FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 166, 18 July 1904, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

BRITISHERS AT BRISBANE, (X'ac Prtaa Association.) BRISBANE, July ltt. The return, match between tho Britishers and Queensland was played this afternoon in the presence of 12,000 spectators. Queenslanders won the toss, and during the first half played with a moderate wind at their backs. The local men had the best of the game in this spell. Only once or twice was their line in danger. The passing of both sides was very good. A feature of the play was the dribbling rushes by British forwards. Half time was called with the scoreQueensland 3 Britain 0

In the second half the Britishers forced play, and a couple of passing rushes by their three-quarters ended in tries, each of which was converted. ScoreBritain 10 Queensland 3

The local men were the next to score, placing a goal as the result of a kick from the field. Britain im- . mediately afterwards secured another try, which was not converted, and a further try which was Kent over the bar, the gamo endingBritain 18 Queensland 7 THE ASSOCIATION GAME. DUNEBIN, July 10. The Association match New South Wales v. Otago was played on the Caledonian ground to-day in the presence of about three thousand spectators, who were aroused to enthusiasm by the excellent play. The game ended in a win lor Otago by four goals to two.

TTJKAPA 11. v. WAIMATE IT. The first of the matches to determine the junior championship was played at Manaia on Saturday, and resulted, after a keenly contested game, in favour of tho home mon by 9 points to 6. A high wind prevailed during the early part of the play, and Waimato had the advantage of this. On ends being changed Tukapa. had not this assistance, the wind having fallen, The game was on interesting one, and a good exposition of foolball. Tukapa made play open, the backs doing good work in the attack but the home men, though not shining in thiß department, were very Bound in defence. Their forwards also showed up well in their work. For the winners Pofcai obtained a try from a scramble near the line, which was converted, and a goal was kicked from a mark. For .Tukapa Mi'ilsaacs and Pirani scored tries, but Mclsaacs failed to increase the total. On two other occasions the visitors rt-ossed the Waimate line, the tries being disallowed. Mr Wilson ("Bla 1 - zer"), of Hanera, had charge of the game.

THE AUCKLAND SCANDAL. "THE DRY ROT OF CORRUPTION." It has remained for the Observer to publish the full particulars of the Auckland football scandal. In the latest issue a leader is devoted to the subject, and the following extracts are interesting ; When one considers Uio widespread and absorbing interest that is -uulrcd in our national game of football, the excitement that is aroused by the district matches, and the intense rivalry between the competing clubs, it is astonishing that the sport has kept as clean and wholesome and us free from corrupt practices as it lias. This may be due to the maintenance of a standard of honour amongst the players, or to the vigilance of the controlling tiody, but it certainly is the case, even though football offers a field to the operations of. the professional 'bettor second in profitableness only to horseracing.

Hitherto, ut all events, football has been free from tho vicious practices of tho turf, but it rests with tine honour of tho players themselves whether this creditable record shall bo maintained. Certainly, the football scandal of the last fortnight is not reassuring. It may bo an isolated exumplo of decudence, or, on the other hand, it may be un indication that tho dry rot of corruption and sordid love of gain lias attacked the most manly of all forms of sport. JJ this latter conclusion is correct, then football will fall from its high place in popular estimation until it is the degraded, lawless, and vicious sport it has become in some of the large towns of the United Kingdom and Australia.

It is now a matter of common knowledge tliat the Auckland ltugby Lnion has, within the last lew days mvestig|atwi a statement that u City player wan offered u Bum of money on condition that he did not play Mr best game, tho intuition being that Newton should win tile mutch, and Uiul it has disqualified two representative players for ten ! years, and warned an outsider oil tie grounds under its jurisdiction fur «ite. Hip footballers who liavo been ! .dealt with so severely are A J (Paddy) Long, of the Newton Club' ami Kenneth George, of the City Club, while the outsider is one Ueorge Hutherford, who seems to havo been taking a pretty considerable interest in football and footballers, and who, according to his own confession, made no scruple of using money to influence the result of the matches m which ho was interested iho statements- taken by the Hu' K . by Union j„ connection with this scandal, which- wo .have- taen privileged to peruse, are as conflicting as WW evidence in a women's iWr«l prosecution. From beginning to ond it is a case of '.'you're another.." One disquieting phase, however, is the prominent part that betting plays in the matter. It is palpable that when footballers meet together and discuss tho game, the spirit of rivalry and sport da of small moment when compared -with speculative considerations, while the form of players and the clover points of tho same are only esteemed of importance in so far an they exercise an influence over tho wagers. Every witness examined, and there were many, seemed to bo more or less interested in tho beta.

Thu ovidenco is conclusivo that Kenneth George, of tho city team, agreed to bo "dead," or not to play his best ■game, in the NewtonCity match for a consideration of £5. lie confesses this unreservedly, iJiough he says ho mount to play' his best game and still t u ko tho money, which course was just about as honest as allowing himself to )>u bribed. The match was a draw, and he accepted two sovereigns, so that there is no question that in his case tho discipline of tho Rugby Union was warranted. George Rutherford, the outsider, admits that he made an arrangement with George, and subsequently paid him £.2. Theretore ho has no reason to complain of tho decision of the Hug-by Union, if it is within the knowledge of tho union (hat betting men pay sums of money to players to influence their play, and it does not severely mark its disapproval, then a direct incentive is offered to corruption. The case of A. J. Long, of the Newton Club, stands on a different footing altogether, and we question whether the Rugby Union was justified in disqualifying him for ton years on the testimony before it. The only direct evidence against him is the unsupported assertion of George, who says Long approached him and introduced him to Rutherford. On the other hand Long denies absolutely all knowledge of the transaction, and is supported by Rutherford, who says George introduced himself in tile Shakespeare Hotel, that Long knew nothing whatever of the overtures and that he stepped aside when the two sovereigns were handed to George in the Central Hotel. Certainly, several witnesses declared that Long spoke to George on the field l>efore play started, but there is no evidenco that ho had any knowledge of tho bribe, or that ho niada any roferonce then to either it or Uoorg*'* piny.

On the "you're another" principle, Long asserted that George made overtures to him to play ' dead" lor Newton, but lie refused. This is scarcely creditable, because tltero seeing ito have been no disposition on the part of this precious crowd of 1 sports to back City, and If City were not being backed, where was the motive for stiffening Newton? Another weak point in Long's evidenco was Iris admission that Rutherford told him he had George "dead." But he might have lieen told this without ■hnving taken any part in the stiffening process.