FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 59, 29 May 1907, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

AUCKLAND MEN AND TILL DECLARATION. Per Press Association. Auckland, May 28. Tlie Auckland footballers who on Saturday iloclincd to sign Hie declaration I submitted by the Rugby Union meet to- ■ night to re-consider their decision. It ; is understood there is a probability of the men signing the declaration.

THE PROPOSED PROFESSIONAL ENGLISH TOUR. .Mr. I!. H. Dixon, who managed the "All Blacks'" tour in Great Britain, does m t think that the proposed tour of a professional Xcw Zealand learn in England will pay.

In an interview with a New Zealau.l Times reporter he stated the ea.--e somewhat as follows: The gross receipts from the "All Blacks' " lour of 33 mutches in (Ireut Britain and France amounted to i' 14,813, but of that, sum US/i!) was obtained from nine matches, which would not be available to a professional team. Scotland. Ireland and Wales are ab.-o-

international matches would also be impossible to professionals. The res; of the takings from the olh'-r 21 iiniU-hei in England and Fiance amounted to If that average "be applied lo ilk- .'!,;

matches, if will show a total of .CSMt'J. | The terms olferd by the Nortlirn Union are reported to be 32 or :{:! matches, to be played on Wednesdays and Saturdays, with a guarantee of Cod for the Wednesday and .tint) for th e Saturday matches, an average of C7"> per match. It would appear from this that the estimate of £233 would be an extravagant one.

Mr. Dixon figures out the total expenses of the professionals at £73(18, and shows that after the allowance ami a liberal estimate of the receipts, there would remain a margin of only £9lll, say .11000 divided between the 28 men. would yield a title over .135 per man, assuming that the players and the pro- ,

inoters share alike. The margin of profit under most favourable circumstances does not strike Mr. Dixoii as being sufficient to warrant any person in Taking the very great risk that the undertaking involves. If the professional team should not prove itself able to win matches, for the strength of Northern Union football is an unknown quantity to us, I their position will become a very serious one.

Referring to the "All Blacks'-' tour, Mr. Dixon said: ''We burst upon the British public like a meteor, and a great wave of enthusiasm rose up about us, so that we had great attendances. Will the professional team have the same ex ;

perience? They are barred, at all events, from international matches, and unless they do something very wonderful their matches will fall to the level of club matches, and then "

BULLER RUGBY UNION. CHALLENGERS FOR RANFURLY SHIELD. A COMPLAINT. Per Press Association. Westport, May 28. Dennehy, who is chosen as emergency in the football team to represent the Smith Island., is a member of a West-

port Club, affiliated to the Buller Rugbv Union, which has uo connection with Westland or the Westland Union, Buller County being in the Nelson, and not in the Westland province. It is a matter of constant complaint in this district that Westport, and the Westport colleries are treated in Press Association

telegrams as being in Westland instead of. as they are, in Nelson province. At a meeting of the Buller Rugbv uiion management committee to-niglii. a telegram was received from Auckland accepting Buller's challenge for the Ranfurly Shield match, to take place at Auckland on July 13.

The Marlborough Union also wired accepting Buller's challenge for the Sedilon Shield, and fixed the match for Julv

J'lie committee learned with surprise that Deiinehy had been picked merely ns an emergency for the South Island team, and decided to voice its most emphatically protest, seeing that Dcnnchv was

r. member of Che South Island team last year, and, vide press reports, earned special distinction for his play. The committee considered that Dennchv was

showing improved form this year, and utterly failed to understand the actien of tlie selectors in relegating him to the place of emergency.

CANTERBURY RUGBY UXIOX. Per Press Association. Chrislcliurch. May 2i\. M a meeting of the committee'of the Canterbury Rugby (;„i„ n to-night, the secretary reported th.it D. McGregor. one of the Canterbury nominess for Tin* North v. South Island match, had refused to si-ru (lie dc-laration re the proIcsional team to taur Km.lan.l. Complaints were received as to'the conduct •_'t spectators at recent football matches ill encroaching on t!„. grounds and the coiuiuiltee decided {,., take 511 . u .„, ,„,,.,. sures l„ ])U t a sl()]) t0 thl , ti-ouLU-.

The following team will represent Elham J. v. Clifton r. at Waitara on lluirsday: Moir, lirown. l'„tls McCracken, McXab, Were, Smith ' Miv Wilson, MeDonahl. Burke, Glcntworth! Dive, Lewis and Morse.

The following team will represent Star J. v. Stratford J. ou Thursday: Nittt McLean. Pike, Black, Smith, Thompson. Pycroft, Orr, Allen, Iloskin, Ryan, Pellnnger, Amlmry, Setford, Duffin: emergency. Dixon.

The following is the team to represent, luknpa JI. against Inglewood: .1 Bullot Webster. Stobr, Douglass. Brown. CeoiV •dynes, Matlicson, Jones, Coker, Hendnekson, Slurmey, Coker, Perry McAUuni. ' ' '

"Inglewood Junior writes: Tn Hi" Taranaki Daily News this moraine I notice a paragraph signed by "One'of the Stars'' relating to a remark of last Friday's Ellli.iin Argus concerning rniHi play on Star's part in the Ellliam "v. Star match, but being an Imrlcwnnd first junior, and baying played "against E|. (ham the previous Thursday, ! don't think Eltham have any room i„ h i\L as two of „„,. men had to retire from the held in less than lie minutes of the commencement of the game, and both ■„■,. "<ill far from being well, one from broken ribs and (1„. other a kick on the spine, besides minor injuries to some of .our other players, fn fact. 1 never played in a roueber match.