Rugby Football.

Free Lance, Volume III, Issue 143, 28 March 1903, Page 19

Rugby Football.

The annual meeting of the Rugby Union takes place in the Cycling Club's Rooms, Willis-street, on Tuesday might. Rufour hath it that the meeting will be a lively one, many being dissatisfied with the working] of the Union during the past twelve months. It is averred that the work hasi been, left almost entirely to the executive officers, the committee only being such in name. As far as the secret arv is concerned, his seat is considered safe, but a de>termined effort will be made to replace the treasurer. The stock argument used against his re-election is that he cannot possibly haive the time necessary for the proper carrying-out of the work of the Union that devolves upon him. Thatl is the text, upon which the malcontents are basing their arguments in favour of a new financial officer, and they are working hard to satisfy their fellow delegates they have come to a fair conclusion. The Management Committee are fair game for the re-constructionists. In the first place, they contend it was not the intention of the delegates, when they elected Mr. G-albraith one of the vice-presidents that he should retain his office as chairman of the Management Committee. But, they make a mistake here for it was distinctly with a,n understanding to tha,t effect that Mr. Galbraith allowed himself to be nominated as a vice-president. However, they think this is an office that should go round. What is said about the other members ol the committee is generally what you hear round about the annual meetings as they recur, and, although there may be much truth in the assertions made, it would not be right for me to line them up here. The opposition is determined to have a radical change in. the. committee, and those suggested to replace somei of the present committee are good men in the world of Rugby footiba.ll, so that a keen election may be anticipated. ■• * • V.C. Bill Hardham has been chosen to lead the Petone Club this season. I congratulate the suburban club on its choice, for there is no better sport playing the Rugby game than the same Hardham. By the way, the annual meeting of the Petone Club was full of enthusiasm, and determined efforts are being made to get a representative fifteen in the field for the Senior Championship this season. Let us hope these efforts may be successful. Fraser, the new secretary, I do not know by name, though I may know him by sight. At any rate, he is young and full of enthusiasm, and such is the officer the Petone Club wants at the present juncture. George Selwood, the treasurer, is painstaking and conscientious, and his influence in the club's affairs will be for good. • • • The Oriental Club fulfilled all prophesies by electing Edo^ar Wylie their club captain. 'His love for the Oriental boys is sincere, and the winning of the Senior Championship by his club might add a few years to his life. H. Carr, the secretary elected to fill the shoes of "Billy" Woon, came to Wellington from the Waikato district, and is domiciled in the Native Lands Office. If he puts as much vigour into his secretarial duties as he has into his play since he has been m Wellington,, the Oriental Club will not have causei to regret choosing him as their working officer. • * * The Old Boys' Club hold their annual meeting to-night (Friday). The report and balance-sheet are not available at the tame of writing, but, as this 1 club is ah\ ays in a satisfactory financial position no troubles under that heading worry the members. • • * The Southern Clvb — the most promising junior club under the Rugby Union — are invariably early starters, and last Saturday they were hard at it chasing the football round Miramar. Much of their success is attained through consistent training and many of the older clubs should profit by following their lead in this direction. George Hoy, an unassuming lad, still wields the secretarial pen, and is very popular among his club-mates.

