FOOTBALL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4433, 28 June 1922, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

RUGBY NOTES. (By “Old Timer.”.) Last Saturday the Paeroa Rugby Union, along with most other amateur Rugby Unions through New Zealand, handed over the proceeds] from matches under their jurisdiction to charity, and the day (locally), I am told, will benefit the needy to the extent -of about £lO 10s. Part of this money is to be handed to Mr. Clutha McKenzie, M.P., to further his call tor funds to assist Sir Arthur Pearson’s Blind Institution, and the remainder will find its way to relieve local needs. Considering the ciuse. ill Vis thought a better response would have been made by the public. However, the Rugby Union is to be congratulated bn their small effort to assist those who are in the unfortunate position of having, to look to others for help. The local senior match on Saturday was expected to be a closer game than it turned out to be, but tne scores, 14 to 6, were, I think, a fair indication of the merits of; each team. Suburbs backs at times treated the spectators to some fine play, and their passing rushes were good to watch. P. Corbett showed a gpod deal of form on attacking, and is still a dangerous man when near the line. Cashmere at wing three-quarter showed up to -better advantage than on pievious occasions, and appeared to be a fast man and hard to stop. His try was a clever piece of work. Asher at fiveeighths was one of the best backs on the field, and did a great dea,l of work. His defensive play was splendid, and the selector wi,ll require to keep this man in mind when selecting his next team. , J. Barrett turned out for the first time this season, and although obviously out of form is still able to show players some of the finer points of the game and with training would be an assistance to the rep. team. An amusing incident to watch occurred towards the end of the game. "Raupo” Young opened up a good dribbling rush accompanied by a young player, who, being younger and faster, carried on; but “Raupo” was close behind giving instructions in a low tone as to how and where to dribble. Between youth and experience the play wqs carried right over Komata’s line and a fine try was registered. This was a good example o', what can be done with the ball at toe, but such class of play is, unfortunately, not much in evidence among the present-day players, and practice with the ball at toe going at a good pace would not go, amiss with 'our forwards. I saw the old South Auckland rep. W. Welch hard at it right throughout the game, and for an “old-timer” he played a good solid game. Komata team took the field looking as though training operations had been on the board, and taking the team as a whole they played a fine game. Their opponents, who had many veterans with experience of big football on their side, w’ere not too easy to handle. Generally, the backs all did well, but one cannot help complimenting E. Moore on the enormous amount of work he gets through; he appears to be on the spot wherever needed. A couple of juniors were tried out in this division and came through with flying colours. The forwards are a young, hard lot, and with the Benney brothers always prominent kept their more experienced but not so agile opponents on the run from start to finish.

The first match for the Peace Cup took place on Saturday at Thames against Hamilton, who were the first challengers. The unexpected happened, and Thames stil,l holds the coveted trophy. I believe Paeroa is on the board as the next team to endeavour to lift the cup, and if our best team steps on the field the honours have a big chance of coming this way. A great deal of responsibility is thrown on the selector’s shoulders, and let us hope that those who are most worthy will find their places in the team for this important match. No doubt the team that played against Piako will be slightly improved, as such players as Benney, Moore, and Poland will probably on. this occasion endeavour to afford the time to give their services. As a keen critic and lover of the game let me offer my opinion as to -spme of those players who should be in the team, and did not play at Te Aroha, principally because they were not available. Backs: Ernest Mobre, Asher, apd C. Poland-, and, in the event of one or .these not being .available, Cashmore .or McNeil. This means that, three go out, Richmond, McLeod, and Royal (Suburbs). The forwards can be strengthened by the inclusion of L. Benney and T. Johnson in the pacK, with Barrett rover, providing the latter will get into form. We know what a great man to follow up T. Johnson is, and as mentioned in my previous notes what solid, work life did at Te Aroha. He is a hard player, and Paeroa wants a few forwards like nim against the Thames pack. This will leave two men to be dropped out, and I don’t think the selector will find any bother'in locating the weak spots in this division. The team which is finally selected to represent Paeroa in the Peace Cun competition must go into hard training, and we hear that the union has arranged a match on Saturday next, between a senior rep. team and junior rep. team, the latter to consist of eighteen players. This should be a good match, and fine practice for bo.h teams. Also, it will give the selector a chance to arrange his final selection for the rep. team to play Thames, and when the team is chosen there should, be no excuses about training, but all should get right down to hard work. There is no doubt that Thames was enabled to retain the cup last Saturday through sheer determination and organised training. If Paeroa manages to win in the forthcoming match let us hope there will e many challenge matches played on our heme field before we lose it. PAEROA RUGBY DNIONI COMMITTEE MEETING. The weekly meeting of the Paeroa Rngbv Union was held on Monday,

