FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 284, 23 April 1913, Page 7

FOOTBALL.

.NEW ZKAI.ANI) RUGBY UNION. ANNUAL REPORT. The annual meeting of delegates to fhe New Zealand Rugby Union will be held on May 8, and the report wliieli is to lie presented states that Rugby throughout the 'Dominion is in a satisf ictory position and still holding premier place among winter sports. Added int :re'st in the game may be expected d lring the coming season, owing to the projected visit of an Australian representative team.

Some alterations in the laws of the gime, as- already 'notified to unions, luvc been made , by the International ,£oard. As instructed by meetings of delegates last year, certain suggested alterations were submitted to the English Union. These did not, meet with their approval, but the union's representative, Mr, I'alliser, will again submit them for consideration at the annual meeting of that, .union to be held in May this year. Some correspondence has passed in regard to a proposed visit of a New Zealand team to California and British Columbia. At present nothing definite ,has been Arranged, and it is uncertain whether a |our will eventuate this season.

The representative teams known as the North Island country team and the South Island country team again j)layed a series of marches at the large? but a departure from the former practice was made, in that the South Island team toured in the North, and the North Island team toured in the South, the two teams meeting at Wellington in a test match, whicliVliflwnver, on account of the weather, was.abandoned after the first spell. , "It. is with some satisfaction that ,the .manggemtfHt' h l &'s'"'to L report that arrangements lune. been made for the resumption of tlic- interchange of visits with Australia. An Australian team will visit New- Zealand this year, leaving Sydney on August 20, and playing its first -match ' a,fc ■ Auckland. Following are the dates of the team's lix-

Wednesday,. Awgu*l ,27—Versus Auckland, at Aucklaiidt ,i Saturday, August -,3o—Versus Taranaki, at XeWPlyniOjuth.'> ... Wednesday,"(September 3—Versus Wangaimi, Saturday, SeptiMnbiir, fln«Y<irsiis! New Zealand, at Wellington!;" Wednesday, 'September 10—Versus Southland,'ivt' Inv'en'urgill.'' ' Saturday, September 13—Versus New Zealand, at Diirifdin™ ' ' Wednesday. Sefydenliier' lY Versus South Canterbury, at Timaru. •Saturday.,. September "20—Versus Xew Zealand,'at Chrisf.elfi(i'?h. Wednesday, S>ept('mber 24 Versus Marlborough, at Blenheim. "A New Zealand, team will make a return visit to Australia in 1!)14. "Last season the sum of £l3O was distributed among alliliated nitons- for the encouragement of Rugby, in primary schools. The following grants'were made: Wanganui, Wairarapa, South Canterbury and Southland,..',£ll-. caeli; South Auckland. £10; Marlborough, £9; Tiusfi I>istricils...,r,Maiuawatu. ( .. West Coast, Buller ,;an/l 'Tantiiaikis. £8 each; Xclson; .£7;,-rltiy| of- Plenty, .£(]; ITawke's Bay.. Jlprowhemia, £4; total. £l3O. .

"The finances forthe year again Show a debit', as' will ibe- senn from the accompanying ' 'statements. An adjustment with tlie. Xi'\v- South Wales L'nion regarding tour 'aeeonntt JnlS been 'arrived at by means of' a- conference between representatives of'(iliat aiid this union. The following' amounts are now oii loan to various alliliated unions; Auckland, £350; Hawke's Hay, £850: Otaeo £500; Southland; £2450; Taranaki, £225; Wanganiii_,' ■ £500; Wellington, £1025; total £()4.)0."