ASSOCIATION.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1216, 26 August 1911, Page 12

ASSOCIATION.

MR. HOLMES ON THE BETTING BLIGHT.

(Br CEXTnE-HiLi'.]

The Final Table. Following is a completes li.=t oE the various teams and llieir respective positions in the final table for the past season:—

It is Finished. Last Saturday saw the curtain rupg down on tho League championship for the 1911 season, Swifts gaining premier honours with a total of 30 points for 17 games. They aro no strangers to the position, but" the outstanding feature of tho tourney was tho performance of tho runners up (Hospital), whose first season it was in senior rank. Starting their programme with successive defeats from Ramblers and Wanderers, thoir improvement was such that they did not lose another game till the last match of tho first round. Meanwhile they had decisively defeated the ultimate, champions by 5 goals to 1, and, with Hovers, were the enly team to lower the colours of the Beds. In seven matches no scores were recorded against them, and Cockburn wins tho medal for tho best defender of tho netted area. Hospital's record of u< goals for and 21 against is the best in the League, and altogether (especially considering tho restricted resources of the club), their initial appearance in senior football, their splendid achievement m gaining the second position in the table, may be looked upon by themselves and their officials with pardonable pride. They have endeavoured to play the game in the true spirit, and have earned a reputation for sportsmanship that is one of tho most pleasant features of a highly interesting season's football. Tho writer is told that the club are goin" to make a determined effort to take the Charity Cup to Porirua. Wellmay their object bo attained. Thistle and "Ladies' Complaint." Thistle evidently attached no importance to tho position of run-ners-up in tho championship, as thev failed to put in an appearance at Porirua to make good their position in the table. Hospital therefore win by default—an unsatisfactory conclusion— especially as they were anxious to reverse a 'little untoward event earlier in the season, and so take points from every team in the League. Nerves in one person can be excused, but what is to bo said when a whole team of brawny ThistlesScots at that—are. supposedly suffering from a failing that is usually left to the ladies. <• What Coaching Boys Will Do. Last season's Sixth Division champions, the Porirua lads, aro making a bold bid to carry tho honours off again, and, by a fine win, deposed Y.M.C.A. from the leadership, and now lead by one point. Tho game was hotly contested, ends being changed with the scores one all, but tho suporior coaching of tho country lads enabled them to put on two goals and gam a splendid victory. "Fore and aft" they were superior to Y.M.C.A. boys, who were much the heavier team, and their unselfish tactics and accurate shooting would not shame many an older team. They prefer, and, indeed, seem to emoy, to outwit their opponents by drawing the man and passing tho ball rather than by attempting to dribble round mm, and there should bo no fear for.the future of Wellington football, if' tho .boys teams were ill coached on theso lines. Betting—Strong Precautions Against It. A letter under the foregoing caption has been received, and speaks for. itself. It runs:— Dear Centre-half,-The Xow Zealand Football Council have had brought betoro its notice recently tho fact tnat thero seems to be an increase in betting in connection with matches under their auspices. The council intend to thoroughly enforce Rulo 17 of its by-laws, which says: "No official o£ an association or club, referee, linesman, or player shall bet on any football match, and associations and clubs are also required to prevent heeling, anu u:e I'.siv of objcttiunablo languago by spectators. _ . Nothing causes sport to more quickly deteriorate than betting, and it soon travels from spectators and supporters to players, and then (instead of being fair trials of strength) pre bought, and' sold in a most degrading manner. Association football lias been absolutely clean in tho past, it should bo the endeavour of every friend of the game to keep it puro and clean iu the future. Tho council aro advising ull associations that it is their intention to most severely deal with offenders who bet or who use objectionable language. H. N. HOLMES, Chairman, N.Z.F.A. Foul Play, and What Should be Done. Complaints have been prevalent lately of rough and foul play, the causes which have allegedly led up to tho trouble .being variously stated to bo duo to weak or lax referees,' or to tho association for failing to adequately punish tho offenders when reported, that a new ground is in prospect, a determined attempt should bo mado by the management to stamp out any indication of such behaviour, both for the good name of the game and from a spectator's point of view. Give the latter a prospect of clean, honest football, with nothing to shock his or her eyes or ears, Association football should attract (and keep) supporters by the thousand next season.

In some measure the trouble arises through the linesman's powers (as to observing and reporting ollences to (ho referee) falling into abeyance, mainly, 'tis true, tli rough ignorance of his powers and duties by tlio former, and by the latter tacitly ignoring the former as other than a "flag-wagger" for the ball out of play. The remedy is to appoint capable linesmen, from an official list drawn up at tlio commencement of the season, and instruct referees to recognise them as properly constituted assistants in tho administration of the game, as the laws enjoin. No referee can see everything, cls:t why the instructions to linesmen? And tlio powers that be must punish c'lTcndcrc without fear or favour from now on, as paltering or condoning the evil only increases it. Of course, tempering justic? with mercy. Only (Ms last seascn at Home mombers of Hie F.A. Committee, observing offences on the field which tho referee did not, moved in the matter, and caused the offending players to be punished. The W.F.A. might well copy that,' but with great circumspection. Stray Shots at Goal. The English F.A. have sanctioned tho extension, for another season, of the rule allowing the use of the rubber-faced ball. So far,~ the only complaints have b;cn that, it is apt to bo "tco lively." Tho V.A. at Homo rule over 500,000 amateur players, in addition to 10,000 professionals—a vmrnber alvout equal to half New Zealand's population. In view of" the high position which the W.i'.A. hold in tho New Zealand "Soccer" world, it is somewhat surprising that they do not award caps or badges (.!> their chosen representatives. A neat badge with the Association monogram should cost but a couple of shillings, and it would be highly prized by players. County Associations do so at Home, the player weaving the badge on the breast opposite their ordinary club badge. It is abrut time that the management instituted a system of fines for defaults. .7list fancy two first division teams failing to'keep their appointmonis! What about the New Zealand Cup, and wh''!i is tho N.Z.I'.A. going to make an announcement as to how they intend running tlio tics, which teams aro eligible to compete, etc.? Wellington play Canterbury for the Brown Shield at. Chrislohurch on Saturday, September 10. A good suggestion to the YV.i'.A. is that they instruct tho selectors to pick the team right away, rci a* to allow thorn lo gain combination by practising together before they meet their Waterloo,

in -2 « o \ - g | 5 is fi ,3 <S fS Swifts 17 15 I) 2 50-23 30 Hospital ... IS 12 2 i 58-21 2(1 Tliktlo ... 18 12 1 5 39-2G 25 Hamblers ... 18 10 3 5 -11-30 23 Diamonds ... 17 8 3 (i 10-28 1!) Y.M.C.A. 18 7 ■! 7 28—12 IS Havpi-s ...... 18 5 3 10 31-10 13 Wanderers 18 i 2 12 27—Hi 10 Corinthians 17 3 1 13 18—Go 7 St. John's ... 17 1 3 13 16-50 5