ASSOCIATION.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1437, 11 May 1912, Page 12

ASSOCIATION.

[Bt "Centre-Half."] ADVANCING-BUT HOW FAR? The Annual "Korero." On May 24 next delegates representing the affiliated units of the Now Zealand Football Association will assemble in Wellington for the annual "korero." From this meeting all followers of the game iopo to see emerge a vigorous policy for the extension of "soccer." The quality of "soccer" has improved wonderfully, but the game has not yet hit the public in the right place, and it is the public that the New Zealand Council has now to look for that measure of patronage nnd enthusiastic folloiying-up which is such a splendid incentive to players. The best senior game on any Saturday afternoon draws but a small fraction of the numbers which flock to the Athletic Park, and this will continue until the council of the N.Z.F'A., strikes out boldly, and makes o spirited bid for popular support. A step forward in that direction hag been tnken by the Wellington°Association in acquiring its own sports ground, where ample seating accommodation should be provided. It takes a very keen sport indeed to lean up against a fence nil afternoon, get cold feet, and' icy draughts Whistling about his tronser legs, just for the sake of watching a fairly average game of "soccer." Tho bold stroke the council must make up its mind to make is the arranging of a visit from a crack representative team from the Old Country. It would be a strong draw, and many Rugby peoplo who came to scoff would remain to support. Apropos, now that we have been granted representation on the English Association, where "our Mr. Gibbs" may bo trusted to make himself heard, something practical in the direction of an international tour'ehould materialise before long. The Rapprochement With Australia. Such expensive enterprises as international tours cannot at present be nrranged off our own bat, and in this connection the friendly understanding established with our Australian comrades in arms by Mr. B. L. Salmon during the recent conference should be fostered in every possible wr.y. Tho newly-created Australian Board of Control was keenly desirous of New Zealand coming in for the purpose of forming a powerful offensive nnd defensive alliance in the interests of Australasian "soccer." Mr. Salmon, in meeting the suggestions submitted by the Australian ifoard for such an nlliance, offered as objections various points which he regarded as weighty enough to justify him reserving his decision until tho New Zealand Council had considered tho position. These were :— (1) The New Zealand Football Association, in shorter time, lias got more teams affiliated than the whole of the Australian associations have; (2) the difficulty of obtaining a snitable representative; (3) the fact thnt. when represented, we should have but one vote in seven; (4) the distance away; (5) that in most sports Now Zealand prefers to remain as a separate national power, The Board of Control. "One of tho main reasons in promoting this Board of Control is tho everprominont question of securing the visit of an Finnish team," wiid he, in his report to the connr.il. "The Australian Associations are all very keen on this, ns they rpjrnrd it, nnd rightly, too, <\s one of the chief means of increasing the interest in Association football in the colonies. It would be but the nieons to an <>nd. Of oour=e, I aprowl thnt Now Zealand would help to a««i?t in every way possible. I do not think Hint piich a visit could eventuate for throe or four yrars, and if ench of the .Australian A«nciations and New Zealand could contribute, say, ,£'3o pach for threo years, it would give a fund of over which ivoul'l lie of urent financial assistance. In the meantime, it has been decided t'm f New South Wales nnd New Zealand phonic! ouch write and ask the Football Association, Limited, upon whnt terms th"v would send a team to Hie colonies." T'lit is there any reason why such nn alliance should nnt be entered into for, fay, ;i term of five years? We have everything to gain, nothing to lose, nnd our separate identity as a nation assured whm wo can stand nlone. The essential arlicle in such a treaty would, of course, bn an agreement thnt Xew Zealand should figure as a representntivo nation in oil touring enterprises. On this very vital problem tho meeting <if tho council should provide good reading for followers of the game here. Well Done! Hospital! Willi only thrcp niatclip.q of the oliam-nion-hij) scrio* gone. I here iiro already two well-del'med divisions in th« ronl.pj.t-, Dinmomk H;)spitnl. Sf. .lohn'=, nnd Swifts being on the top side, nnd KovofN IJain-blf-rs, Thi.'Hc, WiimlPi-pr.*. nnd Corinthian* underneath. V.M.C.A. :no betwixt nnd l>ptwpen, and, ns tlii:is= stnnd in-day, Iney-nr" fho ilivHini; linn Mwppii (ho two sections. There will be much shut'-

