FOOTBALL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1485, 6 July 1912, Page 12

FOOTBALL.

[Br 'Abistobulds.] What is Amiss in Hawko's Bay? Another •Letter. ■ . Some weeks ago a lettor was published indicating what appeared to bo rather quaint features in connection with tho Hawke's Bay football control, and, guided by the writer's statements, tho New Zealand Eughy Union set inquiry on foot. • Whether anything really happened is not known, but, in tho meantime, another correspondent returns to the charge. He. writes:— " Sir,—l would esteem it a great favour if you would allow me to put before tho publio of New Zealand, though your widely-read paper, tho position of Rugby Union football in Hawke's Bay. While the New Zealand Rugby Union arc giving Northern Union players throughout the country, fourteen (lays to give reason why they should not bo expelled from playing Rugby Union football, the i Hawke's Bay Rugby Union officials havo got fur beyond that stage, and aro falling : over each other in their, endeavours to prevail on Northern Union players to return to tho Rugby game/ In M'Ewan, AT'Vay, Anderson, and Butcher, they have four senior'players, who havo all been registered placers under the Hawko's Bay Northern Union League, tho two firstnamed having played against Auckland in tho first Norl/hern Union gamo played in Hawke's Bay, and havo 6inco played for their different clubs. Anderson acted : as secretary to the Ahuriri Northern Union Club, was vice-captain of the team, and played in the recent match against Wellington on Juno 3 Inst. Butcher's oase is tho most amusing of the lot. Butcher is a member of a team playing under tho Hastings Rugby Sub-union. The secretary of. that body, Mr. Pegler, wrote Mr. M'Carthy, the secretary of tho. Northern Union-Lea?uo : in Hawke's Bay, asking if Butcher was a registered player under that body, and oh being informed that ho was, they, (tho sub-union) decided that thoy could not play him. However, Mr. Bailey, chairman of the Hawko's Bay Rugby Union, steps in, gives Butcher permission, to play, aud ho has since played regalarly for his club. But surely tho climax in this farcical comedy was reached when a junior player, playing under the League rules, played for a senior Rugby Union club, and on th(. ■ following Saturday ngain played under tho League. When M'Ewan and M'Vaj played their first match for Pirates v, Kautuki, the captain of the latter club (O'Neill) protested against them playing, ' and played the match under protest. The Pirates won, and the protest was con sidered by the Napier sub-union' manage ir.ont committee, who referred it on to the management committee of tho Hawke's Bay Rugby Union, and they put it in tho'.hands of Mr. Bailey, the chairman. O'Neill, imagining that ho was not getting a fair hearing, forwards lis protest on to tho New Zealand Rugby Union, who inform the Hawko's Bay Union to notify O'Neill that his ' correspondence must come through that body. And thus the farce continues. Now, sir, these are facts as relating to football matters in Hawke's Bay, and if tho New Zealand Rugby Union are keen on an investigation, in relation to theso facts, let them hold an inquiry into the matter, and : if they-want any witnesses I can assure • them they can bo had in any number.— : I am, etc., GEORGE FRATER.

.. 5 ;.The Mysterious Letter, ..to Kaipara. .'. ■, Private advice received in Wellington "■ .ithis week is to the effect that thero is v .''going to bo serious troublo ovor the mysterious letter recently received by the . well-known Maori player Kaipara, and purporting to. como from an Auckland ; player .who has since been exonerated. It ■ is likely' that the matter will bo taken :; into Court. The text of tho letter was !; BS follows:— ;; "Dear Kaipara,—Northern League team going to Australia next month. Can get you and Ryland a trip on 10s. a. day, £3 ,10s. a week, all expenses, if . you like to go. Georgo Gilldtt is selector, and says if you two will take .it on ho wants to know at once. Ho will very likely be down Hawko's Bay '......; or Gisborne during next fortnight. Reply at onco so that ho will know .where to find you. Nearly, all last year's Auckland representatives go- '!■ •■; ing. Kia Ora. (Signed) Jack Hall." The letter was headed, "Williamson ,'' Street, Epsom, Auckland, May 8,19"12." • • Above this heading was a direction to address, reply care of G. Gillett. • Thß Gilbertian Sto'y of tho Referee's 1 ■, Watch. " !4 mora anvusinc pretext for replaying - a match lhan that adopted by .tho Welf. :lington Rugby Union in connection with j;; tho Wellington-Southern game can scarce- -, Jy bo imagined.. The Southern team suf- ■ ';fered defeat, a protest was lodged on tho ground that tho match was not played .";, full time, tho referee subsequently dis- • covered that his watch gained 'i\ hours ",; an 21 hours, and tho union decided that ; ■ the match must bo played' over again. : The writer was present at the.match , when it was played at ICarori, and had a ■ clear recollection of tho circumstances .'■connected with the calling of "no-side." ; A bystander on the side line called cut .:. eeverril ,times '.to'. the lefereo that time' '-.was up, the ball went "out of play" -.'within-a few seconds, and the referee blew his whistle. The circumstantial evidencb points strongly to tho referee having appointed tho "gentleman on the side line" to keep time, and ; that, it appears, actu- "'." ally .was: *ho case. However, the timo- ," ': ; keeper . was ; using • the referee's watch, and therein lies tho trouble. ;;;,;.., ..'But; why; the. Rugby Union . should j;-- -assume' that this watch gained over'five ".'/ ,'bn' that'particular afternoon, just ; because it; gained 3J hours on a sabse- <-'- - fluent' day, 'it is difficult to imagine. Not £;'// that'one wishes to quarrel with their' '~ mathematical conclusions, but surely it .';", is,, reasonable, to. express surprise that a ';;; committee (which includes a momber of i the legal fraternity) should accept such ".'evidence as sufficient to justify the do- »■ - , cision arrived at. Tho whole thing is de- '"■■ oidedly Gilbertian....

