SCHOOL FOOTBALL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4722, 9 July 1924, Page 2

SCHOOL FOOTBALL.

A GAME AT TE AROHA. PIAKO V. PAEROA. On Saturday last the above match was played on the Showgrounds at Te Aroha. the following being the respective teams: — PiaKo.—C. Worrall, B, Collins, A. Mackie, B. Whitten, C. Haines, A. Stanley, H. Hill, E. Crawford, R. Andrew, D. Johnson, D. Maingay, J Blackford, R, Spence, B. Glover, G. Ste.wart. Paeroa. —M. Rackham, Saunders, Cameron. Wilson, Handley, Barakat, Poland. C. Williams, Welch, Grant, Johnson, Mayson, Duncan, Hale, S. Williams. The game, which proved a most interesting and evenly contested one, resulted in a win for Piako by 6 points to o. For the winners A. Stanley kicked a penalty goal and H. Hill scored a try. Mr P. Magill controlled the game. Groat interest was taken in the match, the side-lines being crowded with spectators, and the “barracking’’ at times would have done credit to an interprovincial match. This unusual state of affairs seemed to affect the local boys a good deal at different periods of the game. Special mention must be made of the generous hospitality extended to the members of the visiting team by the Piako Rugby Union. On arrival the team was welcomed by Mr Percy and entertained to luncheon, during which Dr. Lawrence, chairman of the Piako Rugby Union, added his welcome ~to the boys. The team was then conveyed to the ground by motor bus, while Dr. Lawrence kindly placed his car at the pisposal of the teachers in charge. After the match the boys were given a hot dinnex-: and mention must also be made of the liberal supply of oranges available at half-time.

The return match will be played on the .same day that the Piako-Paeroa Poland Cup fixture eventuates.

That the members of the team appreciated the day’s outing and the kindlness shown was typically summed up in a remark made by one of the beys on the. homeward journey : “Gee ; they must have mistaken us for the All BlacksJ!”

The executive of the Schools Rugby Union desires to arrange further representative matches during the season with the surrounding school unions, but the difficulty of lack of funds has to be faced. So far the expenses of the season have been borne by the respective schools, but if the local boys are to be given an opportunity of competing on an equal footing with outside centres of Rugby football, the respective sports clubs and the public will need to show their support of the movement in a tangible manner. .

If the plan the executive has In view, of arranging matches with Waihi, Tham'es, Piako, and Hauraki Plains, is to be carried out a sum of not less than £3O is required, which,

divided among the four centres —Paeroa, Hikutaia, Netherton, and Karangahake—will surely not prove an insurmc.untable barrier. It is pleasing to report that support from Hikutaia has been promised, while at the monthly meeting of the Karangahake School Committee held last Saturday evening it was decided to hold card parties for the benefit pf the Union's funds while the district will also be canvassed with the same object in view. At its next weekly meeting the Paeroa Rugby Union will also be asked to give the movement its support. The position is, that if Rugby in our district is to hold its own within the; next few years the boys of to-day will* have to be given a chance, and the-' plan under review is the only prac-J tical way of giving our coming r|epre-l sentatiyes the training required,'