FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 247, 8 March 1913, Page 7

FOOTBALL.

.Jlareh is now well under way and footballers are already commencing to sort out their last year's jerseys and football boots in preparation for entering the arena. The annual meeting of the Taranaki Rugby Union has been fixed for Friday, llarch 28, so that it behoves all affiliated clubs to get busy and hold tlleir annual meetings early. 'The report to be presented by the management committee this year presents a new departure. It embraces a resume of the season's work, and should be read with interest by the clubs, when it is in their hinds, as it will be in a week or two's ti|me. i Already club secretaries are on the wjarpath in search of new players. It is; early yet to prognosticate, but several prominent players have come into tjie district, and Taranaki football should be quite as interesting as of yore, ifj not more so. ! Players will not agree with one of the njembers of the Park Board that there ii not one-tenth the interest "taken in football now that there was ten years ago in Taranaki, due to the introduction ojf professionalism and betting. There may not be quite the same interest, but any falling off in due mainly to the fact that the half-holiday'is so divided now. There are so many professional and Wholesale houses wliq take the Saturday Half-holiday as against the ordinary Thursday half-lioliday, that it is difficjult to arrange football matters. A universal 'half-holiday is what is required, and what mus,t come. Wanganui is moving in the matter of ,a Saturday half-holiday,. and, there .was some talk of a .similar movement, in New Plymouth. The voters in each borough have the matter in .their .own., hands. Ten per cent, of them can petition for Ji poll to be tnlien on the question. There is no doubt that .such a poll would be carried in Xew Plymouth if the neighboring towns would do likewise. A divided holiday in different Taranaki towns would be of no use for football lor,-business eilher. Until at least a whole provincial .district can decide the hatter the position must remain unI Satisfactory.

j Footballers this year, have something tto get into form for, as there is the ■'likelihood of a visit from the Australians and a very remote possibility of a jvisit from the South, Africans. There is ,'also the possibility of a trip to Califor'nia at tlie end of the season!

! An ell'ort is to be made to resuscitate the Tnglcwood and Eltham senior clubs. : Ongley. the well-known South Islander. j'is now resident in Eltham and should [considerably strengthen the magpies. I The gate receipts of the international I Rugby match. England v. Wales, on January' IS. on a wet day at CardilV, amounted to £I4OO.

Speaking of Mr. \Y. C Carrard. who is retiring from the secretaryship of the Canterbury Rugby Union, owing to the. Union having decided to appoint a paid secretary, the Weekly Press writer says: "Mr. Garrard has been a member of the Canterbury Rugby Union since 1803, has been a member of the committee, with the exception of one year, since ISS7, and lias held ollice as secretary continuously for nineteen years. In the eonduct of the business side 'of his ollice he has been a model secretary, but, what is more lo the point, he has brought to his work a genuine enthusiasm and love for the game that are rarely found in an otlicial who is in harness so long. As is well known. Mr. Garrard was up till a few years ago a prominent.referee, and figured in big ma tidies both in New Ze;v land and New South Wales. It is to he hoped that his services will not b» entirely lost to Rugby football in Canterbury'."' Mr. 0. W. Harvey has been appointed secretary. The annual meeting of the New Zealand Rugby I'liiuii is to be held on May S.

At a meeting of the executive of the New Zealand liugby Union on Thursday evening correspondence was rc'.c.i'ivcil from the English Union to the effect that the Home committee was unanimously against certain alterations in the laws of the game, and eould see no call to make other suggested alterations. It; Was resolved to instruct the New Zealand delegate (o the English Union to living forward all the suggested alteration-; as notices of motions at the annual meet in;:. The various local unions in the Dominion are to he informed accordingly. Mr. W. \Y. Hill, secretary of the Xew South Wales Kugby Union, wrote regarding the probability of an invitation being received from California. The letter stated, inter alia: "During' my recent trip round the world I was asked by the California". 'Rugby bodies to endeavor to secure a visit from a team to America during mi,", and since my return T have recommended that an invitation be forwarded to your union in that connection. The local bodies are also anxious to return the invitation of your union, combined with the Xew South Wales Union, which resulted in the tour of Australia and New Zealand of the American Universities' team in 1910, so that I think you may expect word from California now at any time." The letter added that the Australian team's lour of California had been satisfactory from all standpoints. Mr. Hill would be pleased to give the Xew Zealand Union any assistance if a tour of America is arranged. The letter was discussed in committee, and it was resolved that the Union is prepared to favorably consider an invitation from the Californian Union.