ASSOCIATION.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2150, 16 May 1914, Page 12

ASSOCIATION.

[By Centre-Half.]

HAS A CLOUD BEEN LIFTED? Saturday's Splendid Gup Match. "I wouldn't have missed that match for anything, It was tho best gamo of. soccer 1 havo even seen in Now Zealand." The3e remarks were' overheard at the conclusion of tho Hospi-tal-Thistle match an the Basin Ilceervo last Saturday, and the speaker was right. Thero is no doubt that it was a capital game, played in the best of spirit. Certainly thero , were several "knock-outs," but these were tho outcome of hard play, and not unsportsmanlike conduct. Tho writer has seen many cup and representative matches throughout New Zealand for the past ten years, and to say that last jjaturday'e "go" was ono of the best games ho has yet seen would not bo overstepping tho mark. Seldom if ever has such an enthusiastic crowd gathered to witness a cup fixture in Wellington. At times tho oxcitonient was intense. The- cheering and applause could.be heard distinctly away up on tho slopes of Mount Victoria. When Hospital notched their second goal—thus drawing level with their opponents—tho cheering was deafening. If the Management Committee could seo their way clear to give the public matches like this every Saturday, the "Soccer" gamo would very soon leap into favour. It is a pity that v.c cannot sec moro of the Hospital team in town. They are an excellent combination, ami would be a decided draw in any match. There is a difficulty, however, and that is that tli.j men are uiiablo to obtain the necessary leave from [ Vorirua Hospital every Saturday. Henco practically all their matches have to bo player! on their own ground at the institution. I Acoordins to a Managanient .Com-

mittee deoieion, Hospital have to come into town twico during a season. It is quite on tho cards that they will be seen.on ono of tho city reserves when they meet Corinthians. This particular match should bo a second edition of the Thistle-Hospital game.

First Aooldent this Season. During the progress of the HospitalThiatlo match on the Basin last Saturday George Eckersley, of the latter team, sustained an injury to liis kidneys. Ho was observed to fall, but gftor a short respite continued playing. After tho match, however, he consulted a doctor, who pronounced him to bo suffering from internal hemorrhage, and tho result was that Eckersley has been prevented from following his usual employment for a time.

For some considerable time the Management Oommitteo of the W.F.A. have been considering the question of , an insuranco scheme for players, and this year they launched out on tho proposal. Tho result is that an excellent sot of rules have been drawn up, and aro now in operation. Eckersley s caso is the first one. to bo considered under tho new conditions, and at last Wednesday's meeting of tihe committee he was granted the sum of- £1 per week during the time ho is incapacitated. This fact will demonstrate to players generally that it is to their own benefit to subscribe to the fund. The yearly subscription is one shilling and sixpence, and, according to the rules, it is optional for players in divisions othor than First, Second, and Wednesday to participate in tho benefit of tho fund. Players in Grades 3, 4, fi, and 6, and schools' competitions may cntitlo themselves to the benefit of the fund, tho benefit payment in their case being 10s. por week, and the subscription one ehilling per year. It thus behoves players in the junior grades to subscribe towards tho fund, because_one never knows when the benefits derived therefrom will be needed.

"Let There be Light." For some considerable timo appearr ances have indicated that relations between the Wellington Football Association arid the Now Zealand Council have been somewhat strained. In view of recent happenings the following letter from Mr. A. E. Wells, chairman of tho Management Committee of the W.F.A., is interesting:— "At the last meeting of the W.F.A. a communication was received from tho New Zealand 'Council setting out the rules under which.the council had acted in dealing with suspensions imposed by the W.F.A. upon an official and players of a. certain city club. This letter was in answer to a query from the W.F.A. asking for the abovo information, and forwarded to the New Zealand Council in October of last year. "I think a brief statement of tho facts and how the attitude of tho council is viewed by the W.F.A., would not bo out of place, and might throw a little light, upon an unfortunate incident which has given rise to a great deal of feeling in "soccer" circles, and has not tended to improvo tho relation existing between the two bodies.

"The facts are as follow:—During last season owing to a disturbance in connection with ono of our games an inquiry was held by the W.F.A. The outcome of this was that several players and one official of one of tho clubs concerned wero suspended for varying periods. Upon an appeal being lodged by thoso concerned nn Appeal Board was set up consisting of three gentlemen, whoso integrity is beyond question and whoso appointment was endorsed by members of the council thofsitting upon the W.F.A., and also by a vice-prcsident; t of the, l W..F.A., ; .(prcseivS at the inquiry), "who also is a member of the council. After inquiry the Appeal Board recommended certain alterations in regard to tho suspensions imposed upon the players and in regard to tho official concerned, and recommended that his case be reopened for further inquiry. Tho W.F.A. gave effect to these decisions, and as a nreliminary step in tho case of the official removed tho suspension previously imposed. Upon an exhaustive inquiry being held, the gentleman concerned" was completely exonerated by the W.F.A.

"Tho, whole of tho evidence, together with the Appeal Board's findings, was placed in the hands of tho council, and we asked that our action be endorsed. This was done in the case of the players, but the official was suspended by the council for two years. We consider this was a distinct reflection upon us as a body, * ..

"Now the council emild not possibly be in possession of evidence which was, not also available to the W.F.A.., and therefore its decision is totally inexplicable to us. We nrc in tho position of knowing that matters which had no direct bearing upon the point at issue entered into the decision of tho council, and that its decision was also to a groot extent due to personal bias. The W.F.A. have the gqnd of tho game at heart just as much if not more so tlion the council as at present constituted, and claim that in a matter which is of locnl imnortance its decisions should be endorsed.

"However, wo havo adopted tho constitutional course to havo the matter remedied, and I sincerely trust that for the good of the game the New Zealand Council will reopen the case, when I am suro it will affirm tho W.F.A. decision, and,bury for r>ll time a most unnleasnnt incident.—Yours faithfully, A. E. Wells."

Boys' Games. A decided change for the better is the playing of the boys' games on Friday afternoon instead of Saturday morning. This will causo less wear and tear on tho grounds, and the same being plaved on a week day will, in all probability, promote a keener interest in "soccer" amonjj the school teachers. In regard to the juvenile players a suggestion was put forward by an enthusiast during the past week while cHscussing mid-week football. It was that the W.F.A. should institute n Wednesday competition tor the boys, besides maintaining the. Saturday contest. Another excellent suggestion was the issuing of season tickets for the new ground at Kilbiniic. Both ideas % W.F.A could undoubtedly discuss with advantage.

'Lieutenant Lord Conpleton, who has received permission from Sir Ernest Shackletpn to accompany the British Antarctic expedition, is a Grenadier Guardsman, aged' 24. He succeeded liis father as fith haron a HtHe over seven .wars ago. when ho iras at Eton. Hβ comes of a military family, the late lord Condeton liavinp serwd witli distinction .in the Crimea ami Zulu campaigns.