FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 113, 20 August 1910, Page 8

FOOTBALL.

TO-DAY'S BIG MATCH. GREAT INTEREST IN AUCKLAND. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. Tlie Wellington Auckland match is creating great interest. Special trains and steamers have been arranged to convey country people to Auckland tomorrow. The Wellington team nasi neon well treated, having visited the Winter Show, the Chelsea Sugar Works and the pantomime "Aladdin." A very large attendance is anticipated to-morrow, the local opinion has changed somewhat, and 'Auckland is considered to have a good winning chance.

THE MAXAWATU-TARANAKI AFFAIR. 1 A VERY SERIOUS CHARGE. (Hawera Star.) The Manawatu football affair lias already occupied so much space that an apology is needed for referring to it again. But after the statements made by the manager of the team and others which haive been telegraphed from Palmerston reflecting on the management of the hotel at which the team stayed it is necessary that Mr. Gormley's side of the matter should be set forth. He received short notice to supply accommodation after all other efforts to get rooms had failed. It will be remembered the team was in Hawera during the Winter Show week. Mr. Gormley went to considerable trouble, inconvenience and expense to lit up two sample rooms with beds, and on arrival the team expressed satisfaction. On the second night the footballers are alleged to have behaved very badly, and on visiting the rooms in 'the morning after the team's departure Mr. Gormley alleges that he found one room in a filthy state—an indescribably filthy state. Mattresses were in such a condition that the firm from whom they were hired refused to accept return, and demanded payment of the full price of them. The manager of the team and others have declared that there is not a tithe of evidence in support of the disgraceful charges, but on the other hand the hotelkeener and his employees reiterate their complaints, and have made statements to us in support thereof. As to the allegations by the manager and others that having had occasion to search the room they know the charges were not true, it is replied that t;he charges do not apply to the room which the manager occupied. With respect to the "bluffing" threat from Palmerston of legal proceedings, Mr. Gormley authorises us to say that he will welcome an opportunity to prove his complaints. Indeed, he will approach the Rugby Union on the matter to discover if it is in their province to make an enquiry.