LEAGUE FOOTBALL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 198, 16 May 1919, Page 5

LEAGUE FOOTBALL

The adjourned meeting of the Wellington Rugby League was held'last evening. Delegates' representing Athletic, Suburbs, Newtown, and Petone Clubs were present. Mr. C. Murphy presided. The chairman pointed out- to delegates the reason of the adjournment of the League game until after the war. That reason was tho ban put on players using municipal grounds over the age of twenty-one, coupled .with the number of League players, who had voluntarily enlisted, eome teams, notably Athletic, losing as many as nine players out of their team of thirteen These facts alone were sufficient to convince the executive that it would be a wise policy to postpone the playing of League football until after tho war. The chairman then pointed out the necessity of the united action of the delegates present in order to push the game along, and he advised that special attention should be paid to the juniors. The question of grounds was a vital one. Only one ground was at present available at Petone, But it was hoped that the new Wellington City Council would be able to provide one in Wellington. It was pointed out also that the prospects for the- game wero ex> ceedingly promising. Besides a New Zealand team for Australia there would be' representative matches against Auckland and Canterbury, return matches against j lie same provinces, and a New South'i Wales team would also visit the Dominion on the completion of the New Zea-1 land tour. The election of officers for j the ensuing year resulted as under:— President, Mr. Dan Campbell; vice-presi-dents. Messrs. P. Fraser, M.P., J. Sullivan. G. Mawson, M. J. Reardon, C. H. Chapman J. Glover, J. Hutchison, G. i Neeo. G. Frost, J. O. Shcrland, J. Nor-1 wood. A. Anderson; lion, secretary, Mr., W.S. Brice; lion, treasurer, Mr. J. Barbnr. The election of patron was held over till next meeting, also the election , of a selection committee. ■• ! Fixtures for Saturday are:— j Senior Grade. ' Athletic v. Petone B. at Petone No. 2, at 2.30 p.m. (A. White). Suburbs v. Petono A, at Petone No. 2, at 3.30 p.m. (C. Murphy). It will be noticed that both games will bo played at Petone.' This has been found necessary in order to allow the selectors of tho New Zealand team to witness the games. The selection of tho New Zealand team for Australia was postponed from last Saturday until Monday next In addition to the selection of' the New Zealand team, it-is-prob-able that several players will be selected to go into training, with a view to nlayinjr Auckland at Auckland, the local body having been advised that such a matcli will take place at an early date. Junior games will commence on the following Saturday, and ,\ special effort is being made to cater for the young players, and if the standard of play is sufficiently gaod a challenge will be issued aaainst Auckland juniors to play for the silver shield donated for the best junior team playing in the Dominion.