ASSOCIATION

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2162, 30 May 1914, Page 12

ASSOCIATION

[By Centre-Half.] FOR THE LOVE OF THE CAME. Championship Table. At tho conclusion of last Saturday's senior games the position as far as the tin go leading tenuis wovd coiiccrued romamed unaltered, save that each of them scored two points. .Following is a. complete table showing the positions of aH the first division teams taking part in championship matches:— Goals.

Now Zealand Council Before these lines appear in .print the most important meeting as far as the Soccer" _ game in New Zealand is concerned will have taken place. Tho annual report and balance-sheet, which were prosented at the annual meeting of the Now Zealand Footbal' Association last evening, showed that the affairs of that body had been well looked after by the officials and representatives of the various affiliated bodies. There is no doubt whatever that tho men who have, constituted tho council during the past few years have put their shoulders to the wheel and worked hard. Some people have-been inclined to think that being member of the New Zealand Council is a sinecure. In this they are mistaken. Those representatives who have been appointed to act on behalf of many association's from Auckland to the Bluff work for the love of the ganio, arid they do not look for any other return for their labours save the progress 6f the gamo in New Zeaand Last year's chairman, Mr. L. White, had a lot to do, and* at times he was placed in very awkward situations. Ho roso to the occasion every time, and proved himself a most capable officer. : As_ every "Soccer" enthusiast knows, the hard-working secretary Mr. B. L. Salmon, gave of his best. Mr. Salmon has held tho position of secretary of the governing bodv for a number of years, and has made himself invaluable to. "Soccer" and the New Zealand Council. At times there were certain persons who criticised his actions, and on one or two occasions some very hard things have been said about Mr. Salmon. But theso fault-finding people don't know the man they have been "slating," and, furthermore, they do not know the amount of work the "bus •horse" of the New Zealand Football Association gets through in tho year. Mr. A. E. Kerr, who was appointed treasurer of the chief control in New Zealand, at the last annual meeting, is ouite a young man. and ha's had verv little previous experience, if anv, in administrative work. Despite these facts." he proved himself .a capable man, and this contention, was borne out by tlio balance-sheet lie. presented last evening.

I Several - imnortant matters affecting the welfare of football in New Zealand were discussed at last night's meeting, but more about these subjects anon. Tho old Complaint. From what gathered at last Wednesday's Management Committee of the W.F.A. funds are badly needed to send two representative teams on tour this season. It has been proposed to send a first division representative team to Dunedin towards the end of the season. A promise has also been made to Auckland that a fifth division representative team would visit the northern city also. It is estimated that tho expenses in connection with, these visits would run into about £90. The question is: is the money coming from? A suggestion has been made by Mr. A. Vnniey that a bazaar should lie held. This is a. move in the right direction, but will clubs and enthusiasts take any interest in tho affair? If these two teams are to bo sent away this season, the players are entitled to their expenses. For years past it has been the custom for teams to be sent on tour and the players have had to pay most—if not all—the expenses themselves: There should be a change. The Wellington Football Association has dono remarkably well out of their players, and it is about time that they turned round and reciprocated.

Kind's Birthday Match. Next Wednesday, June 3, two senior matches, will be played on the Basin Reserve. _ One of the games is attracting considerable attention, and the meeting of Corinthians and Hospital-at 3 p.m. on the date in question has been tho solo topic of conversation in football circles in Wellington during tho week. Corinthians are an excellent combination, and in some fjuarters it is held that they will go very near to annexing . tho 1914 championship. Their only opponents for the honour are tho Thistle and Hospital teams. Presont indications point to tlib men from Forirna, and the Corinthians fighting out tho final, with Thistles well up. Club Cossl.n, Wanderers are doing things thoroughly this season. They have secured tho services of. a gentleman well known in Wellington athletic circles to act as their trainer during tho football year. It is their intention to institute a series of evening runs, which will probably result towards the latter end of tho season in an evening miniature snorts gathering. _ Certainly it is an . idea worth emulating by others. The election of It. C. Temple to the captaincy of Wanderers' second senior division team is a fortnnato choice, as the new leader has English experience to draw on that sliould stand himself aiid his men in good stead Temple's team were scheduled to meet a Porirua team on the up-conntrv ground the other Saturday. Tho gods of the weather took possession of the field and defeated allcomers. ' Y.M.C.A. and Brooklyn were likewise denied a game, the City Fathers forbidding the use of the Basin Reserve. In all probability this fixture will take place on June 3 at Brooklvn. While discussing the Y.M.C.A. Club, it is interesting to note that threo members of their senior'team distinguished themselves at the Takapau military camp. Through the pushfulness of some enthusiasts a game was organised between teams representing Wellington and TaranakL Metropolitans' sauntered over the provincial men to the tune' of 7 to to nil. The three Y.M.C.A. men were Carruthers. Foote, and Roberts. The who played several times as a Wellington representative last year, was an anproeiative, if mournfnl, spectator, on the new ground at Kiibirnie last. Saturday. His heart was with the i>lavers, but his feet were not, arid the bank was more, than rold.

Rovers have acmiired a plaver with possibilities in J. Black. Lost Saturday week lie was prominent in the Diamond team, and when he made his appearance with Rovers last Saturday not a few were surprised. Ho is worthy of a nlace in any team, and Hovers are to lie considered fortunate in having prevailed on him to join them Another newcomer to Wellington is Cunningham. It will be lemembered lie was selected to represent Otago last year, but failed to materialise. It will also bo remembered tlmt the result of this clash was a draw. Rumour bad it that tho southern alUck vu weakened

through this same withdrawal. Thistles havo now the opportunity of sounding tho truth of that rumour.* Wellington Foromosf. lteid has settled down with tho Tinsties. Speaking to him a lew days ago, ho had a few remarks to mako to me regarding the new grounds at Kilbiniie in particular, and tho Dominion grounds in general, ."llough and lifeless" was his pithy comment 011 the Kilbirtue playing area. A few slioop let fetse to eat down tho clover and constant roiling would iu time make the grounds playable, but at present fino trick work was impossible. Of tho Dominion as a whole—aiwl Reid has played in the four centres*—'Wellington is supreme. Kel.btirne Park and the Basin Reserve he co-n&ideretl were the best grounds he had played <m in NewZealand. "But, of course (these Horns men always say 'of course') these two grounds cannot he compared wit'u the English fields. Tlio powers-that-bs should Soon hare tho new grounds at Kilbirnie, within a season or two, as excellent as any of the city reserves. It wHI egrtainiy be to the advantage of tte W.F.A. to improve them, 110 matter ij«>w little, as soon as possible, for complaint is general.

"3 a * i c £ . . c i? b> p g -o • -s C ei 0 5* w ? .5 rj fc> o o to o Hospital 4 3 1 o yu 2' Corinthians 4 3 1 o u i 7 Thistle ... 4 3 1 o 8 G 7 Swifts ... 4 1 '2 1 5 8 4 Diamonds 4 1 1 2 6 5 3 Brooklyn 2 10 .1 ,t q 9 Y.M.O.A. 2 0 1 1- ] 8 1 Petono ... 1 0 1 0 2 2 1 Hovers ... 4 0 0 4 2 16 0 \Vanderer3 2 0 0 2 ''O 1 0