MERELY BANK GOSSIP.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1515, 10 August 1912, Page 12

MERELY BANK GOSSIP.

SOME OF THE CLUB HAPPENINGS. Gordon Kinvig, the well-known Oriental back, has been absent from the city on 'business during the past week. He returns to-day, in time to hold up the Oriental gonfalon against the assault which the hard-trained Petone men are.expected to mako on it to-day. ■ Everybody knew that Horace'Nunn was far too gopd a person to be taking board and lodging at his Majesty's free hostelry up tho Terrace, especially as it all arose over a martyr-like but mistaken notion as to whut one's obligations under the Dofence Act. may )>e. Nunn endured 24 hours in this elegant mansion, and then his friends resolved that they "could not stand it" any longer. So they paid his fine, and his Majesty's officials lost no timo , in dumping him out. , " Petono senior , team aro girding up loins for fray to-day with Oriental. They pray for fine weather. That is. all that is necessary, they say. All.sports'must be pleased to see the senior championship in such an interesting condition as it is at present. No one knows better, than Mr. Talbot what this disastrous winter has meant to ,the union's finances, and it is pleasant to ■ see that they are now likely to get "some of their own back." So mote it be. ;. The Petone Council are looking for a big gate to-day, and their hopes should be well met. The match with Oriental is likely to be the best which has been played on the Petone ground for years. Cook, ex-St. James /Rugby man, voyaged north with the Wellington League'team this week. ~ ' Petone "people are .beginning to think that tho Rev. D. C. Bates (Government Meteorologist) must be «n Athletic barracker. That is the current joke just now. ..:-.. ' The- Californian Rugby Union has decided that the Australian Bugby team should ' play Victoria at Vancouver. Francis goes to Wigan. There he will have fellow-New Zealauders in Seeling and Williams as comrades. The latter Maorilander was regarded at Wigan as j oho of the best. ' The League people have no doubt been responsible in bringing the'Bugby authorities to '• their ■ senses over Petone grounds and fixtures. •: has not yet definitely '.'decided whether- to accept, the position of conch in America or not, and is waiting for further advice from tho States. -The All Black has had a busy time of it. this season, and in addition to hie 'work-.with the Ponsonby team has been .coaching tho Grammar School boys and the Grafton junior team at Auckland. '.Mr.';L. B. Smuts, of Cape Town,/and Mr. Max Honnett, of the Transvaal, have been nominated for the position of manager. to the . South African team to -visit, the United-Kingdom this year. Mr. Smuts. i,5 prepared to pay his own oxpeiises, but as the Home unions are defraying the expenses of the tour this is not of any moment to the South African authorities. It has often been noted that F. Roberta's "soccer" experience has stood •him. in good stead in Rugby games. A "soccer" enthusiast, who was watching the Oriental half last Sntttrday, was greatly taken with the player's clever footwork. It may be added that on one or two occasions tho Mclrose players were concerned about the somo thing, for when Ttnbcrts deemed it inadvisable lo pick I lie ball up, he. would set out on a dribbling rush that proved hiirtl to btop.

■It is stated that Burns will not lie availablo for the Canterbury northern tour, and there is a probability of Gray not being ablo to obtain leavet