OTAGO RUGBY LEAGUE

Evening Star, Issue 20135, 27 March 1929, Page 15

OTAGO RUGBY LEAGUE

ANNUAL MEETING The Otago Rugby Football League held its annual meeting last evening, Mr T. M. Gillies (president) occupying the chair. REPORT ADOPTED. The annual report stated that the season opened with the majority of clubs very short of players. An organiser was appointed, and his hard work bore good fruit, eacli senior team ‘turning out up to strength in the first fortnight. Strong efforts were made to smarten up the game and the players generally, which produced some very oxciting matches during the competition. The game on tho whole was much improved. There were five clubs, comprising eleven teams, in action during the season playing senior and junior football. Athletic was able towards tho middle of the year to place a second team in tho senior competition, and Christian Brothers entered a second team in the junior competition. City was only able to maintain a senior team. The most improved team was undoubtedly the Pacific seniors. They were well behind scratch at the beginning of tho season, but witli the joining up of Gordon Blazey they were soon with the vanguard, and were always dangerous. This club shared equal honours with the Christian Brothers for the Maxwell Cup. Kaikorai looked like a team that would do well, but casualties in the earlier games weakened its chances of ultimate success. The Christian Brothers Club was to be congratulated on winning both the senior and junior competitions, and also for bracketing with Pacific for the Maxwell Cup. Club organisation was required, and under this heading it need only be pointed out that tho success of the Christian Brothers Club was largely duo to the sound and capable work of its executive. This past year the Otago team went on tour. While it might not have been a very wise move, it was thought that the results of such a tour would be many. Firstly, there would be a great inducement to young players to strive for provincial honours; secondly, those players who would tour would benefit greatly by tho experience and produce better football in the coming season; and thirdly, such a tour would greatly benefit the League code in the centres visited. The tour was too extended for one year, and Otago did not get away a representative side, if the team selected had been able to travel it is certain that only Auckland would have defeated it.. The conduct of the team was exemplary throughout—a fact that the managers were justly proud of. In order to give the juniors some interest in tho game other than local matches it was decided to send au Otago junior representative team to Christchurch to play Canterbury. A very good side was sent away, and after a hard game Otago lost by I points to 0. The greatest item of interest to League supporters was the visit of the English Rugby League team, captained by Jonathan Parkin. What was looked upon as to be a big boost to the game in Otago was an absolute disappointment. Both teams wore keen to win, and perhaps their overkeenness was the cause of their regrettable display. There was a very large attendance, but for a fixture of its kind one wonders why there were not more there. Taking the game all through, it was hard fought and full of many sparkling movements, many of which had never been witnessed on a football field in New Zealand before. What the result would be cannot bo prophesied, but the committee was of the opinion that the players who witnessed the match would have greatly benefited by the finer points displayed. The executive was able to make arrangements for sufficient playing areas for their matches. The executive thanked the referees for their good work during the season. It was pleasing to sec some of the retired players coming forward and taking charge of the whistle.

During the year under review efforts had been made to do something with the laying out of Colossal Park. The executive appointed a special committee, consisting of Messrs J. Watt, H. Divers, and E. Longworth, to go into the matter of laying out the park. Several meetings were held, and this committee was now awaiting a report of the engineer (Mr Lamhonrne) and also the City Council. When those were received, the executive would immediately deal with them. It would bo noticed that £129 14s lOd had been disbursed to injured players during the past season. For the very small premium that players paid it must bo admitted that they were looked after much better than players of any other sport. As disclosed by the balance sheet for the year ending December 31, 1923, the finances of the League were in quite a satisfactory state. The amount standing to the credit of the accumulated fund was £7,719 Is, alter writing off all losses and workings for the year. The expenditure this year had been particularly heavy, mainly on account of the tours of the Otago senior and junior representatives. The money lor the sale of the League’s sub-division-was continually coming in, and the committee was able during the year to place on deposit with the National Bank another £SOO and an amount of £2OO with each of the branches of the Dunedin Savings Bank. In moving the adoption of the report Mr Gillies expressed pleasure at the splendid manner in which the executive had supported him. At the beginning of the season they had been beset by many difficulties, but these had all been surmounted in a commendable manner before the end of the season, which had finished quite successfully. This happy state of affairs had largely been due to the efforts of the organiser, who had rallied up the clubs and helped them to place strong teams in the field. Five clubs had been in action, and while some had a full membership, others had rather a paucity of players, and on their behalf it was thought that someone should devote his whole time in building up the sides. The competition had been carried out in the finest spirit possible, and the Christian Brothers’ Club was to be congratulated for the fine way in which it bad taken the field during the past season; its success was due in large measure to the work of the club committee. The Otago tour in the north had not been a success financially, but be believed that good results would be felt, and that the men who were away would benefit greatly. The junior team had to bo congratulated upon its fine showing. He hoped that in the future the juniors would be catered for as well as the senior teams. In conclusion, the speaker paid a tribute to those who had arranged the visit of the English team to Invercargill, and in connection with the whole work of the year, stated that Mr R. Maxwell bad been a host in himself. They owed a great debt of gratitude to the referees, and he wished also to express thanks to the PreSs, The report was adopted, Mr G. L. Packer being the seconder. , ELECTION OF OFFICERS. Officers were elected- as follow Patron: Mr A. E. Ellis; president, Mill. Divers; vice-presidents—Messrs P.