FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 229, 21 September 1908, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

WELLINGTON v. Ci'AGO. BIG SCORING. By Telegraph.-Press Association. Wellington, .Saturday Nignt. Easily the best Rugby game seen in Wellington this season'was played on the Athletic Park this afternoon liefore a crowd of 80U0; which was moved to lire highest pitch of enthusiasm by the play. Playing with a strong wind in their favor in the first spell, Wellington put up !> points (two penally guaTs by Mitdiinson ami a try by Ev'ensoii), but it was evident that Otngo still had a good deal of energy in reserve. This was proved in the second half, as the blues ran up 11 points in the first seven minutes, Casey, Don and fvimcy scoring trias, 0,,e „f ythie], Patterson co |,- verted. Wellington played up for a little but Patterson landed a wonderful goal from a mark, bringing the total to 14. Wellington then got away, and Heady scored, making the scores 14—12. Fitzpntriek next scored a try for Otago-17-12. With two minutes to go, Wellington got away, and Mitchinson ran over half the ground and scored. Roberts' kick just failed. The game ended--Otngo 17, Wellington 15. Mr. Angus Campbell referecd.

BRITISH TOl'li PROFITS. Wellington, Last Night. The financial results of the recent lour in New Zealand ami Australia of the British football team are knrwn approximately. The total receipts from all matches played in New Zealand were .€11,400, and the expenses Cll--1)00, involving, roughly, « low of .t2OO. The Australian part'of the tour, wiflr nine matches, brought a profit to the New Zealand Rugby Union of about fil2oo. T!he total profit of the whole tour is then about £IOOO, which will be distributed amongst t'he various district unions affiliated to the central 'body. RETURN OF TIIe"vTCTORIAN GAME PLAYERS. Auckland, Last Night. The New Zealand representative team of Australian football players returned from the Australian football carnival recently held at Melbourne lathe s.s. Wimmera to-dav. The team speak highly of the manner in which they were treated during their (our of the Commonwealth. Th« team has returned with a record of six wins and four losses.

NORTHERN UNION GAME

lorn Smith writes to the editor .is follows: strongly against the unfairness of your paper ro the albovc movement and report, of the game of lust Thursday. The rcporfshows that the writer is'prejudieej. He belittled the play as being oil a par with the Taranaki ■ South Canterbury niitfch. I ask any fair-minded spectator whether they have- seen a faster or belter passing game or better taeklin" this saison than Thursday's. He also"savs that Auckland put no ginger into their work. Does he want the boot to be put m as in amateur matches when he stands on the scratch line and yells, i 'Boot, hoot!' or 'Use your feet!' TJi.it is iio good in this game. It is only suitable for the decaying o ld Rugby'game. Tlie Northern game lias come to stay, and last Thursday's game was fast and exciting, and at the conclusion the spectators were unanimous in their praise of it. iScores of people are Jiiglily indignant at the misleading reports of the matcli. The Now Zealand Northern Rugby Union League which is now In course of formation does not intend to promote professionalism—to pay retaining fees or players so much a week—but is going to compensate players for loss of time, travelling allowances, and an adequate system of insurance. There will be a proviso, as at Home, that no player can take part in a Northern Union game without he has legitimate, employment. Your reporters have worked against the movement from the start unfairly. All we expect is British fair play, but we know that your reporters rely a good deal on information from the chairman of the management committee of the Taranaki Rugby Union, our enemy. The, Northern game is cleaner, faster, and -more spectacular than the presentl Ruglby game, and whilst we keep the game free from professionalism we will have the support, of the public, despite the New Zealand Rupjby Union or 'biassed reporters." [T.'S. must have one eye, and a crooked one at. that, or he wonfd not entertain such thoughts, let alone publicly express them. The Northern Union movement lias received fair treatment at the hands of the News, and the report he complains of erred, if it crvd at all, on the other side—in favor of the new game. If one who saw the game has a. doubt,about this, let him read the report again and also read the notice the match received on the morning of the match. T.S. has nothing at all to complain of. as we feel will lie conceded by any impartial observer. The trouble with our thin-skinned correspondent is that he. is unable to distinguish between fair and unfair criticism.—F.d.]