fling in the next few weeko, but it appears abundantly clear that Corinthians and Wanderers, at least, will need to attend strictly to business if they want to make any showing at all on the championship ladder. Tho record of Hospital, who are in the lead with Diamonds, reads very well, all three games having been won, whilst !en goals have been scored for the team, ami only two have been registered against them. There is no team in the competition with so small a debit account, although Diamonds have a heavier "goals for" record than Hospital by two goals. Five goals, however, have been scored against Diamonds. The Game in Marlborounh. According to a Eu|by enthusiast, who js at present on a visit from Blenheim, tho Rugby game there is being subjected to severe competition from "soccer" amongst the younger players. Tho Hugby people, it is stated, made an effort to capture tho boys last season, but tho work has all gono for nothing, as has been proved already this season. "Koccer," in Blenheim, according to the visitor, has been in full swing for over a. month, the competition being for the Swifts Cup, and the Rugby Union only started its games a week ago. "I've got no time for 'soccer' myself,", added tho visitor, "but it's going ahead in great style all the same." Concerning the Referee. "Ho's as slow as a fnncrai"—"Blind as a owl"—"He onghter get his 'ed read"— These, and sundry such choica samples of slang comment, which appear to flow so readily off the tongue of the young colonial, were cast at a senior reforco by different interested spectators last Saturday. Tho referee in question probably did not seo everything the spectators saw, but ho did a good-best and no one can expect a referee to do more. Tho wonder is that with so many "expert" judges ready to condemn the active referees, who, according to the said judges, are so lamentably wanting, the secretary of the Referees' Association is not overwhelmed with applicants for the referees' whistles. As long as the writer can remember there has been room for more referees, and no doubt. the opportunity is etill available for ■ touch-line critics to give practical demonstrations of how rc-fereeing should be carried out, and, incidentally, help tho game along. 127,307 People at a Match. The official returns of the attendance and takings at Enmpden Park, Glasgow, on March 23, when England and Scotland played the drawn game, discloso tho fact that a new record has been established, both in point of moneys drawn and attendance. In ISOS, when the previous highest figures were recorded, approximately 121,400 people were within the confines of the. Queen's Park ground, and now these figures are exceeded by, roughly, COOO, the exact total being 127,307. In 1008 the sums taken were: Gate, .£5075; stands, ,£1762; total, MSM. In 1912 the gate reached .£5I!)8. and the stands realised .£1800; total M<M. When Will An English Team Come? "Tityrus," writing in the "Athletic News," eajfs: —"I have received a Tery long and interesting letter from Mr. C. L. Green, vice-president of the West Australian British. Football Association, enargiug upon the extraordinary growth of the simplo game 'down under.' I have • already told how popular the pastime is in the Commonwealth, and how tho Australian Board of Control has been formed. Australia is eagerly anticipating the day when the Football Association will stnd out a team as they did to South Africa. "Mr. C. F,. Green, who "lives at Cottes- ' 100 Beach, West Australia, is in a posi- j tion to say that the Football Association | will send out a party composed of amis- ; tours and professionals on tho following i conditions:—(l) The team to tour the ] whole of New Zealand and Australia and ] not to receive wages; (2) only two matches to be played in one week; (3) t'cur days ( to be given clear before each Test match; ( (1) the various States in Australia to pay \ steamboat faros for. the players and a. j manager, also all travelling eipensaa of ; the team whilst in Australia and New ] Zealand, as well as hotel expenses. The | players to travel on ti boat carrying one ] class of passengers only. , "As Mr. Green, well known as a referee in Devon, Cornwall, and London years j ago, remarks: 'Just how soon the matter | will eventuate depends chiefly upon how , soon the necessary money can bo raised, j Personally I do not think it will be very ( far hence, for the latest colonial affiliate , to the F.A. is a lusty young club capable , of rapid growth.'" ' ( Soccer in Queensland. 1 Queensland advices speak of great doings | in "soccer" circles, says the "Referee." j Great success is attending the new- \ found Schools Association, masters and pupils taking tho game up with enthu- . siasm. It looks as if the wish of the Now South Wales body that an interState Schools game bo played in Brisbane , this season will bo consummated. ; Prior to the December conference, Uγ. . Jack Logan, of Queensland, -wrote the j F.A., Ltd., anent ■ "soccer" matters np- ; pertaining to that body and Australia. He j incidentally mentioned tho proposed confer- , once. Inter alia, Mr. F. G. Wall replied: ■ —"I am glad to know that steps are c being taken for the purpose of forming an c association to cover the whole of Aus- j tralia. You will be glad to know that j it is probable that in the very near future a representative of the Australian colonies s will be invited to sit on our council. You must not be disappointed, however, J if the representative is not given voting , powers. The issues which come before j the council would not practically affect t the representative. Ho would have tho j great advantage of attending and sharing in the discussions. _ It would be educa- v tional and of considerable value. In a s few years matters may so develop that e voting power would follow." f