FOOTBALL.

NZ Truth, Issue 92, 23 March 1907, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

(By "Pakeha.")

It is understood four or five years will probably elapse before the next visit of a South African team to England, though a return visit from the Mother Country's representatives will probably take place meanwhile. Lile, one of the crack performers m the Athletic forward ranks last season has gone over to the "Ories." Scott, another blue forward, will; it is reported, play for Poneke this season.

Apropos of the suggestion to set aside an Imperial Trophy' for International Rugby competitions throughout -the world, George Goldie mooted this proposal at the New Zealand Rugby Union when the matter of arranging the Ranfurly Shield competition regulations came under review. On that occasion the proposal met with contemptuous indifference ; it \ms looked upon, m fact, as something m the nature of a "wild cat" scheme. George, however, stuck valiantly to his guns, and now the idea seems to be meeting with general favor. It is a 100 to 1. chance that "weathercock" Dixon and one or two more of Ms pals will join m the "Yea" chorus.

•O!Leary, the Wairarapa representative'back;- is. froing., to take up his: residence m town, so report says, and.play for the "Jimmies.''.

On dit that the matter of barring committeemen of the N.Z^U -from having any pecuniary intepest m its affairs will be a ' topics©! discussion at the annual meetimciiSp May. If such a rule were carrift^p it would put the Dixon-LaurehsQSr combination's nose right out of joint. Anyway there is sure to be some, pretty plain, .speaking by one or two delegates on past happenings. .-,.

Quite a number of local Rugby sports have intimated their intention of , going over 'to Australia with the r New Zealand team this year, which means; of course, joining, in ■■all ' the good tbings provi'ded'by our hospitable' Sydney' -and ; Brisbane^ 'friends.' There isj howevfer, ■' &•''.. reso lotion Oh the EiXecutivb's mmufes.^ unless ;i I am m uch mistaken , p r cvhibiiing ; outsiders from- enjoying the concessions and) privileges accorded ' ; to "the ; team . Something of this '.prohibitive sort was needed, God knows, after the happenings bri the last journey of the New Zealanders tq the N.S.W. and Queensland cities. " '■ ;

Now, that the season's events are almost* on top 'of us, .it might be of intere.st to" draw the attention, of those officjais of the New Zealand Rugby Union who were so prone to parade themselves m style .. at the. Athletic Park on' important occasions 1 last year, to the new rule which has been incorporated with the Wellington Rugby Union's bye-laws. It reads as follows '—"The Management Committee shall prohibit any person or persons from granting , any special privileges or concessions regarding admission to seating accommodatibn at any contest whatever held under the auspices of the, Union, or from prantinir any special privilege pr concession m relation thereto whatsoever." ' • . .

The Paheke Football Club put up a record" 1 at its annual meeting when it elected 40 active and honorary membors There is said to be some ripping talent' among the active membership division. The Club did well by re-electing Dan Toohill and Charlie Mitchell to the positiqn of secretary aad treasurer respectively. Dan ■wanted, a- respite, but "Brassey" White got m a '"good 'un" when he said that it was an unwritten rule of the Club that no secretary could go out of office until he had had the pleasure of seeing the Club annex the senoir championship. . That settled Dan, who collapsed under the pres-' slire.

That' an infusion of new blood on the N.Z.R.U. Executive would make for its betterment, is undeniable m the light of last year's events. The ability and hpnesty of purpose of men of the stamp' of George Facbe, pick Isaacs and Jack Laughton is beyondi all question, but when it comes to the other smoogers, bounders, schemers and nonentities who take , part m the Union's (counsels ; ugh !. Edgar Wylie is a good man gone wrong ; the effects of bad company. Still there is time for repentance, even at the eleventh hour, and Edgar might yet redeem his reputation which stood high until "Gaily and company got at him. Lack ' of courage lias landed Edgar m one or two nasty holes this past season, Whilst his old tact seems to have quite deserted him.

Reported 1 that the Auckland Rugby Union is of . opinion that m Rahfurly Shield competitions, the home Union should have a percentage of the boodle taken at the gates. The custom at present is' that the colonial Union collars all the "stuff," and the local Union * which is put to the trouble and .expense, of fixing up matters, doesn't get a m return. Now that the N.Z. Union is such an affluent body it can well afford to assist local Unions m the direction above indicated. The Auckland Union will, it is announced, seek to effect this change at the annual meeting m May. .''"Gaily" and one or two of his friends will doubtless kick against the concession, but they are really such small, .potatoes m a N.Z.R.U. assemblage that their opinions or desires are not worth troubling about. It is said that desperate efforts will be made to muzzle those delegates . who have the cheek to pry into the doings of the N.Z.R.U. last season. , A confab between the parties who dread such disclosures took place at a' street corner a few days ago with the result that Mr George Campbell will be ,reqiuested to come down with the big boot, should the inquisitive ones get obstreperous.

But Mr Campbell will find that he is not bossing a Government corps of cfuilPdrivers, or giving orders to our citizen soldiers ; not much. •

A West Coaster, who has been doing Munro's big show m Christchurch was telling me on Saturday last thai) Rugby is going ahead with great strides m Coalopolis. This season's prospects are bright indeed, and the competitions promise to be more spiritedly contested than -m previous years.

