FIELD SPORT

Free Lance, Volume I, Issue 14, 6 October 1900, Page 13

FIELD SPORT

By Touchline.

THE resolution passed by the Management Committee of the Rugby Union the other night has advanced the amalgamation question another step. The proposal now is to have a meeting of delegates, such meeting to be asked to appoint a delegation to meet representatives from the Wairarapa Union to discuss terms of amalgamation, the representatives of both bodies to report to the annual meetings of their respective Unions the decision arrived at. The meeting of delegates of the local Union is to be held on Wednesday, the 17th inst. * # • The Oriental Club's smoke concert on Friday night was a fine turn-out. A big muster of members, good singing, excellent speeches, and a " hail-fellow-well-met " feeling generally permeated the gathering. In Mr Hill, the Oriental Club appear to have the right sort of an enthusiast for a President. Though not too well known among local footballers, " the black and whites " appear to have got more than their share of good things with the gentleman they have at the head of affairs. A couple of good speeches at the " smoker " were those of Mr W. Gibson (who excelled himself in proposing the toast of " The Ladies ") and Mr E. Wylie (who made a good impression with that of "Abbent Friends") in the course of which he stated the Club had seven old and present members on active service in the Transvaal. The Club voted W. Skelton its best forward, and C. Bush its best back, E. Wylie securing the trophy for the most consistent attendant at the gymnasium. w * * The main football attraction on Saturday was the D Battery — Naval match at Miramar. The "sons of the sea" won by five points to three after a bitter fought game. Rough play was the order of the day, the referee appearing, to my mind, not to notice glaring offences. Once or twice a caution would not have been sufficient, but even not that much was done. The Melrose Club appear to have a big interest in the Navals, and the Oriental Club in the D Battery. * * * An interesting game was played at Miramar on Saturday between teams representing St. James' Presbyterian and Vivian-street Baptist Sunday Schools, the Newtown boys winning by eight points to six. The captain of the St. James' team ought to be interviewed by the Melrose Secretary. Frank Alpe, I believe, is the name. At centre three-quarter he handles the ball splendidly, feints at the right time, and altogether showed promise of developing into something above the ordinary. There was a fine place kicker in this team too, but I could not catch his name. The first goal he kicked from a penalty kick was worth going to Mi rain ar to see. Frank O'Connell did a lot of bustling in the second spell, scoring one good try. He still loves the ball a lot too much though, and one of the forwards in his team clutched the leather, and defied his own men and all the others to take it from him. A fair muster of lady admirers were at this match, but we missed the photographer. ° • # * The representative match between the Battalion and Ordnance companies will be played at Miramar on Saturday, and the Navals and Permanent Artillery will play the final in the Ordnance competition on Saturday week. There is no sign of anything having been done towards gathering the referees together in conference. Tims is passing by, and, as it will be a matter of at least a month to get round the country with circulars, or whatever way it may be decided on to get the referees together, there is no time to spare if the conference is to be held at Christmas. * « * A match took place in Carterton the other Saturday between teams who bore the appropriate appellations of "Dalefield Darktown Dairy Feds " and " Hukanui

Bush Bards." The former are pastoralists from the Mungaterara Valley ; the latter bushwhackers, henchmen, and bullockdrivers from the " Forty-mile." Neither teams knew much of the rules of Rugby : this made the game decidedly interesting. Bits of boots, hair, trousers, woodened-out combatants were spread over the field like gravel, and those spectators who paid to see the show were vastly entertained. The spectators who did not pay — the majority — said there wasn't enough " go " about the game. At the end of the first spell the " Dalefield Dairy Feds " had notched three points and flattened out three of the opposition ; the " Hukanui Bards " had succeeded in partially disabling "seven " D.D.D." Honours were with the latter. In the second spell the " Hukanui Bush Bards " took off their boots, ran, kicked, fell down, reared, and went at the " Dairy Feds " like fifteen runaway circular saws. A scrummage which took place in the "Dairy Feds' " twenty-fives lasted fifteen minutes, during which time enough gravel was excavated to fill two carts. Several of the " Hukanui's " were dragged from the bottom of the hole, gasping for air — which they could not get on account of a preponderance of dirt. The scrum might have lasted longer only the ball burst ; still, it is a scrum which has occupied more time than any in Australasia, and both teams are justly proud of having put up a record. When the melee ended the belligerents looked as if they had been on active service with Cronje. Shortly after the scrum, a " Hukanui Bush Bard " grabbed the leather, ran like a racehorse, crossed the line, and, crashing into the Grand Stand, fell to the earth as if his skull was fractured. Half a bottle of whisky rejuvenated him, and he feebly asked, " How's the other fellow ? " It was explained that he had cannoned into a wooden edifice. " Well, have they converted the try ? " Then the Referee told him, gently, that it was the touchline which he had crossed with such speed ; he was fifty yards from the goal lines. After that the Hukanui warrior condemned the Referee to eternal cremation, and the Umpire had to order him off. The game terminated in the " D.D.D. 's " winning by 3 points.