June 26, when there were present: Messrs, silcock (chairman), Thprburn Roach, Garry, Bramjey, Taylor, Wei’s, and Pcnlington (secretary). Owing to the return of Mr. G. Collins from Australia it was decided to proceed at the next meeting with the protest of the West Club against Mr. Collins’ decision in the match West v. Suburbs, played at Hikutaia on May 6, Mr. Collins and tlhe West Chib to be notified. An application was received from the Defence Department for permission to play as a curtain-raiser at the Waihi v. Paeroa representative match a match between Paeroa and Waihi Senior Cadets. As arrange ment. had already been made for a curtain-raiser the letter was referred to the Waihi Rugby Union. An application was received from the West Cjub for the regrading of I. Hamilton from junior to third-gnade. The application was granted, conditionally upon his playing in no higher grade than third grade, otherwise the third grade game matches in which he played wijli be cancelled. A transfer was granted to A. Hamilton to the Hauraki Plains Rugby Union. Permission was given two players, Pitts and O'Grady, tp play in the Dairy Company’s team. The gate money from Charity Saturday was allocated to the Pearson Fund for Bjlind and local charity. The Paeroa gate netted £7 13s 6d. The secretary was instructed to ask the Thames Rugby Union if it would be possible to play the Peace Cup match on July 8. In order to get a team into training it was decided to play on Saturday next a selected rep. team against a junior rep. team of 18 players, the final selection of the teams to be made later. Accounts amounting to £3 12s 6d wee passed for payment. REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS. A practice match betweep senior and junior teams will be played on Saturday to finally select the representative players. The preliminary representative selections are as follow : SENIORS. Full back, K. Dean ; three-quarters, Cahsmore, Winder, J. Poland; fiveeighths, A. Royal, G. Royal; half-* back, P. Treanor ; rover, T. Johnson ; forwards, G. Fisher, E. Smith, W. Taylor, G. Long, B. Joflmson, L. Benney, J. Benney. Emergencies : Backs, G. Asher, McNeil; forwards, White, F. Patterson. JUNIORS. Backs, King, Ardern, O’Brien, Rice Lee, Samson, H. Thorp, B. Rae, G Sinnett; forwards, A. Williams, F. Thorp, M. Pennell, Buchanan (Suburbs). G. Neil, Oliver, Vuglar, Bertieson, J. Treanor. Emergencies : Alley, Morrison (West), Moririson (Suourbs), Rice.

NOTES FROM THE ILAINSi. POSITION OF THE TEAMS. I.ast Saturday’s even games were fitting conclusions to the first round of the Hauraki Plains matches.. Both senior games were very well contested, tihe result in each case being in doubt till' the final whistle blew. It is considered that Turua’s win over Waitakaruru had an element of luck, but at the same time the winners must be congratulated on their win and for the very consistent performance they .had put up throughout the round. Patetonga was also fortunate in getting a timely try a few minutes before time against Ngatea. Patetonga also has a good record during the round, and with Turua stands at the head of the list with so far unbeaten records. Waitakaruru has also beep well in the hunt, the two defeats being by the smallest of margins^—only by one point on one occasion.

The junior competitions are at a very interesting stage. Turua, in spite of last Saturday's defeat by Waitakaruru, has the premier position, with Patetonga and Ngatea close up. It is i nderstood that the Ngatea dub is entering a protest regarding the match against Patetonga last Saturday, though the nature of the protest is no! yet officially divulged. The positions of the teams are shown in the following tables : SENIOR GRADE.

Patetonga v. Waitakaruru junior match, which was won by Patetongi by 7 points to 3, has to be replayed, at the end of the season if it has any bearing on the championship. That match has, therefore, not been included in the above table. SATURDAY’S FIXTURES. The fixtures for next Saturday arc : Seniors.—Waitakaruru v. Ngatea, at Ngatea ; Kerepeeri v. Turua, at Turua; Patetonga a bye. Juniors. —Ngatea v. Waitakaruru, at Waitakaruru ; Turua v. Kerepeehi, at Kerepeehi; Patetonga a bye. Quite Dlffewt The ordinary cough medicine may soothe the throat, but it has no power to heal ; recovery is not complete, and a second attack is more liable to follow. Chamberlain’s Cough Remedy is quite different, because it not only soothes, but also heals, so that -he affected parts are restored to a healthy condition, and the danger of a future attack is removed. Sold by all chemists and storekeepers. In spite of the advertisement New Zealand received at the hands of the members of. the Expeditionary Force during the war one London firm at least (states the “Hawke’s Bay Herald”) has still a vague idea as. to the position of one of the Dominion’s important towns, Napier. Mr. S. P. Spiller, secretary of the Nap’er Competition's Society, received a letter from a London musical firm addressed, Mr. S. S. Spiller, P.O. Box 307, Napier, Australia.

P. W. L. D. Pts. Turua 4 3 — 1 7 Patetonga; __ 4 3 — 1 Waitakafuru __ 4 :2 2 — 4 Ngatea __ 4 1 3' — 2 Kerepcehi — 4 — .4 — JUNIOR GRADE. — P. W. L. D. Pts. Turua __ 4 3 1 — 6 Patetonga __ 3 2 1 — 4 Ngatea __ 4 2 2 — 4 Wiitakaruru __ 3 1 2 — 2 Kerepeehi __ 4 1 3 — 2