FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 245, 9 October 1908, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

IMPKOVING KU<id¥. CONFERENCE IN WELLINGTON. SEVERAL ALTERATIONS CAItKUBD By Telegraph.—l'ro:y Association. Wellington, Last -Nighl. For some considerable t i mL . puat°Uer has been considerable agitation tliroueli out the Dominion to have the Jhws o Rugby football and Uie English Union', rules as to professionalism amended general meeting of tfc council of "th< .Union was held to night, Mr U F c Camp/bell (presided of the Union)'oc cupied the chair. The meeting was at by 43 delegate from 18 umoll s Mr. J. Hutchison (Otaco) m r ,,i What in the opinion of tlus U'.uuu Viu tune has arrived when it is imperative that thc ldW3 01 be , UIUCnd( ' J - He saiu u, »pmt of tlhis motion had been express ed very generally at the last ainuai a Sj" tlle L " iou - 111610 bad L . J UoVemcnt in the of the amendment of the laws of game MuJ nany t° £ the P rovindal unions hac stsr ™ d w Mr. G. H. Dixon (chairman of tilt management committee) said it wa< not his opinion that an amendment tc TV™ 3 "" n P erativel -V necessary, although he agreed that tthere might'"be m? wou!d im P rOTC th{ SSf'nf K . WaS wanfc!d ,vas the o'<i •pint of chivalry and fair plav. If fhv jreeent game were properly Jnd fahty played there would be nothing to coin pl«n about. He moved as an arnrad St thft ae r tion Bhould be read ■i2s ui 0 8 arnve d when it is fcerei" 1 tlle ru ' es Bhould be al ■Mr. G. Luak said tire rules must ire altered. Club football was in a disgraceful state, and something must be

ln n °t sending on to the Jfcglish Laion every one of tlie suggestions forwarded to it by the local union. One unions had consulted tibe referees toe experts in tie laws of Rugby, and »heir proposals should have had more consideration. Mr. V. R. Meredith seconded the amendment. The present game »a S good enough. There wag a cry for a J»st game, but it must .be remembered that Rugby was played by amateur. Who bad to earn their living duraWeek, so that if the game were made toy faster they could not get men wh Could maintain" "condition." B - M - Isaacs Baid that he was o exactly the same opinion as Mr. Dixoi asjd Mr. Meredith. Mr - G - H. Mason said that w.ii'i there was room for amendment of 'tU. rules, still the game was m the hand: M we players, who could do as the; Hked, no matter what tie rules were. Mr. Hutchison signified his williag ■less to accept the amendment, and thi meeting gave him jiermission to adoii •his course. The motion as ameaje, -Was then passed without dissent. Mr. Hutdhison then went on to mov the proposed alterations of the laws o the game. The first was the abolitio: of th« charge in the case of a free kici or kick at goals. A free kick, he sail Mould be free in fact as in name.—M tMson seconded.

Mr. Lusk moved as an amendment, That there should be no charge ni the case of a penalty kick;— Mr. p. A. Laws seconded the amendment, a penalty kick I ' should be a penalty in every sense of the word.—The amendment was lost. Mr. J. S. Mason then moved an addition to tlhe motion allowing the kicker to place the ball for all kicks.—The amendment was thrown out on the .voices.

The motion was then put and carrvti by 33 votes to 28. Mr. J. W. Wilson moved that the ihrown-in from touch be not less tihan five yards.—Carried without discussion. Mr. Hutchison moved the third amendment, providing for the imposition of a penalty in the event of the ball landing directly into touch from the kick-off or kick-out. Mr. Mason moved as an amendment, That when the hall is kicked directly into touch a free-kick shall be given, to the apposing side ten yards from where ithe tell went into touch and in a direction parallel witli the goal-line. Mr. Mason explained that the motion refolded to all kicks, including ordinary punts into touch.—Both the motion mu the amendment were lost by a largi majority.

Mr, Hutchison then proposed a me Won providing for the imposit; in of a penalty upon any player win shn' cross an imaginary line drawn ihTougil tie back of the scrummage on his own side while the ball is in the scrum. This motion if carried would eliminate winjg-forward play.

. Mr. OJilson seconded.—Mr. H. Roberts Also supported the- motion.—Mr. T. Roberts strongly opposed the abolition of the wing-forward. The wing did not spoil the game, but he served to open Up the play.—Mr. F. A. Laws said that to referees the wing-forward was a bug/boar and made the task of ru/.n" a game extremely difficult. —Messrs R.jiT Ifcaaca and 0. Hale opposed the motion. The latter pointed out that evv 7 delegate who had spoken in i'-s -vor was a referee, while every p)av :r had iu ; posed it.—'Mr G. H. Dixon thought tftat the adoption of the motion would - make players more automatic—Mr. Hutchison believed that notwithstanding what Mr. Hale and Mr. F. Roberts ihad said, the players of tire Domi.r n were opposed to wing forward pli - '. !(No!)—The motion was carried by S3 23.

'The nsxt proposal was moved by Mr. J. W. Wilson. It was that the side be reduced to fourteen players.—The motion ww thrown out without discussion.

The Taranaki Northern Union professional team went north by laBt) bight's steamer ,and will play Auckland to-morrow. Considerable interest In the match is evinced in tlhe northern Bity.