FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 57, 25 July 1912, Page 8

FOOTBALL.

NEW ZEALAND RUGBY UNION. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The Management Committee of the New Zealand Rugby Union met this evening. The Wellington Union notified that it had suspended 11. Martin, of the Petone third-class team, for three Saturdays, and J. Ash ton, of the Petono seniors team, till the end of the present season. The disqualifications were endorsed.

The Otago Union, besides notifying three individual disqualifications, stated that the Port Chalmers third fifteen liad been disqualified till the end of the 1912 season, for becoming uncontrollable, and for undesirable behaviour during and after a match. The disqualifications were endorsed, and the Otago Union is to be asked to supply the names of the members of the offending third-class team. The Bush Union wrote, stating that it had suspended a player named F. Dugan for four playing Saturdays, for using offensive language to the referee. R. Hewitt, W. Wood and F. Baker had , been cautioned for fighting on the field. f The suspension was endorsed. The Horowhenua Union notified that it had dealt with players as under:—H. Cobbler, two years' disqualification and , warned off all grounds for bad language to the referee; Healey, disqualified for life and warned off all grounds; Sevmour, disqualified for life as a player. ■lt was decided to ask for the initials of the players, and the nature of their offences.

Southland reported having disqualified T. Small till the end of 1913 for "illegal practices," and R. Macalister had bees disqualified till the end of the 1914 seaison, for striking, another player. The disqualifications were endorsed. It was decided to give the following players fourteen clays in which, to show cause why they should not be expelled for having played League football:—A. Taylor and F. Kinzett (Nelson), James and John Berryman, Gordon, J. Kelly, J. Conway, A. Rowney, C. Cotee, and H. Trevarthen (South Auckland). N. McCarthy'(Hawke's Bay) was expelled. George E. Partridge appealed against his disqualification by the Otago Union on the ground that he had been reported by a spectator and not by the referee. While it was admitted that Partridge's disqualification was unfortunate, it was pointed out that his appeal ihad not been made in time. It was decided to advise him accordingly. A sub-committee was appointed to bring down a report regarding an insurance scheme for players participating in New Zealand Union matches.

TARANAKI v. SOUTH ISLAND COUNTRY TEAM.

j Given fine weather, a large number of . local football enthusiasts will journey to j Stratford by the midday train, to witness the match between the South Hand touring team and Taranaki. Excursion /fares will be available by that train, which will stop right alongside the ground, and a train leaves on the return from Stratford at 5.33 p.m. The match should be very interesting, inasmuch as the visiting fifteen has been slightly altered since the Auckland match, and moreover is now in much better form. The Taranaki team, too, will probably be the one chosen to do battle against Auckland in a fortnight's time for the Ranfurly Shield, and its performance on the field to-day will naturally excite much interest.

In order to suit the convenience of the southern team, the play-off for the junior championship, between Clifton and Waimate, which was to be held today, -will take place on another date to be arranged by the union.