FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 143, 8 June 1908, Page 4

FOOTBALL.

.WAIRARAPA (JAMES. Per Press Association. Masterton, Last Night, The senior matches of the Wairarapa Rugby Union on Saturday resulted as follows:—Red Star defeated Masterton by 10 points to 3; Carterton licat lireylowu by 12 points to 3. Junior matches—Red Star beat' Dalcliehl by 0 points to 5; Carterton beat Te Ore hy 13 to 3; (ircytowii defeated Masterton by !l to nil. Third-class championship— Red Star beat Dalclield by 15 points to 3. AUCKLAND .MATCHES. Per Press Association. Auckland, Saturday .Night. The first round of the Rugby football championships was continued here today in ideal football weather. The attendance (two thousand) siill'ered by ren-oit of the strung counter-attraction of the Crcat Northern .Meeting at Ellerslic. In the senior grade matches (Iratton and Varsity drew, 3 points (one try) each. Ponsoi'iby defeated I'arneil by 17 points (four tries, one converted, niid a penally goal) to 3 (a held goall. City had an easy win from Newton, scoring 27 points (seven tries, three converted) to 3 (one try).

SOUTHERN DIVISION. (Special to News.) I'atea. Saturday, l'atea senior., heal Okinawa seniors hv 2li lo nil. The game wa- very onesided, l'alea having all the best of it. Con Sherluui (2), Tom Sheohau (2|, C. ISnrke, Thurston. Davidson, and Elmslie scored, Con Sheehan converting one try. Okinawa juniors lieat l'alea juniors by (i points to 3. 'l'atea thirds heat Hawera thirds by 1 11 points (one goal and two tries) to nil. WIiSTEJi.N DIVISION. Saturday's western division matches resulted as -follows: Seniors Okatu 10, l'ihama 8, at Okatoj Opunake !), Rahotu 0, at Opunake. Juniors.—Okato 1(1, Piliama 3, at Piliama; Rahotu 0, Opunake 0, at Raliotti (no score).

The Manawatu A. ami I'. Association have decided to charge the Sew Zealand ltugby I'niou 33 1-3 per cent, of the gross takings for the use of the show-grounds on the occasion of the British football match to be played there. -Mr. J. (J. (ileeson, late manager of the New- Zealand professional team which recently toured the North of Jiiigland, will return to the Dominion in about two months' time, but will probably revisit England next year. ilr. (jlccsun has been invited to stand for a seat in the llouse of Commons as a member of .the Irish party.—British Australasian. The fact of If. Messenger having played with Queensland against the New Zealandcrs the other Saturday is stillicient, if nothing else were, to make an immense gulf in the public estimate of these matches and similar ones of the I Itugby Unions. Here we are still in I .May, and yet .Messenger has already played for and agaiust the New Zcalamlers, for New South W ales, and, for Queensland, lie is sure to yet pla\ against Queensland, and, to complete the absurdity, he might once, more don the black or the maroon jersey agaiust his own State. This bidding for the nimble shilling of the public is being overdone, and must tend to a feeling that the Kugby League has only one trump card, and that .Messenger, 'ilie Northern l'uiou of laigland would. I feel sure, not countenance such a thing m either international or comity matches.—Sydney Referee. One of the members of the professional footliall team who has returned states that the members will receive . about .0)0 each after paying all travelling expenses. Questioned as to the possibility of the team being re-formed I iu New Zealand, be said he thought it J unlikely. It might happen that various ' members might get clubs formed in the ditl'crent portions of the Dominion in which they reside, and thus get the game started. If this were done, he declared the Northern I'nion code would be a most popular game in n few years' time, lie attributed bis team's defeats . in An-lraliii to lack of condition, the leant being unaware that they were to ! iliav until they arrived. , . The New South Wales l'ngby 1 nion has deliuitelv arranged for the team to • leave for Kngland on Hth August, the ' nartv to consist ol 20 plnvers and n manager. Due of the players is to l>.> ' appointed assistant manager, and is to undertake the management in the e\en> t.f tin* »unau<M' ineapiuilaU'u at " anv time. New Zealand sent 14 loi- ' wards and 1"> backs oil the Knglish tour. 1 The New South Wales party will prob- ' ;,Wv consi-t of 14 forwards and l-i ' lucks, that is a matter tor the Selec- • tion Committee to decide. It is likely ' that one or two of 'he ablest players ' will not be able to make the trip, t Nevertheless it is clear that there is • no dearth of good talent. How players • accustomed to the Hup wcatl«r an. - liard <lrv grounds of Australian • will fare in the cold and wet ' I, winter remains to be seen. Ihe , out i r Africans performed brilliantly undei - these conditions, and the inference is that the New .South Welshmen, if the t l,est team lie got together, should not. j be any more seriously handicapped than c the Springboks were.