.',r..Tlie Gilbertian Situation Followed Up.' "■'■■ '•'- Now, if the Wellington-Southern match ; : ;.ss:'t6 be played civer again, what will •;•-'• - happcn. ; .to the Melrose-Victoria College ;':;.' game, whiob was played at Lower Hutt ':','.: last- Saturday? Will the union suggest ;,.", that- that match was played out to full ■•'■• "'.'■ time? If they do,suggest that, will they ,""'■ ask tho referee- to give them the substance of the conversation that took place between him and Mr. George Spencer, immediately after "no-side" was called? It might be said that no protest was lodged by tho Collego team, but thero is good reason for that. Collego wished to play two spells of thirty-five minutes, but the Melrose captain (acting on tho advice ,of Mr. Spencer) insisted on 6p0113 of forty minutes.' Mr. Sponcer was so astonished when tho final whistle blew that lie at once went to, tho referee and showed how tho time stood. This is for the information of the Rugby Union Committee, which body may bo pleased to ignore the incident for want of evidence. Of Course, tho Gilbertian Decision Wfll Not be Carried Out. And now to revert to the Wellington•fioiithern match. No one believes that it ' will bo ' actually played over agaui, as there avo not likely to be a sufficient number'' of fine Saturdays to finish the "ordinary fixtures in the second round. Tho aoiion of the union will therefore miiipLv mean that the Wellington, Club loses two Points on the championship Welcr. Th 7 more one sees of the work - nAho committee,' the more ono is driven ■li) the conclusion that the members of it are nearly nil subordinating the general i\il»rcsts r,l' Rugby t" clul ? ' n . t * re3l 's. There are some exceptions, but (except in brains)', they form a hopeless minority. Petonc—Poneke. : The fight put "P by Poneke in their match against Tetovo last week was a "creditable- one, And nil the hard luck on thodav came their way. On tho days ' lilav their forwards appeared to be a let"of■ hustler.', full of steam, and comparatively well trained. Their rearguard, however, is, not nearlx "nip»j« oaojigft.

Times out of number Dingle and Bran I were caught with, the ball, thus starring : Norris and Badgers. ! the try by Norris was clever, Ryan making a fine dash for the coram rind ending up with a timely pass to the scoi-cr. Rodgers did not catch the eye for anything brillituit, Dut was nevertheless a very solid man on. defence. Gardiner and Elliott wero a couplo of excellent forwards for the Reds, and battkd hard on. tho uphill endeavour to.put their team in front. Price, PooTant, and M'Farlano led all thd Petono rushes and these took some stopping. B. Ryan was tho best back on tho ground. His two tries were clevor and his game generally was faultless. M'Kenzie, J, Ryan, and Nunn also played well all through. • Petone were slightly the better trained team, but were badly beaten for possession in ■tho serums, and were often on tho line-out. Dent, who made his first appearance for the Blues this year, commenced his career by being cautioned by tho refeTee. Norris (Poneke), and Ashton (Petone) were also cautioned for tripping. A Good Club Match. Tho Wellington-Oriental match was decidedly the brighter of the two game 3 played on Athletic Park last Saturday. Oriental were well shaken up by the Amber and Blacks, aud it came as a surprise to very many to see tho "Magpies'' so thoroughly extended. Wellington's new blood has improved the team considerably, and it seems rather to bo regretted that the team was not at ita present strength when the season was commenced. It ia said that Wellington are training well, but it did not appear so on' Saturday; many of them seemed to be unduly tired before tho game had been long'in progress. The team seems to have a good back In Wilkes (five-eighths), who was responsible for creating several good openings for tho team on Saturday. The man who stood! out on the Oriental side was F. Roberts.