ASSOCIATION.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1473, 22 June 1912, Page 24

ASSOCIATION.

I"Br "Cihcti!E-H.am\"l

THAT "LOOSE SCREW" ONCE MORE

A Critic and his Critics. 'J'hero has been some lo do this week over certain criticism which was directed at the Wellington Keferees* Association by the writer in last Siituidny's "Notes." It was pointed out by "(,'entreIlalf" that the affairs of the lieferees' Association were luit being conducted in a business-like manner—no general meetings had been held; correspondence had not been attended to; notices of appointment had bi!en sent in the too late in the week.

It was pleaded; in extenuation, that the secretary had had a great deal of work to do, but it was also pointed out (hat tho onus was upon the Association to see that, things were properly attended to, and if the secretary were unable lo give matters of routine his usual attention for some reason or other—and it Jias sinco' been pointed out that the reason was sufficiently grave to have justified the Association in granting hint temporary relief—the onus still was upon the Asso-; ciation of looking after its business.' l'or no special reason aive that the writer took occasion to complain of a. stale of affairs that was not at all satisfactory to certain members of the local Management Committee and also cnniplained of by certain referees, Mr. Newbold resigned his position as secretary to the iieferces' Association, which held a genera! meeting during the week to consider the matter. Ilesult; The general allegation that correspondence had been negkcied whs denied. This denial was not correct. The correspondence has not had llio attention which it warraifled. Mr. Newbold was assured of the ccnfidenco of the Association, and asked to reconsider his: decision; the Association appointed _ a temporary secretary; it was explained that 110 general meetings had been held because a difficulty as regards a meeting place hail arisen. This was rather disingenuous. The "room" difficulty could ca.sily have been arranged. Out of these things two points—two essential points—remain to justify the . criticism. which was directed at the lieferees' Association; (1) Sir. Newbold, in his letter, indicated that certain reasons, for which the writer has tho sincerest sympathy, prevented him from devoting the tiyie to tho Association's business tlwt he formerly gave to it; (2) the Association should have relieved its secretary of at least some of his duties until such time as his private worries were lifted off his shoulders.

"Centre-Half" has had no grievance against 11 r. Newbold. The Association was indicted. It pleaded "not guilty," but its plea rested upon evidence which, inferentiallv. was partly destroyed by its secretary's letter of resignation. It is .hoped that this little outburst will do no more th-Sn clear the air, and remove a cause of .d.issutisfaction which the Association, .out of sheer good nature and a desire to retain 111". Newbold's services, apparentlv made up its mind to put up with. •

Some Stray Notes. Regarding Mr. I!. L, Salmon's objections to New Zealand joining (lie Australian Hoard of Control, one of which was that "tho Now Zealand I'cotball Association, in shorter time, has got more, teams affiliated than the whole of the Australian Associations have," the Sydney "Keferee" says: "Objection No., 1. must, be challenged when it is -stated that in Sydney alone just on ICO teams indulged in competition matches nearly cverv Saturday." A surprise—and that interesting—communication was received by the hnn. secretary of the New South Wales football Association during the past, week from the town of West llaitlaml. Time was when doughty "Soccer" warriors hailed from this centre. A number of enthusiasts have again set the ball rolling. New members are enrolling every day, thirty joining in a week.

it is satisfactory to note that the Otngo Football Association has commenced a delinite_ crusade against the people who xkisist in kiekins: foreign footballs on the field of play when a match is in progress. The captains of two junior teams were admonished at a rccent meeting of the committee for permitting this offence.

•Again last Saturday all matches had to be postponed on account of the weathpf. In comparison with last, season, the W.r.A. are most unfortunate, for whereas (here were postponements, this year there has been one on account: of a. military parade, and two on account of weather. It is to be boned that there will .not l.e manj- more such happenings, because ihe list of fixtures is a lengthy or.e, and 110 doubt will have to be curtailed a lot before the end of the season.

The announcement that Otago's challenge to Canterbury for the Brown Shield lias to await (lie decision of three other challenges, the result of one of which may be that an Otago team would have to travel farther north lo meet some as.-neia-tion that had wrested the shield from Caiitorljiiry, was iiiidoubledly very disappointing to Otago. The southern'association had decided as long ago as last season that a challenge lo Canterbury was to be one of the first features of season l!tl2. The selectors had got early to work, and already had in their mind's eye an almost complete team to do battle for Otago. The delay will give them leisure for more prolonged observation and a more mature judgment. Looking: around the team (says "Left Wing"), one cau fee that iL is possible to select a very promising representative eleven, fairly strong in every department.

The question of players' transfers came up for discussion .at last Wednesday's meeting of the W.l'.A. It had been decided to touch on this burning question in this column Ihis week, but as the matter is sub jmlicc remarks will lie held over until after next Wednesday's moet-

; tig. All soccerdom in the boys'football world is agog with eagerness concerning visits of representative teams. There is no doubt that the committee deserve credit for the way in which the.v are looking .'liVr the bnys. Arrangements are bring mail? for two teams In travel—one to Mannwatu and one to Marlborough—this year, aad Auckland intends sending down a team at the end of the season.

A Burning Question. "The burning question of the moment, gentlemen, is the, shortage of referees," observed the chairman of the Wellington ltefcrces' Association (Mr. W. K. Weils), at a general meeting of the association, held at the WM.C.A. on Tuesdav evening last. " .

"If the present shortage continues." said lie, "the association's fixtures will either have to go by the hoard, or we will have to rely upon picking up yimvbody 011 tho ground." Mr. B. L. Salmon re'marked that (lie present position was that the association had to arrange for forty matches every Saturday, for which they had only twenty-five referees. If nil these turned up regularly, tliey could manage, at a pinch, but tho moment one of them dropped out for some reason or other, they found themselves in a dilliculty at once. They wanted about twenty more referees. Six new members were appointed that evening-—Messrs. T. M'l.nren, C. C. Olliver, AY. Wyatt, I'. Vi. Whittle, W. .Robinson, and J. Ferguson (of Johnsonville). "Too Much Talking." "At the instance of my committee," wrote Sir. Alf. Williams, secretary of the W.F.A., in a note to the Ueferees' Association (read at the association's meeting last Tuesday), "I am instructed to write and ask you to inform your referees that as there is a great deal of talking carried on by players playing in (he various grades, that it is considered advisable for such talkiag to bo put a stop to." The association decided to issue the necessary instructions to the referees. I'll is high time that this sort of thing was put. a stop to," remarked mir of I lie speaker.-;. Players—Verb. sup.

The Boys and the Boots. On* of the speaker? al the meeting ut' Ihe Referees' Association 10-.t Tno?ilay raised the que?fioti of a small insularity which the iK>ocintion ha* 'deemed it expedient in the past to wink at i -boy= coining un to tin- piavinvf !U-ld un match ilav*; with boots. Should not hoys In* rcijnc-led to provide tliom<elvc< with Hie ic-nilalinn ivpe of football boots? Thf •jciicml fcclinj; was that Uiey should riot. A> one member put it, it was better to ?ct boys into (In* field with any kind of boots, than risk a slump in the football-bny market by insisting upon boots which in ninp rases out of ten the hoys could not afford to buy. And there the matter rests*