FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 111, 18 August 1910, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

THE MANAWATU AFFAIR. ) A REPROACH ON FOOTBALL. (Feilding Star). The management of the Manawatu Rugby Union under t>ho presidency of Mr. E. D. .Hoben this season is rapidly making its name a by-word and a reproach. Reports of its meetings in the Palmerston papers generally consist of what tlie president does and says (as reported by himself), rules and precedents are broken without the slightest consideration of the effect on the welfare of -sport, rubbishy telegrams are sent broadcast by the same authority about Manawatu football and the opinions of the same authority, and the whole game is made a subject of ridicule and jest. The latest instance is the visit of a representative team to Hawera, The scandalous treatment that the men were subjected to at the hand 9 of the Taranaki Union, the extraordinary character of the "hotel accommodation," and the utter want of courtesy throughout •were all well known to the management committee of the Manawatu Union j and yet, .because it was thought that the board bill of the team was .being paid by Taranaki it was deckled to pass a vote of thanks to the Taranaki Union and to swallow the insult of the treatment of the players. AVe exposed the affair at the . time. Next thing the Taranaki Union refused to pay lihe board bill ( £l4), so the Manawatu Union repudiated their vote of thanks and sent a letter of protest about the .treatment of the team! As the Taranaki papers, point out, it is not the treatment of the players which raised Manawatu's ire—the men could be treated worse than hogs, they could be ignored like unwelcome visitors, they could be told plainly enough that they were only required to make a gate—all that would pass without comment, as long as the Manawatu Union's funds were saved an outlay of £l4. But directly the pocket of the Union is touched, then you can stand off the grass, for there will be hair flying! While we say the Hawera treatment is indefensible", we regret that the representatives of Rugby football in the Manawatu Union are so lost to their sense of duty to the players and so regardless of the ethics governing public institutions as to miss the main issue in the trouble..

It is stated on good authority that Mr. D. Gallagher, of "All Black" fame, was offered £IOOO to go to America to coach University teams for a season. The offer was refused 1 , but it is understood that the Americans will probably make a further effort to secure his services for a longer period. A 15-atone Maori footballer got a big shock in a match played at Rotorua a few days ago; Amongst the spectators was a large and fierce bull-dogs evidently a partisan of the other side, for when Jimmy Kumara was doing his little best in the scrum the animal took a hand, or rather a leg. It fastened bn to the Maori's well-fatted calf. Jimmy was so engrossed in the game that he imagined an opponent had him by the leg. He yelled: "'How's this for obstruction, re< feree?" at the same time kicking out viciously in the direction of the supposed opponent. When he emerged from the scrum and found that his assailant .was a dog the look of consternation on his hrown face, was worth photographing. It brought him, at any rate, a round of applause from the spectatori-^Exchange.