FOOTBALL.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 July 1931, Page 6

FOOTBALL.

WEST COAST RUGBY UNION. The weekly meeting of the West Gocist Rugby Union was held last evening at Greymouth. lhe Oobden . Club’s application for the transfer ol H. .Spencer from junior B to junior A, and the reclassification ol A. Liiulbom from senior to junior grade were granted. ---lhe United Club’s application for the reclassification of J. Garth from senior to junior grade was granted) and Blaketown Club’s application for reclassification of F. Grath from junior to third grade was granted. It was decided on the motion of Messrs Guy and 'Ryan, that no reclassifications be granted after Tuesday, July 28th.

The New Zealand Union wrote re the suspension of E. -Mollov, a player in the Lake Brunner Sub-Division, and pointed out that the suspended player had a right under the Union’s rules to lodge an appeal. They asked that, the evidence taken at the enquiry be forwarded 'to them. 'lt was decided to forward all available evidence, and to .notify Malloy, through the SubIDnipn, that he has. the right of appeal against his suspervion. The 'Westland Sub-Union wrote stating that They had been requested by Excelsior Club delegates to ask the Union .if the United Club’s action in playing Ferguson, Jones and Rathbuh, who'- for .some time have resided oh the southern, side, o,f, the Loop Line, is' i-ir order.' -It Was considered by the E-v'c-elsibr • delegates that those players should not be playing for a team in the Grey district. Mr Ryan said that Ferguson was working on a job at Lake Kanieri, but came home to Greymouth «every weekend. He could not see how Jones and Rathbun could be brought -into it, as they had finished their work at Hokitika.

The Chairman said that the- Shi 1 Union should be notified that the three players mentioned were bona fide residents of the Grey district and’ 'that thus no action could be- taken. The, case was similar to that of L.,Maityn, of "the Excelsior Club. '.. . . Air O’Donnell said the case was not similar to Marty n’s. If the - three players had been in the Hokitika district for fourteen days, then they ■ were not entitled-to play for United., Mr Ryan: But they haven’t been away for a week-end.

Mr Kothwell Said he heard a ‘.‘whisker” about the matter last Saturday night and lie asked Ferguson about it. Ferguson told him that he was working at. Lake Kanieri, but would have been finished his job a fortnight ago, were it not for the wet weather. As it was, he expected to be finished there during the-, current week. Ferguson returned home every week-end. Mr O’Dqnuell said that a HokiOka player, when working in the Grey district, had asked ‘ permission "to play for a team in the Hokitika district, and he (Mr O'Donnell ) considered that the United Club or the- players concerned -should have made similar application. He was not quite certain that the playeys concerned .were not bona fide residents' 0f• -' tiie Hokitika, district. • ' ' s'; •

•Mr Rothwcll : Then you doubt my word, Mr O’Donnell? The Chairman : -We must keep personalities out’of the discussion, and get 011 with the business. Every week we -have two or three columns in the paper And the greater part of it is of no interest whatever to the public. Mr O’Don mil is quite right in trying to get the matter thrashed out. Mr Steel expressed the opinion that there could not have been any infringement, or the Club would have applied for permission to play them.

Th’n Chairman nnved that the SuitUnion be advised that the three 1 players, Ferguson, , Jones and 'Bathbu’ii,/ : i 4f e i bona fide residents of the Grey d'strict, and ; that no rule has been broken by the United Club in playing them. The motion was seconded' by .dMr <■ and carried. V Mr Mclntosh said that most mo" bers of the Union- were in the dark about, the., 'matter. . They-■ .-really km 1 nothing at all about Jones and Bathbun. Mr O’Donnell said that he wlike to explain his attitude. Last y' ' when there was trouble over a similar matter, it was pointed out to J Union that there were several players who were infringing the boundary rule, known to the Union. • Further, a previous meeting Mr Ryan had that no information given to the Union could be deemed official unless given through the Secretary. In the case under discussion, there had been no explanation made through the Secretary. "It is a fiinny thing,” coijj* eluded Mr O’Donnell, “if Ferguson has come home every week-end, that he has not played for United for two .orvthree weeks!” ~ lifr'' Ryan: For the benefit, of . Mr O’Donnell, I might state that Ferguson -has been on-the' injured list for four ..or five weeks, and last Saturday’s was his first game for some time. It was quite right to impose penalties on clubs committing breaches of rul s, but in this case there had been no infringement.

