Rugby Football.

Free Lance, Volume IV, Issue 195, 26 March 1904, Page 20

Rugby Football.

The annual meeting of the New Zea'and Rugby Union is to be held on Wednesday. 6th May. At that meeting it will be definitely decided whether a Kew Zealand representative team will be sent to tour the British Isles in 1905. I have 6een the draft of the annual report to be presented to the delegates in meeting; assembled. There are many items of interest in it, and I may make more than a passing reference to these next week. * • « The annual report and balance-sheet ci the Wellington Rugby Union have been circulated this 1 week, and the matters therein will provide plenty of food for discussion at the annual meeting of the Union next Wednesday. This time last year there was plenty Oi excitement in the air in reeard to Rugby Union affairs, but this year's meeting promises to be quite a humdrum affair in comparison. All last season's officers that are eligible are offering themselves for reelection. I believe, however, Col. Camnbell is not desirous of another term o i the Management Committee, and 'Dick" Ramsay has unfortunately lost his seafc through missing the night of the Athletic Club's annual meeting, and therefore not being re-appointed a delegate.

The Oriental and Wellington Clubs have had sweeping; changes among then ofLcials. Fred Roberts his been elected captain of the. former, Mmssis E Little and A. Wylie be.ng secretary and treasuier respectively Mr. T. Brodie, the College mastei, has taken over the control of the Wellington Club, Messrs G X Kitchmg (secretary) and Arthur Wilson (tieasurer). being his fellow executive officers. « * * The Otago Rugby Union is instituting a fourth-class competition this season. A Sydney ' Referee" querist wants to know 'if it is lawful in Rugby to collar a man below the knees. "The Village Blacksmith" — Berme Fanning — has been elected a life membei of the Linwood (Christchurch) Football Club. Matches arranged for Easter Saturday are as follows — Wellington v. Christchurch, Poneke v. City (Napier), and Mehose v. Hawera. These erames will all be played on the Athletic Park. A hint to the New Zealand Union in its proposed tour to England — ' At an inter-university football match between Harvard and 'Yale (America) the receipts produced the gigantic sum of £7,700." The rumour that the Athletic Club would not contest the senior championship this season is unfounded. I hear the efforts at present being put foith will enable th© club to be well represented. This will be pleasing news to many readers of these notes. Jack Ewing is acting honorary secretary of the Poneke Club at the present time. He is one of the best supporters the club has had in yeais past, and if h can be prevailed u^on to take up the secretarial duties for the present season a handsome service will be' done the club Charlie Pollard, who used to play a fair game among the Athletic forwards a counle of seasons ago. and lately has been officiating as a referee, has, been transferred from Welhn^on to Dunedin. He intends to keep in touch with the game, and will jom the Refeiees' Association in Dunedin. Pollard gave promise of developing into a good retferee, and, on this head I have pleasure in recommending him to the whistling brigade in the Scotch city.