FOOTBALL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 268, 3 April 1911, Page 7

FOOTBALL

| TUKAPA FOOTBALL CLUB. j AXXUAL REPORT. - The following report will be presented at the annual meeting of the Tukapa Football Club to-night:— 1 In presenting the seventeenth annual report your committee are pleased to be able to congratulate the club on a successful season. Reference to the bal-ance-sheet will show that the club's finances are in a very satisfactory condition, though the credit balance is not so large as at the commencement of last season. This is mainly attributable to a falling off in the gate receipts of nearly £3O as compared with those of the previous year, the falling off being largely due to the fact that the Inglewood Club did not fulfil its engagement j with us and that the weather experienced for home matches was most unfavorable. Your committee are pleased to report that playing members' subscriptions as well as donations received from vicepresidents and other supporters of the club show a substantial increase on last season's figures, and trust that this inr crease will be maintained. The. same remarks apply to travelling expenses and insurance monies collected by the club from players, though there is still room for improvement in this direction. Though not successful in winning any of the championships, the club well' maintained its leputation on the field, of play, and were again successful in winning both the "Dan O'Brien" and "Carbine" challenge shields. A team representing the club also played and were runners-up in a sevpn-a-side tournament held at Eltham at the commencement of last season. The results i of the cup matches played by the respective teams are as follows:—Seniors: Matches played 10, won 5, drawn 3, lost 2, points for 79, points against 55; first juniors: Matches played 10, won 5, lost 5, points for 84, against 59; second] juniors: Matches played 10, won G, lost, 4, points for 51, against SG. Total matches played 30, won 16, drawn 3, lost 11, points for 214, against 170. The conduct of club members both on and off the field has again left nothing to be desired. Messrs. Mynott and J. Stohr ably represented the club in the New Zealand team in Australia, being the only representatives from Taranaki, and the same players together with E. Ward were included in the Taranaki representative team. The club's annual social was held at the conclusion of the season, and though marred by wet weather, proved a successful function. During the evening the shields were presented to the winning teams and the presentation to G. McAllum of Mr. E. Cunningham's trophy for the most improved senior forward also took place. Your committee regret the departure from New Plymouth during the past year of many old supporters of - the club, whose use-, ful services will be much missed this,' season. Your committee desire to record their appreciation of the manner) in which the secretarial duties have been j canied out during the past two seasons by Mr. D. Webster, who, the commit-! . tee. Jegret, owing to the alteration'in j tlie weekly half-holiday, is unable to continue in the position. Your commit-! tee wishes to impress on members the I."necessity for tracing hard and individually assisting towards making 1911 ai successful season. In conclusion, your I committee desires to thank the ladies'! committee for their valuable assistance to the club, the outgoing officers for their services during the season, the press for their continued support, and the Referees' Association for the able manner in which it has controlled the play. NOTE:i lu "uLu .M-AYER." The football season is fast approaching, and alreadv local players are beginning to bestir themselves. On Fridav night the Star Club held its annual meeting, and to-night the Tukapa Club will hold theirs. The Rugby Union meet on Thursday. It was thought that the observance of the Saturday half-holiday, which is getting more pronounced each ycyir, would considerably affect local football, and particularly the Star Club, many of whose members have their half day off oil Saturday. The position was briefly discussed on Friday night. Mr. .las. McLeod attended on behalf of the Rugby Union, and stated that that body had made .arrangements to face the position, if the Star Club felt that they could not put in a strong Thursday team, it would he better for them to disband, and with last year's Saturday | players form three local teams. The Star team, as at present constituted, would be too strong for any other Saturday team, and so rob the competition of interest. Inglewood would also join the Saturday competition. There would then be four senior teams in the .Saturday and four in tlie Thursday, all of the same status, and the winners could play off to decide who should uphold the honor of the 'Xorth against the South, lie suggested that one of the three teams should be called "Star," so as to retain the identity of the Club, which could, if it wished, play seconds and thirds ill the Thursday competition. The members of the club, however, did not take kindly to the idea of dissemination, which meant, as one speaker put it. formin" new associates, and on a vote being put it was decided to remain in the Thursday competition. There are many players in the club who will have extreme di/lic-ulty in securing leave on Thursdays, and, moreover, the Saturday half-holiday movement is extending, and it seemed a fine opportunity of improving Saturday play. One player remarked that there would be no gate on Saturdays. Why not'; Improve the standard of play and the interest will come. Look at Saturday cricket this year. It has been far more interesting than the Thursday competition. Last year there were four local teams in the Saturday competition, which was Tun, as it. were, on its own. r lhis year, it is understood, an attempt will be made to affiliate with the Rugby Union. Although these teams may possibly not be as strong as the Thursday teams, still they are worth encouraging by the Union, for who knows what future representatives may not be disclosed in their ranks? It would certainly improve Saturday football if it were under the direct control of the Taranaki governing body. Dr. Xewman told the Wellington Rugby Union delegates at their meeting on Thursday evening that, when in England he discussed with Mr. Rowland Hill the question of sending Home a Xew Zealand team. Mr. Hill considered that the matter could be easily arranged, but matches would be confiifed to England and Wales. Scotland and Ireland would not play our men. The popular idea in Knglawi appeared to be, declared Dr. Xewman, that in Xew Zealand there was a good climate, capital football, and Iron!. Englishmen did not seem to know anything eNe about Xew Zealand. Tt. was wonderful how Ihe "All Blacks" were remembered, but. it seemed to be commonly held that, if another Xew Zealand team visited the Old Country, it would not have such "soft things" as the "All Blacks" met and conquered.