The Rival and Excelsior Clubs applied, through the Westland Sub-Union for copies of the minute fixing the number of rounds for the senior competition. It was decided to give the requested information.

'' The Chairman stated that in the lists of teams in the- papers, he had noticed the names of two players disqualified by the X.Z. Union, one of them for life. It was decided to inform the ißuller Rugby Union of the breach. J

It was resolved that the N.Z. Union be requested to make known their decision in the matter of the United Club's appeal against the action of the Union in awarding a match, played between United and Blaketovvn junior teams, to the latter club.

FIXTURES. The following fixtures were arranged for Saturday ; next, July 25th - Representative match: Lake Brunner reps, versus Grey junior reps. Senior: Cobden v. United, Excelsiors v. Rivals, Stars v. Blaketown. 'Messrs Kyle, O'Donnell and the Secretary were appointed a sub-commit-tee to arrange the grounds. NELSON NOMINATIONS. (By Telegraph—Per Press Association) NELSON, July 21. R. Busgh, D. Max, and F. McLean have been nominated for selection in the South Island Rugby team. CANTERBURY TEAM. t ■ 1 CHRISTCHURCH, July 22. Canterbury Rugby team to play Southland: — „..... /Racks.—Roberts, Hart, In lies, Williams, Oliver, Day Mullan. Forwards. Andrews, Cotterill, Pearse, Busfeh, Thompson, Manchester, Cearney and King.

’• FLORRIE’S TALE

He rubbed my pars, and seemed so sad, •I,; wondered why that should be Whatever was wrong about us; He’d always a smile for me. He shared with me his daily bread, Or brought me a piece of meat, And often went without htinseli, To give me enough to eat. “Florrie old pal,” he said at length, “This is tile end of the show,” “I’ll do the very best I can, To save you from want you know.” The cupboard stands empty there. A soldier laughs at danger and death, But hunger’s hard to bear.” I whined, as lie twisted in pain, And struggled to write a note, I wondered what lie was doing* - f-'-- ■- : , . But: now- I know what he wrote. “When I have left this, world of -care, Please, take the life’ "of my pet, “Flo’s better dead than left behind, , To suffer want, and to fret.” I saw him gasp, he grew so still, The hand I licked felt strange, A day and. a night I watched by .him, But still he did not change. Some men came in. They read that note And carried me from the room, I heard, them say “The Soldier’s dead, Arid the dog goes to its doom.”

They took me to a house for dogs, At a place called Battersea. Twice I escaped and home I ran, And each time they captured me. The coroner said “I’ll save the dog, 1 I will sign ail order” so t T"have to live, but my best pal, In a’pauper’s grave sleeps low. The story was told, and I soon became, A much sought after beast. The commissioner must keep me then, for seven days at jeast. But lie, who was.chief of Scotland. Yard, v•. Told themCto' ■ set me .free.' 1 ■ ; Arid as l rushed from niy little cell, A lady caught hold ot me.

It seems 1 am no longer, the dog which lived in Bethnal' Green. I’m treated like an'aristocrat, in motors I am seen. 1 Sometimes I sit down to wonder, if a dog could write his thoughts, Would they have cared for my master? As his pet would think they ought. If 1 had died, and he was condemned, Would there have been a fuss. Who should own him, I fancy not, For once,. no one cared for us. For my Chelsea home I am grateful, t And I would be content, Could master be here to share the wealth, on me so freely spent. Hokitika.