FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 59, 15 April 1907, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

TARANAKI RUGBY UNION. SOUTHERN CUP FIXTURES. i The following are the Pup fixtures for the Southern end for the. first round:— SENIORS. May 11.—Hawcra v. Opunakc, at Opunakc, at 3. Kapouga v. Okaiawa, at Okaiawa, at 3. Patea v. Waimate, at Manaia, at 1. Hay 18.—Kapouga v. Hawcra, at Kapouga, at 3. Opunakc v. Patca, at Manaia, at 1. Waimate v. t)kaiawa, at Okinawa, at i 3. ,

Jfav 2o. —llawera v. Waimate, at 11awera, at 3. Kapouga v. Opunakc, at Opuuake, at ' 3. June I.—Kapunga v. Patea, at Patea, at 2. Waimate v. OpunaKe, at Opunakc, ai 3. llawera v. Okaiawa, at Okaiawa, at June B.—Patea v. llawera, at Patea, at 3. Opunakc v. Okaiawa, at Okaiawa. at 3 , Waimate v. Kaponga. at Kaponga, at 3. JUNIORS.

Slay 11. —Ilawcra, v. Opimake; at Ilawcra, at 3. Kaponga v. Okaiawj., at lvaponga, at 3. Patea v. Waimate, at Patea, at 3. May 18.—kaponga v. Ilawcra, at Hawera, at 3. Opnnake v. Pat«i, at llawora, at 2. Walniate v. Okaiawa. at Manaia, at 3. Slav 25.—Ilawcra v. Wamaic, at Manaia, at 3. Kaponga v. Opnnake, at Kaponga, at 3. l'alea v. Okainwa, at Okaiawa. at 1. .1 un > I.—Kaponga v. fatca, at K:i----pon'/i. at 1. \Vaimate v. Opnnake, at Manaia, u>'3. Hawera v. Okaiawa, at Ilawcra, at 3. June Si— Patea v. Hawcm, at llaivera, at 2. Opunake v. Okaiawa. at Opnnalte, at 3. Wahnatc a', lvaponga. at Manaia, at G. 'rmitn class. May U.—Kaponga v. Okaiawa,. at Kaponga. at 1. l'alea v. Waimate, at Pal-a. at 1. llawern a bye. .May IS —kaponga v. Ilawcra, at lvaponga. at 1. Waihiatc v. Okaiawa. at .Manilla, at 1. Patea a bye. May 2.->.—llawcra v. Waimate, at llawora, at 1. Patea v. Okaiawa, at Patea, at 1. Kaponga a bye. •Tunc I—Patea v. Kaponga, at llawora, at 2. Hawera v. Oka'awa, at Ilawcra, at 1. Waimate a bye. June B.—Patea v. Hawera, at Patea. at 1. Waimate v. Ilawcra, at. lvapouga, at 1. Okaiawa a bye.

The first match of me season eventuated at the High School ground on Satiirdiiy, when tile Old Jfoys were easily vanquished by the present scholars by 21 points to nil. Eor llie J. Sinclair scored two tries and kicked three goals, tlms accounting for more than hal ftlie score. S. llurlc scored two tries and I!. Qulliaui one. '.Mr 11. 11. Ward acted as referee. Championship niatche- commenced in Chrislchurch on Saturday. The Auckland Rugby I'nion made a iv,-t profit of ,C!M« on it- transactions last year. Unity s a town player in Auckland this season, and wid play lull back for the City team. The Grafton District Club, in Auckland, starts the new season with an excess of assets over liabilities ,of .IMUU.I Pretty healthy for a club. The Wellington I'ivc Lance says that seventy-one teams have entered for the five Saturday competitions conducted by the Wellington Rugby Union, made up as follows:—Senior, !l; jinrur. 13; thirdclass. 22; fourth-class, 1-f: Jifth-eliis>. 13. ' This in ails that then- will he no less than lUl>"> actual players Inking pari in matches under the 1 nion every Satin (lav afternoon.

f satisfied, but he was certain that the team had done iLs best. lie wa- glad their conduct had appealed to the British public, and hoped il had earned for Small Africa it iuuik! it never had before.

An interesting dispute as to the finality of a football referee's dictum is struggling for settlement. East Jui.v a test ease was suhm'tted to the New Zealand Union asking for a ruling. The ease was as follows. —A rule (No !)) lays it down that the referee shall be sole judge in all matters of fact, but on matters of law there shall be a right to appeal to the Rugby Union. The point in Mi: pute is whether the finality of the referee's statement of fact precludes anv evidence of facts to the contrary being given before the Union. In an Otago case quoted, part of the Southern Un'on committee held it tnat it did, and thai only matters of law ami evident-• in e:itrnuation could be raised; while Idle other half con!ended that the referee's decision as to facts was conelusiv /jnlv iluriiur the progress ol the u.,1110. anil that it would be inequitable ; that a referee should be able to have a man e onvicted of assault, or bad lan■riiime. or other re.iliy criminal offences _ nil limit a r'ghl of defence. The same dillielttv aas pM-jiloxed I lie Wellington Union, ami an nlhoiiiative ruling would Imve liceti welcomed. Unfortunately tile reply from Loudon now received bv Hi ' New Zealand Union merely iiiiole- 1 lie nil", but gives no interpretation of it to clear up the maze, says the Dtago Witness. ,1

Nicholson, liilleU, I'raneis and ])uiininjf are a line quartette of forwards to lie playing for one club team. The two ■•All-liiiicks" and the two North Island _ ivprc-eniiitivcs are playin;: for i'oilson|,y (Auckland) thi-, season. 'An ,-xiriiit fiuii: a ll»»>e |*i|jer serins' , to surest. that the -New Zeiiliuuk'r» did not have a very Miccc-sful tour after ( all. Listen! ' "New Zealand, playing , n veu forwards everywhere, won some of ■ their matches las: season.'' i'!. 11. I). Sewcil. in a special article in i i>ll. London Opinion, says.:—-"Is any further proof neees-ary'.' Wales, the only r-.1.5e to seriously play tlie seven-forward L'aine the Xew Zealauders were l,!ii. only M'le to heat ilicm; C.'arili: 1 ': * playing seven forwards, wvie tin- only learn to Irat t!io South African representatives. Wales, U-.1 year, won SO lollt;' as they played M'Vell forwards. Hoodwinked, for some reason or other, after the Scott nil niiiteli at Cardilf. rliev reverie, l to rij<ht Forwards, and lost to Belfast." The tour of the New Zealan.lcis iu the Old Country seem- to he hearing fruit.

The Metropolitan (Sydney) 'itu.ahy ! Union's tenth annual report i- a tale ol success ill e\ei'y way. The financial statement, shows the maleli receipts to have li.cn L'3T2-f Is 7d, exclusive of (In: Auckland City ('lull's matches. which hronplit in .C 254 -Is lid. Therefore the cluh match proceeds were approximately .C4OOO. There is a surplus of C2:i!l!l. . Speaking at a reception given to the South African footballers on their return home, Mr Eoos, the captain of the Springboks, said the tour had certainly drawn the British and the, Hutch cio.-er together, and ho hoped that now all differences would he forgotten and tnat tliey would feel themselves united. He did not know whether South Africa wag