Rugby Football.

Free Lance, Volume III, Issue 119, 11 October 1902, Page 25

Rugby Football.

The annual smoke concert of the Melroee Club, at the Insurance Institute Rooms, "Willis^street, on Thursday last, was a very enjoyable function. Mr. G. P. Payne (president) occupied the chair, and he was supported by Mr. W. G. Tuston (an aspirant to represent Newtown in the next Parliament) on the left, and Mr. J. Spencer (captain of the club) on the right. During the evening, a presentation was made to the senior fifteen of a, set of caps, to mark the appreciation of old and present members of the club on that team having once again won the senior championship. In 1893, the Melrose Olub won the third-class championship trophy of the Rugby Union outrirrht and, at the gathering, Mr. Grant, on behalf of the committee of the club, in a neat speech, handed the troohy over to the Rugby Union for the public schools champion-

slup. The conditions attaching to the cup are — It is to be called the Melrose Beehive Trophy, «md to be won three times in succession, 01 five times at intervals. These were the conditions imposed when the trophy was presented to the Rugby Union by Mr. E. T. Taylor, of the joeehive Bottling Stores, an,d the only difference is that the word 'Melrose" has been added to the name. Mr. Noms's speech, in responding on behalf of the Referee's Association, was a capital one. In -he stated there was a possibility, on account of his duties in another direction, of his letiring from active refereeing, but the meeting did not applaud this statement very readily — m fac' it was received in absolute silence In my opinion, Mr. Norris's letirement would be an a.bsolute calamity. Both Mr. A Campbell and Mr D McKenzie, who proposed and replied to the toast to the Rueby Union, referred to the fact tnat the unpleasantness whach existed last season between the Melrose Club and the Union was happily entirely a thing of the past, the relations' between the two this season having been of the most cordial nature Many and varied were the speeches delivered, but space precludes reference beinc made to the nature of them With song and story — and some clever feats of sleight of hand by Mr. Liardet — ai very pleasant evening was spent An interesting feature of the "smoker," too. was the fine attendance — the seating accommodation of the room, uhich is anything but a small one, being taxed to the utmost. * * # Now that th© football season is over, I would like to draw the attention of the executive of the various clubs under the Rugby Unions' to the new financial bvelaw passed at a special meeting of delegates during the season. The bye-law was passed, and must be acted upon, but, methinks, there will be trouble in carrying it out. The bye-law is plain, and in publishing it. here I make no apologies, but do so only as a leminder to< the club officials — 'That each affiliated club shall, prior to the 31st December in each year, hand to the auditors appointed at the annual meeting of the union a statement of accounts showing receipts and expenditure, and further particulars lequired by the auditors, who shall compare the subscriptions paid with the names of members supplied to the union under rule 9 for club contest"? and forward a list of defaulters to the secretary of the union not later than 31st March. Any active member whose subscription is not paid on the 31st December shall be deemed to be a defaulter, and shall be suspended until the amount due is paid into the hands of the treasurer of the union. A club shall have the option of posting defaulters according to their rules or bye-laws at any time during the season. Any person posted to the union must nay the amount into the hands of the treasurer of the union." It was decided at the time to bring this bye-law inito force on the 30th September, and it behoves clubs' to be up and doing, if a disastrous state of affairs is not to be disclosed when the auditors bring down their reports. Jacobs expresses an opinion, according to the "Spectator" — "Jacobs, the great, big, brown, brawny wing tnreequarter of Southland, told a Dunedin scribe that the Auckland toe-balling fraternity were much over-rated, and a team from Otago could easily wallop the stiffening out of th© Northerners. " The experience of those who have played against Auckland is much th© reverse of "Phil's" conclusions. The team has yet to' be unearthed which can, defeat the Northerners — there has not been one of recent years. • • • A suggestion was made at the festive gathering held after the publicans' and brewers' match, the other week, that a matcih. between a combined team of those bodies and one from the police force would be appropriate. The suggestion is tating practical shape, and Mr. Pagni, who> is moving in the matter, hopes to have the match played during the next week or two.