FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 139, 3 June 1908, Page 4

FOOTBALL.

TO DAY'S MATCHES. Owing to Stratford and Elthum »li-| i serving to-day as a liolidiiy. it lias been ! limtnaly agreed to play the first matches! oi tiie second round to-day. instead of | to morrow. I The liist juniors of these clubs jucell at Stratford at lIUO this morning. At l.t.'i the seisnul juniors play on Tauni.ita Park, Kltham. this game' ailing as :i | curtain-raiser to the senior fiNture at :; o'clock. Mr. c. lirillitlis will referee ! at Ellhaiu. and Mr. ,1. Way at Stratj ford. J

THURSDAY'S (iAM.ES. ' To-morrow's fixtures are as follows: First grade: Star v. Tukapa, at Western | Park. :i p.m.—Mr. Hopkins. lnglcv.oud , v. Clifton, at Inglewood, :( |,.m. -Mr. V. , Spnrdle. Second grade: Siar v. Tukapa. at ', Western Park, at l.:«l p.m.-Mr. (irif- . liths. Third grade-Star v. Tukapa. on Tukapa practice ground, at I.iiO p.m.—Mr. Hopkin«. I The following will r. present the Old I lioys in a sevena-side tournament with I ike High School on the racecourse •/round at «0 p.m. to-dnv.—Monk. M<-I-aae. liollinger. (irant. Coker. McAllum, ami Laing. The following team will represent the Clifton Senior- againM ]nglowo«iil on Thursday next at high-wood:—W. Lush,] If. Scholelield, V. Tate. .1. F.ggh-ston, 1). (Jeorge. s. George. (',. l'ulfurd, E. Samp- ; >on. M. Cain, A. McAlpine, S. Lover- ' idge. l'ukere, M. Partridge. J. liodloy. P. Jones. Team haves by the 1 o'clock

I train. I The Star 111. team to play Tukapn HI. on Thursday on the racecourse (.'round at 1.30 will lie:—James. Martin, Eealand, C.rant, Osborne, Whitakcr, Atiia. L. Richards. Skipper, Shearer, Evans. Weller. Penwarden. A. Kit-hards, 'and Woods. KmcrgcncicS: Harvey, McI Millan. and llealy.

XOTES. The northern division is to lose one of Taranaki's most popular referees in Mr. fieo. Hopkins, who has decided to commence in the saddlery business on his own account'at Okato. "Tiger/' a s he is generally known, gets a good word from both public and players, having the reputation of keeping a game open anil fast, not overloading it with whistle, but at the same time "standing no nonsense," as he puts it himself. Should lie be able to spare the time from his private business venture ne should be of immense benefit to football in the new western division. This scribe wishes Mr. Hopkins the best of luck in his new home, and feels sure that his honesty of purpose on the football field will stand him in good stead as an introduction to the "sports" at Okato. '"Tiger" will leave one other gap when he goes, for he is at present liugler-Ser-geant Hopkins, of the Taranaki JlattaIton of volunteers. At Monday night's meeting of the l!e----fi-ri'i's' Association Messrs. ;| !ls . Clarke, of Xew Plymouth, and F. liinnie. of Warea, passed their examinations, and were admitted as members of the Association. The secretary of the Star Football Club acknowledges receipt of a guinoa from Mr. H. J. 11. Okey, M.P.

EXGU.SII RUUXfiS By thi- murtoy of Mr <:. (irillitlis. secretary of the Taranaki Referees' Association, we arc able to publish the following questions forwarded on to tin' Kni;ii-!i Union liy the Australasian conference, which have been replied to as follows: 1. The ball is in touch. A player throws it into the Held at right angle*. and immediately runs in and plays th" ball before it has been touched by another player. Is this procedure allow-. alder—Reply: Yes, if the ball is fairly thrown in and not bounded. 2. The hall i- in touch. Is a player allowed to bound the ball into the field of play t —Reply.- Xo; not now allowed. :s. The ball ha> been heeled through the sirummage to. say. a position between the si-cnnd anil third rows of players. An opposing player from outside the -.enmnnago keeping behind the ball enl'T- the -iTummajic from the <h\v for the puipo-e of playing the lull. Does this constitute entering the scrummage from the opponents' side, or is it :■ lion-able?— Reply: The player must enter the scrummage behind the ball. A suggestion was a i. s „ forwarded to alter law .'! section K. in the direction of giving the referee discretionary power re ordering a scrummage, when a player with the ball touches him, and pointing out tnat the referee was compelled to order a scrummage when the touching had no material affect upon the game, and to which it would he fairer to allow the game to proceed.—Reply: Hall touching referee must be dead. The, law should not be altered as it might give rise to trickery.

The New Zealand I'nion is in receipt of the following ruling from the international Board.—That the " advantage rule'' does not apply in case of a throwin from touch, as in law 12, section A. I