FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 147, 19 July 1909, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

THE SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP. ATTITUDE 0F lliE W iAIMATE CLUB. ,The secretary of the Taranaki Rugby Uniou received the following telegram on Saturday morning with reference to the play-oil for the senior championship between the Waimate and Stratford clubs, which the management committee of the Union decided should he played at Stratford, the first match between the teams, played at Jlanaia, having resulted in a draw:— " Wire received. Following resolution passed by management committee (Waimate CluibJ last night: The committee of the Waimate Club protest strongly against the Wjust and unfair action of the management committee of the Union in ordering the final match to be played at Stratford and not tossed for as in the past and played oil a neutral ground, seeing that both teams liave travelled once for the semi-final, and in all fairness both teams should have the same treatment and chance of piaying at home. The committee regret that unless the Uniou favorably considers this protest, no match will eventuate.— (Signed) Allison." Immediately on receipt of the above, the Union's executive decided to notify the two clubs' concerned that the match would not eventuate this week. The Waimate Club is to be asked to show cause why it should not be dealt with by the Union, in terms of the rules, in having practically refused to play the match on other than their own terms, A special meeting of the management eominittco of the Uniou lias been called for Thursday afternoon at Stratford to deal with the matter.

The Manaia correspondent of the Hawcra Star puts the case from the Waimate point of view. He says:—"Great dissatisfaction is expressed by the members and supporters of the Waimate Club at the unfair and unjust decision of the Union in ordering the play-off for the championship to take* place at Stratford, as in the match with Opunake, Waimate lost the toss and had to travel, and again ran the risk of having to travel to Stratford, but were lucky enough to escape. As both teams have travelled once, it is considered as only fair that grounds should be tossed for and both teams given an even chance, or else the game be played on neutral ground, Hawera being the moat suitable one."

NORTH v. SOOTH MATCH. 'ln view of the position that -has arisen over the play-off for the senior championship, and the postponement of the match l>y the Union, the North v. South Taranaki match will eventuate, as originally fixed, at Stratford on Thursday. The following players will represent South Taranaki:—Full-tack, Tinney (l'atea); three-quarters, Sheahau (Patea), Prince (Wainmte), Pini (Waimate); five-eighths, Roberts (Kaponga) and Beamish (Patca); half, Thurston lllawera); wing forwards, Swaiason IPatea) and O'Sullivan (Opunake); forwards, Whittington (liawera), Tama (Waimate), Young (Waimate), Crowley (Kaiponga), Kyan (Waimate), Shealma (Patea). The fifteen to represent the Xorth will be chosen to-day. Twenty players were originally selected.

SATURDAY COMPETITIONS. For the Sole Cup on Saturday, Warehouses defeated Civil Service by (j points to nil after a very interesting game. Tries were scored by Stohr and McAlium. Mr. lloch controlled the game. Rovers disposed of Guards to the extent of 12 to nil. ill'. Way refereed. The win for Warehouses now places them one point ahead of Civil Service, with one match to be played to end the competition. The match next Saturday is being looked forward to with great interest.

. Peter Ward, footballer, who at various times played for Southland and Taranaki, and who is now approaching the veteran stage, is still before the public. lie is a member of one of the new clubs pioneering Rugby in Melbourne. Speaking at a dinner given to the Taranaki Association representative team recently, Mr. S. Clark, replying to the toiist of the Taranaki Association, is reported to have "humorously referred to his first experiences in starting the 'soccer' game in New Plymouth. He had been told that he would only he able to get old women to play. After a few weeks', he managed to persuade some leading Rugby players to play a round of Association rules, but his hopes were rudely dashed to tlft ground by an edict of the Taranaki Rugby authorities to the effect that any Rugby players taking part in' the As : - sociation game would not be eligible for representative honors." Unfortunately for Mr. Clark's veracity, no such edict .was ever is'sued Dy the Rugby authorities, nor has any friction, so far as can be recollected, been evidenced between the controllers of the rival games. The fact that the well-known Clifton player, Scbolefield, plays both games regularly, without his chances of inclusion in a Rugby rep. team being in any way jeopardised—so far as any action of the selectors is concerned—is sufficient answer to Mr. Clark's allegation. Few players, in any case, who played both games could liop'o to become sufficiently proficient in either to be worthy of rep. honors. The Taranaki rep. team this year should be well up to the strength of past years. The back division particularly will be very strong, but the forwards do not promise to be out of tho ordinary. At present, unless Waimate recede from the position they have taken up, there may be a doubt as to the inclusion of Waimate players in the team, a circumstance that would be greatly regretted. In Pini and Tamu Waimate possesses' two of the strongest players, back and forward respectively, j in the province. \ Writing of the Waimate-Stratford j match at Manaia on Thursday last, tho I Waimate Witness states:—"judging by I the enormous amount of bullion staked by both sides—(it is a fact that until the Iball was &"et going there was a never-ending supply of cash to support both teams)—7s per cent, of the populace must have had some pecuniary interest on the result, which, without exaggeration, was taken l even more seriously than a monthly milk! (cheque. Talk of hard times is certainly idiotic so far as Taranaki is concerned, for there is' 110 denying the fact that there was money to burn on the Waimate Plains yesterday. Cash was staked in sums ranging from hundreds down to ihe modest price of a box of chocolates, I and the visiting supporters must count tbeinwlves fortunate not leaving their savings in Jlanaia."