.of the New South' Wales'.Rugby Union, it brought over the Universities team, with tho object of ■•planting aniateu'r Rugby iu tho Western'.States of U.S.A. This' was a fine idea in the range of international Rugby, but in Home matters the New Zealand' Union should bestir itself a little more. It fights.-.tenaciously' against the somewhat futile 'league invasions, but for the next , ten or twelve, or possibly fifteen, years, tho League has no chance of a virile .life in this country. Ono big game' a year, and then stand.'on the touch-line until the gray hours come, is enough, to sicken the most pronounced League enthusiast.: The New Zealand Unipn' , wants to foster things snore. It shirked the insurance scheme, which in the course. of ten or twelve years would have been a great lift against League onslaughts-; it issues no miiiual apparently because the business is too much trouble. Meanwhile footballers, rely upon jam-tin information as to how the rules and case law , are progressing, that is if their locan union has not the enterprise to . issue some book about the rules. 'Then by running the £ s. d." business into.- the appointment of referees, the New Zealand Union is helping : materially to/.'cripplo tho game" and create dissatisfaction . amongst players and public. If there were not a.sufficient number of old practical footbaUors on , the Management. Committee of the N.Z.11.U. there Would be some excuse for tho lapse regarding referees, but the only conclusion one : can come to is that the committee has' allowed its' better judgment to bo., ovorriddeir by a sordid desire to savo. n few shillings at the expense of a good game, .■-..'

(By Centre-Half.) Boys' Representative Match. Quite the absorbing topic amongst, the youths is the forthcoming trip of the boys'.team"to Otago, the keenness of the probables and possibles being an object lesson- to senior players. Two trial games in., which 44 players took part were played, last Saturday, and despite the heavy wind blowing, and the transfer of the' games out to Miramar, very few emergencies were called upon. The boys took a wonderful interest in their work, the .first match between the A and B teams being a very good exhibition of "soccer." The second match between- C and D teams was not so'good, but-several boys showed up very much above the majority, and ,are being promoted to -.the A and B game to-day, from which the. final selection will'be made. *.. '",•'■■: Some Good Form. ~,,! It might perhaps be not out of placo to mention the form of' some of the boys. .In, goal both Nimmo and Bur--' rows showed up very well, and there is not much between them, but Nimmo ha's probably had more experience, but there are. some points which weigh.in favour of his-vis-a-vis. Of the full-backs, .Aitken.and Sheehy stand out by themselves, being a splendid pair. .Thiiy wuro last year.s backs, : and both have gained in experience. The former- is particularly good, v-Davis • and" Thompson, a St. David's lad, showed to., advantage,. as well as Hindmarsk from Island Bay, but M'Girr ; (T.M.C.A.) was' disappointing. , V,- The.half-back play was .distinctly good, 'little Thomas, of-the : Brooklyn Gthi grade, though playing out of his placu at-.left-half, certainly deserved all ' the good-,things said about him,■' and the writer ; will be rather surprised if this boy' does not gain..his "place. Nicoll, Marshall, Bell, Wareham,; Dewdney,- and Boden all gave promise of good futures. Walker, one-of last year's team, was 'away, with the Rugby- school representatives, but will have to be considered, though I think Marshall is a better lad.' sßaldwin, u : clever boy last season, is sadly. "off colour" this year.