Wallace wants the Poneke Club to rake up a strong team to take part m the projected Exhibition Rugby tournaments. The proposal of the Exhibition commissioners savours of damn rot, to say the least of iit, and the Canterbury Rugby Union, which knows a thing or two, being right on the spot, treats it with indifference.

W. L. Abbott, the Taranaki and All Black three-quarter, raav take up his residence m Dunedin this season, m which case he would be found playing for one of the local senior teams.

Mac Donald, the All Black forward, has been elected practice captain of the Kaikorai team this season.

An ex-Invercargillite, who is now m business m Sydney, is of opinion that Rugby football has v improved wonderfully during the last twelve months, and he thinks that the New Zealand team that yieits Australia during the forthcoming season .will have their work cut out to win the representative match. . v , .

Having scooped m the junior cup, and practically all the lower grade championship matches last season, the St. James 1 Club thinks itself "classy" enough to throw down the gauntlet to the senior combinations this coming season. It is forced into the position m a way by the fact that several of its members have notified their intention of going over to other combinations unless the Club; raJises its status. {Personally, I don't think the. Olub is justified ; m going a step higher, and its resolve to do so is only another argument as to the wisdom vof adopting, some . such scheme as was formulated by ""Bras-? sv" White last season. ,':

That old war-horse, Davy Gage, is going to take the Poneke junior teams m hand this season. No better "•mentor, than Davy could be found if, one were to search Wellington from end to end.

Jack Pagni, who now hangs his sign outside the British Hotel m Auckland, is said to be making a pot of money out of his new venture. Jack finds the . climate* a wee bit trying, but the ■ hoarding of an abundance of shekels more than makes up for his' experience. The old Wellingtonian has already got anxious' over Wellin<>:ton's prospects against Auckland this season-. He is a black and gold man to the core, and his new associations are not powerful enough to wean Jack . from his, old love* He reckons on having the 'laugh agaiast his Auckland friends when the coming season's "Inter" battle is numbered among past contest. Jack wishes to be remembered to his legion of acquaintances m the Capital City.

Ah English writer thinks it is perhaps as well that the proposed tour of a team from New South Wales should foe postponed till 1908---9, for three visits from Greater Britain m successive seasons, though they have given a fillip to'"Rugger," for which -the Rugby Union ; should he ' very thankful, would have run the risk of overdoing thmgs, he says. We shall thus get a winter of what may be termed "home" football, Which may properly be spent m setting our house m order and putting to ' practical use some of the lessons learnt. The matter of a team for New Zealand is .as yet merely one of possibility. If the project is to become an > accomplished fact it should be officially engineered by the Rugby Union, and the collection of a strong skle-must be a sine qua non. , .

Secretary Robb, ,of the New Zealand Referees' Association, points out that my strictures concerning that body are not strictly fair. It is not correct, he says, that other people were asked to pay the piper far the big "splosh* at Go<Jber?s, the Wellington Referees' Association 1 provided the wherewithal oh that occasion. Mr RoSb also directs my attention to the, fact that delegates attending the conference from elsewhere pay their expenses out of their own pockets. I am only too pleased to give publicity to the statements made by Mr l ßobfo m a street conversation about the matter. . But will Mr Robb explain why the management cdmmiti&ee of the WR.U. has decided! to pay the expenses ol the local Referees' Association's delegates to the Dunedin Conference this month? The local delegate is getting an outing on this occasion at somebody's expense, sure enough, and will a few days at the Exhibition be included m the exes ? Mr Robb agrees that the work accomplished by the New Zealand Referees' Association to date has been somewhat disappointing m its results, but he contends that great difficulties always come m the way of undertakings of this sort for a year or two, and until matters settle down smoothly those at the head of. affairs must be prepared for a thankless and! fruitless time. He is sanguine that ultimate arid lasting good will come from the formation of the Association, and that players and the Rug~ by-loving public will realise, its worth. 1 hope Mr Robb's anticipations will be fulfilled, but I confess to a very pessimistic feeling on the point.

George Gillett went to live m Auckland a fortnight ago and will play for Ponsonby this season, as will George Nicholson and Hall, the Thames back who created such a favorable impression last year.

Angus Campbell will attend the N.Z. Referees' Conference m Dunedin as the. representative of the Auckland Referees' Association.

Ponsonby (Auckland) has decided to send a team to Christchurch for the Exhibition tournament. Grafton will also probalbly send a team.

The balance sheet of the N.S.W. Rucby Union shows a surplus of assets over liabilities of £2521, but of this £2010 is down to mortgages. The year shows a credit of £578.

The annual meeting of the Canterbury Rugby Union seems to have teen a .joyless sort of affair. There was only a moderate attendance of delegales, who were unable to work tip any enthusiasm m the proceedings. Mr Frank Evans is one of this year's delegates to the N.Z.R.U.. and* he is the best of the bunoh, by miles.

The report and balance sheet of the Metropolitan Rugby Union of N.S.W. is a tale of success m every way. The match receipts last season were £3724 Is 7d, exclusive, of the Auckland City Club's matches, which brought m £254 4s lid: The club match proceeds were aptoxima-tely £4000. There is a surplus of £2399.