THE LEAGUE GAME.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1722, 12 April 1913, Page 18

THE LEAGUE GAME.

———-77- ' . ' [BT I IMPORTANT TRIPS IN SIGHT. ; - Pleasant word' as to the progress and . .chances of .the lieaipio game comes f from . Mr.: D.' W. M'tean,' president of tho'-New , Zealand ( League. Mr. M'Lcan has recently been Vouth on business connected with the Commercial Tiavellors' Association, and, seen on his way n!orth through Wei- . lington, had a good deal of matters of in- i 1 'tei-est-to-'relate. .«>.«>••' - , He states-.thaL-.thft-game is progressing by leaps and-bounds in Christcliurch, and ' f it has .a,-valiant ally in. Dr. Thacker, who. , ; is now . placing a ''capital proposal before ' - I^eague-players. .Dr. Thacker ,is presenting a '(shield 1 for. club competition, to be : . ;known. as the Thacker Shield. The conditions .have yet .to bo, drawn out. So far ■ ;as.is known ; at. present the best. club team ; ',inJ^Ghri^churc'h-'has-to win ib first, but ' ' i^eagiie.iclubs'in.; Wellington, Auckland, aiid StfieJ 1 affiliated centres may challenge for it if they" so desire. ■ In Christcliurch the. League authorities have secured tho uiie of the Agricultural ' ,Shoif . Grounds, anil there are. prospects ,1 of .seotringiothe'r'grounds later on. The : League means to strenuously resist the l unsportsmanlike attempt which is being . ,made iir .various centres to them out ; of- as : .m'any grounds'as possible. ' ;:A pleas',mt littlo ceremony took pliwe 1 last Saturday afternoon,-when (after the . fashifth'-in vogue in laying foundation, ■ Btoiles) Di'. Tlmoker And Mrs, M'Lean dft- , positCdr.a.lnumber of silver coins under , tho goal-posts in • certain . grounds in Christchurch. It'was a pretty idea, and, 1 let ;us:'hope, a ; happy augury.Among those who came forward in re- ! snoiisb'to' the call it ""The Scott Memorial ' ;lntnd"...was tho League. 'Mr. M'Lean states ,that it Was very gratifying to him ' ! that "his igamo" was among, the first on tho.'list with their subscriptions, i , Thetpresident recently received all in- ; iTifaition-'td visit Marlborough in thP. Interests of the new game, and did 60. 111 ; Blenheim, ho met Mr. Hylton (prwident / ' of the'.Marlborough League), and discussi eil mattery "I was very pleased to find." added' Mr. M'Lcan, "that the prospects in that, district aro good. Blenheim is going to- have two Btrong clubs, and I believe • that; other Maa'lborough centres are going to form clul>s too." , '. -.. Tho New- Zealand League has received l an invitation from New South Wales to visit;tho "Mother State" early, in June. " This invitation has been accepted, and ' (sb rtliat New Zealand will have Its full '■ strwigth.on tour) •{he League is now'ap- . poiribng three selectors residing in the. chief 'centres. Two of these are Messrs. BrUnsdeir (Canterbury), Brice (Wellingr ton),-ami-the other (an' Auckland 'man), t has'.jTit to lie nominated. .In appointing these > seleotors the League is desirous . that tho'best all-round Now Zealand com--1 biniition •should ultimately bo chosen. In I the-jiaS ; Auckland, as founder of, the - now gaine, has naturally had the pro-, i ference. . ' 1 ■ The ~New Zealand League' is going l to ■ make every effort' to bring a New South Y. Wales combination over hero again- this il winter. Moreover the president ,of- tho i, New Zealand,.-Leagud'haa received a letter from Mr. J. H. Houghton, a prominent League official in England, stating that ,t .an English, team-will probably visit Now ;t Zealand in 191i.Now 'Zealand 'Leaguens . ' sviir no doubt'bo. very pleased to receivo [ a visit from tho Englishmen, as they j have .very pleasant memories of tho ex--6 tremo kindness which they have always mot with at the hands of tho League (J. authorities and League players at Home, if ; ' '