LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1663, 1 February 1913, Page 6

LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

CHANCES OP HOME TEAM HERB. • \ MR. .HOUGHTON'S TRIP. < . (By QMograph.—Frees Association.), Auckland, January 81. Mr. "Sam" Houghton, who has beea arweiated Vrith tho Northern LeagTio gamo ifl/New Zealand 6ince its ihoeption, has"' just returned to Auckland from tho Old Country, where ho acted as tho New Zea- _ land Loaguo's representative in placing " matters of importance to that body beforo tho English authorities. . , Tho Now Zealand Lenjjuo has of lato been very, anxious to obtain a'visit from, a first-class English team this season.; Recognising that nothing would bo more ' beneficial to tho gauio- in Now Zealand; than a tour of tho best exponents o£ League football, Mr. Houghton placed this, matter' boforo tho Homo authorities, and ' received a very fair and sympathetic hearing., Tho English Loaguo considered-tho pro- 1 ject very favourably, and stated that nothing would pleaso thorn more than ,to accede, to New Zealand's wishes, but it ,• would obviously bo impossible to fiend & team to tho Dominion without including Australia in tho tour, and,, in face of the friction between the New South Wales Loaguo and tho English body, they were not prepared to do that. Mr; Houghton, however, states that, In his opinion, tho rupture will, bo' healed before long, and he considors that although Now Zealand will v not. bo visited this season, tho following year should sea , an English'team out here. With regard to tho question of a New Zealand team fjoing Home, ho was assured that the Dominion w<Juld be given first chance if 6ho wanted it, but, of course, a visit , from England ' would do vastly , more good to tho gam« hero than a tour to England by a Maorii land. team.