The football sports afc the Athletic Park, on the 4th and 18fch April, promise to be fairly interesting. The entries for all events close on Tuesday next, and, as far as I can hear, all of the olubs affiliated to the Rugby Union and Football Asociation intend to be represented in the tournament. It is intended to play heats of both the Rugby and Association tournaments side by side, and this, on account of its novelty if for nothing else, should ensure a good attendance of the public. The programme is a good one, and if the sports turn out a success the intention is to make them annual gatherings. As they wdl be held in. the dead season, the public should appreciate the movement, and give it liberal support. * * * Faulkner the heavy-weighb threequarter from the Wairarapa, is one of the latest additions: to the Poneke Club's ranks. Dan OBrien, who played for the Poneke Club in the 1900 season, is in town, but it is said he is not donning the jersey this season. Rice, a sturdy stamp of a forward, who played in a, few of the Wellington Club's matches last. year, has thrown in his lot with the Athletics. It isi stated that there is a probability of "Wally" Drake, the South Island and Canterbury representative forward, coming to Wellington this season. The Poneke Club is being well advertised through the colony. In almost every exchange this week I find thcdr satisfactory financial position referred to. Reynolds, an eix-Southland representative half-back, has thrown in his- lot with the Oriental Club, as has also Baird, who played in the Wellington Club's forward division last season. The Victoria College intend entering a team for the Junior Championship. Mr. H. H. Ostler, the ex-Eorowhenua representative and Oriental Club player, is the moving spirit in the new Club. Charlie Purdie, the burly Invercargill forward, recently joined the Benedicts, and it is doubtful, therefore, whether he will be found guilty of putting the jersey on again. Rumours are busy with the retirement of prominent players. "Cooky" Roberts says the bank is his place thisi season. This is only to be expected, but the report that MoAnally is a hasbeen will require a lot of confirmation. Gray, who is an ex-Auckland Grammar School boy, and played for the Suburbs team in the Northern Union, has joined the Wellington Club, and will fill the vacancy at half-back caused by Meredith's departure to Auckland. Peter Ward, the brilliant half-back, who went from Southland to New South Wales, and from thence to South Africa, is bck m Invercargill. It is more than probable that he will remain in New Zealand, and if he should strike his old form one position in the New Zeialand team to tour Sew South Wales ought not to be hard to fill. I hear Jack Laughton is not seeking re-election as a member of the Management. Committee of the Rugby Union. This seems to me a pity, for Laughton is one of the most conscientious soorts we have in the city, and his work on the Management Committee during his four years' tenure of office has been consistently good.

Strolling through a public library, did you ever notice that the volumes of sermons always look as if they were newly out of the hinders' hands, though they have reiposed in their places for many years ? * * * There were some sweetly innocent girls on board the Royal Arthur for afternoon tea last week. One of the officers was showing the young ladies round, and as he was expatiating on the complicated steering gear he 1 remarked that the flagship "made nineteen knots an hour." "Gracious'" exclaimed a young lady, not unknown m Tinakon society, "What a lot of rope you must use during the year l " * » • The Winton pafper, referring to what is termed the "Wmtoru disease," which has earned off a lot of horseflesh down South says the disease' has extended to chickens, as they have been seen to jump up in the air, stagger about, and generally appear to be intoxicated. Said to 'be a rush of "dead beats" for down that way to cultivate the disease. •* * • They belong to the same club in Wellington., and were engaged in a friendly game of cards the other meht. Enter a member who joined the Benedicts rather more than a year aero. "Halloa, there's Smith '" remarked one _ player "I notice he's here every night since the baby came. I thouerht he was firmly anchored to a home life." "He was," replied the other (a well-known Willisstreet tradesman) "but you see, at the first squall he began, to drag his anchor." The joke is travelling. * * * That was a tidy zephyr that tore Townsville (Queensland) up the other day, but it was not a circumstance to the Kansas cyclone that raged according to a Yankee paiper to hand "It flattened the town, twisted up the railw ay, and picked up (among: other things) a cow. which it carried eleven miles. a.nd finally dumped on the roof of the courthouse in the next town. When an ordinary fifty-knot gale comes along in Kansas they open the windows to catch the evening breeze." Wellington, hide thy diminished head' * * * Some of the Australians who have left Droughtland for New Zealand are startings on the lower rungs 1 of the ladder once again. On the Waimate Plains one ex-stock inspector is milking cows on shares. He would be still inspecting cattle in Australia, if they hadn't all died around where he comes from. Another milker was formerly the manager of one of the largest and best-stock-ed runs in the Darling country. Many ex-country bank managers, ruined squatters, and "fly-blown." erstwhile holders of good billets are "humping bluey" up and down the colony where there is always a stick to boil the billy with, and a drop of water to make tea.