FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 105, 26 September 1914, Page 7

FOOTBALL.

EEL— «* CARPENTERS v. PAINTERS. This afternoon the carpenters and painters will try conclusions at the Recreation Grounds in a friendly game of football. An interesting game is promised, and as the proceeds will be devoted to a good cause, viz., the Tluntly relief fund, there should be a good attendance. The teams will be as fol'ow: Carpenters—Patterson, Walker, Wiler, West, Roebuck, Mason, Guii3on, Coulthard, James, Curd, Jones, Curline, Roberts, Hammond, Edgecombe. Painters—Haigh, Newport (3), Graham, Steele, Willis, Wilev, Tanner, S. Haskell, Kisby, Roberts, Smith, Martin, NOTES AND COMMENTS. '""" *

Tho comment in this column last weei fluent the attendance at the Wellington match ait Stratford has drawn a lengthy fetter from a well-known Stratford sport in Mr Campbell Jackson, who is ever zealous in defending anvtJhing thttlt aippeors to attack tie interests of Stratford—a lugrily commendable spirit to "possess, and one which w e only hope will be followed more iby residents 'of some other towns in the province. Our paragraph was as follows: ' "The gate at the Wellington match m Stratford was a disappointment. Including over £2O on the stand it faiiled to reach £IOO, and this on a perfect il.w as regards weather. This seems to dispose of the theory that Stratford is the best place to hold the matches. The Wellington match was the biggest match of th e year, and would naive attracted a big orowa at the- Recreation Grounds, Now Plymouth. In point of act, quite a fair proportion of the gate was 'taken to Stratford from this end by the midday -train. No doubt the war may have ■ affected it to the same extent locally, and yet a week previously, in a mnuVii less important fixture, neiirlv £7O wis taken at New Plymouth, without any extra stand money." The paragraph was faiT comment, and in the face of results quite legitimate. It was not a question of town again it I town, but of financial resiuis . The big draws in interprovineiaJ footbatfl any- j whoro in the Dominion are those in , which Taranaki, Auckland and Welling- j ton take part, and m Taranaki uu- i iloubtedly, the biggest' draws are. the ] Taranaki-Wellington and TaranukiAuckiajid fixtures. People interested in footMll make a point of attending these ' matches, and many of them would not i go across the road to witness, another j fixture, unless possilbly an Australian or '■ an English team were competing, cons';- I querttly a big "gate" is always antici- : paited, given fine weather. Tne wcaither at Stratford wa & good on the date in question. Mr Jackson makes out a good case why there should have been a big attendance, but he does not s.vy why there was not. Certainly, he draw's some side issues, such aa the alleged \ astounding number of New Plymouth •' complimentary tickets, and the free, admission to the match of ■hundreds of . schoolboys. These, however, should not | have counterbalanced the central! sdtua- j tion of the ground, and the other advantages possessed Jiy Stratford. The takings including stand (about tli), j were £97, and this certainly was a dis- j '.appointment on the .basis of the Canterbury match played in New Plymouth three weeks .previously, when the gate, ' without any stand', was £7O, or a pound more than' Stratford' h < gate. New Plymouth also lets its schoolboys in free — and rightly so —as football must be enouraged among the. boys if the game is to continue, am! Greater New Plymouth can count its small fry in far more hundreds than . 'Stratford. Ecr garding the "dead heads" of whom MiJackson eavs "we want, ironic, of them." It is a .pity that he introduced 'this question. The Union some three years ago rightly decided to .recognise what its old veteran players had done, in the past towards giving the Taranaki Union the reputation that it has achieved in football circles throughout Australasia h\ r ntahiivr ih"ni life honorary members, and tli ; . ; of course, carries entrance fee privileges. Members of the Union also have the right to issue complimentary tickets, but it is eenUiii that tile .privi'lego is not abused liy the members, otherwise it would quickly be stopped. - In order to keep cheek of these complimentary tickets each member is provided with a hook, so that any abuse, can easily bo detected and dealt with, if necessary. By admitting schoolboys free, Mr Jackson recognises the principle of complimentary tickets, and i.t is straining the argument to say that the few usual ones that may have been issued had any bearing at all on the financial resume. The paragraph does not say that Straitford shiilli not have its share of matches, it merer- remarks that Stratford is oviIdently nob the best p&iee ior g'nite money in the province—a fact that certain peoplle have asserted for yearns. Certainly all entflufeiasts throughout Whe province are entitled to have an opportunity 'of seeing a match at the minimum .of expense. Stafford is fortunate in the advantages it possesses, especially as to the large .number of its enthusiasts, who will journey to any part of the province, to see a anatch, but, like Now Plymouth, it has the misfortune to possois a number who would not witness a match if it was played in their front yards. Certainly Stratford deserves every credit for the arrangements made 'for the match, for they were perfect. Even the press was well catered for, good table accommodation B-nd control position !being provided and appreciated by the pressmen from, all over tho province, of whom this scribe was one. The distribution of programmes bearing the printed teams was an act of thoughtfulnjss . ivt found general favor. It could not i-e carried out in New Plymouth, because tho selectors <IM not know until a few minutes before the matches what team would bo flaying and it was usellefia providing the public with misleading information. It is pleasing to note that the Wellington team enjoyed their visit and found the ground in good order—aa it was. Stratford was in its kindliest mood as Tegards climatic, conditions at the time of the visit, and as that progressive town possesses several public spirited citizens, who placed themselves and their cars at the disposal of the visiting foo'Uiallcrs, who wore driven to places of interest in the district, and generally given a royal time. SbraiUwd is more fortunate than other towns in this respect. The writer hopes to have the pleasure of welcoming Mr Campbell Jackson to many more matches in New Plymouth and being welcomed by him at Stratford, as wel! as meeting at Hawera and elsewhere, because other places besides Stratford and New Plymouth can iut+iv claim matches, and their claims will always find support in this piper im the future, as they have, in the liast. "Square Deal' has also written a letter traversing exactly the same ground as Mr Jackson. For that reason it is unnecessary to publish it. The gates at tho various matches played this season were a» follows:

Wellington, at Hawara, £l2O. iWangamii, at (Hawera £IOO. Mania watu, at New Plymouth, £47. Horowliieniua, at iHawera £2l. Wai'ra,raim, ait Mtrattf,o.rd, £3<i. , Oanteiiiburv, at New Plymouth, £7<J. at New Plymouth. £6O. Weffington, at Stratford, £97. Clifton v.. Waimate at StraWord (.play off), £6o. The Wanganui and Wellington matches at Hawera were played dluring eliow week.