Two Marist School Stars. ■ V..The'forwards all through were a littlt ' disappointing. Great things had '■ been hoard about' the Y.M.C.A. front-rankers, but only .Bates and Homo showed to ad-! vantage.'. The : bright 'stars of the' afternoon's play were Waller • and Bowden on the .right-wing. This tricky: little pair come from the Marist School,' their combination being perfect-'and; both' are remarkably fast. Bates is a good insidoright,;but will probably.-have to.be shified to cenh'ij to gain a place. Fitzgerald is a.likely lad, ! but is inclined to crack up: against a: bustling back,-; and the selectors do not. want last, year's experience repeated.' The choice of inside-left 'will: probably' come from Richards,. .Car-! modjv or Grindrod. Home is at present the. best .outside-left, .but was'disappointing in'tlie trial, this:.being.duo probably to'-"his playing irisideJeft; in. club foot,ball.. Morris, from.Brooklyn, is a really hard.;worker \ and' must, "be considered. Q'thoT good forwards, were 1 Cusask, Wilton; and Johnson. ...'■; ..■' ;', -: . A Guess at -the Team,'- v >'': 'The.'.real, weakness in the forwards !a the.lack of good shooting abilities, but possibly,.the evening practices will- improve this defect. At least one night; should be devoted- to' shopting.'at goal instructing-the team,in.the various points i'which '.'go ."-. towards winning matches.-' ■-..•".. :,':■:.-..:.- ;■..;- '."(Jentre '.Half" thinks-''that'.' the following 'will becsomething .like the' team:— Goal.:. Nimnioi or Burrows. Backs:. Ait--ken, Sheehy. Halves: Thomas, Marshal], Nicol. Forwards: Waller, , Bowden, Bates,' Eichards, Carmody, or Home. Extra, back: Bell. : . . The LOtago Team. .'•■'-' I ' : ,' ■ : . V The selected representatives of the Dnnedih schools are .as follow:—Goal: Eal-'-linshaw. ■ Backs: Braithwaite, Allpo, Halves: Muirhead, Nicholson, Orr. i'orwards: Salmon, : Kemnitz, Walsh, Loinas, farquharson. We remembur ■• Alloo, Nicholson, and Orr as members of last year's Otago team while was an. emergency. In a letter to,- the.' secretary of the Wellington Football Assoeia- , tion, Mr. T. H. Broomfield, secretary of the Schools Committee of'the Otago Football Association,' says the team is a strong" one all round and that the Wellington team 1 will; have to be good to win.- , New Zealand Referees' Association. .'. Some mention was ■madp'.atnas.i'week's, meeting of -the N.Z.F.A. of; Svant.' ,of confidence"in ithe. ; New Zealand .lieierees' 'Association, ,'a: remark. whichVwasv objected ;to:'. by VMr.- ,; Wood the , : secretary of the latter..bodyi ■.''.•The writer, learns, on good authority,'.' that no.vmeeting'- of - the 'N'.Z'.R;AV'has taken place_ since the nual meeting early in'Juiie. If this is correct the Council of the N.Z.F.A. has : every reason to be dissatisfied with the present management of the Ileferees ; As : sociation and should' see that a change is. made. / '■ '.-.." Stray Notes, : ' ■■•■■: Advices from Blenheim state that tno newly-formed ■ schools league is., making excellent, progress and has completed the first round: of fixtures; '. ; Great keenness, and'good form'have been shown by the boys. The .committee are' .endeavouring to arrango for the visit, of a team "from Wellington. :.'."''■'.'. •':■'.. ,- ~:■ A proposal introduced to ' the W.F.A. by Mr. i. M'Kenzie is to the effect that an'ondeavour should be made to utilise an area of spare ground alongside-.tho Karori Cemetery as .a sports- ground. The Eugby' Union has also been communicated with, and the City Council will very likely be approached in- the matter. ;. •. ■ . . -,- -. The'.N.Z.F.A. is sending Home for 00 dozen referees' charts for next season. All true "soccer" enthusiasts will regret to learn that E. Tiniperly, the clever little representative and Y.41.C.A, _ forward, has had to undergo a very serious operation, and that there is little chance of-his ever playing again. : . "A Mournful Tale.". .-.' :'.,'.

Members 'of the. Council- of the N.Z.F.A. ■wflre 'anything.but pleased at the following list of suspensions which they confirmed, at tho last, meeting :—F. Aitchison, 5 years for tripping; M'Leod, 5 years for dangerous play; Cbrmack, until June 1911 for .fighting ,• Mason, off air grounds during the pleasure' of the. O.F.A. for misconduct; Laweon,: 5 yoars for striking a referee. '-Auckland F.A.:-J.- SRath, till end of .season, 1911, for misconduct. ' ■ Altogether it was, as a member remarked, ."a . mournful tale." ' The. disqualifications were all confirmed without discussion. ■ ■ '■'■■.■: .. It was mentioned at Wednesday's meeting of the W.P.A. that;Mr.,H. Bernard, a prominent referee, is seriously ill. "Soccer" enthusiasts will join with' tho writer in wishing Mr., Bernard a very speedy recovery. - . ■ It is'anticipated that-Messrs. W. Auld, B. L. Salmon, and J. M. Oilier will not seek re-election to tho local Management, Committee next -year. On the othor hand there is every probability of Mr. L. White again seeking the "pin pricks of publicity" in the football arena. If he does it will be "soccer's" gain. Few football legislators have bettor judgment than Mr.. White. Increasing business, responsibility is the reason .for Mr. Salmon's decision. ■. ■Mr. Oilier is treasurer of the N.Z.F.A. and: with' Mr. Salmon, desires, to put all hie energy into headquarters work.