FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 264, 17 April 1915, Page 7

FOOTBALL.

(IREATEST HATCH ON RECORD. BRITISH RCI.LJX)GS v. BKRT.IN BUTCHERS. : I This long-delaved tie for the world's championship commenced at Frontier Park on August -U, 11)14. r lhe Association decided that tile tie must be fought to a finish, irrespective of time or men. The following teams lined up:— Bulldogs—Asquilh ; Grey and Churchill: Kitchener, French and Jelbt'oe; Tommy and .lack, Sword and Bavolict. , Butchers—Yiilhelm; Krupp-turc and "Kultur'' (?); Von Kluek, \on Class, One pint; Ferocity and Atrocity; Bomb, Lout and Plunder. Uel'crec— General Public. Line.ineii"-King of Italy and Presi-

dent Wilson. •I'll,! P.jilMol's won the toss, and tile llutchrrs kicked oil'. The Butchers commenced operations through a raid on flic :Aniiens end l>y Ferocity and .Mroeitv Tile tactics adopted liere bpinf? ;;!j;ii'n st the laws of tlie j:ainc, they were M'Verclv censured li.v the reicree. It was here that Tommy, in conjunction , with (lun anil Bayonet, came into the picture, a treat rim of theirs endin;.,' in Hut temporary retirement of \ on Klm-k. Yilhelm was now heard slifiiitmir to Ins . forwards, and it was evident to the spccf tators that he had placed the wrong v' team in the field. | The llnii-hei's. (.cling on the advice 01 ' ! their captain advanced in full force toJ wards the Palis end. This move eonld , -Hi' i"ive lieen slopped 1 >v Tommy, lmt "l''! of Kile!,,me,- and Trench, '■' it was allowed to »o on. JelUcoe so far a I had not been playing to reputation, tat I he now came into th %Same a " eeance. A daring raid by turn ana date. ,d resulted in tlie first goal tang stored,

amid tremendous excitement. Vilhelm was now seen appealing to one of t*c linesmen (President Wilson} tliat the Bulldog forwards were oil-side, hut the referee turned a deaf ear to all his apBonib, after the kick-off, came into the scene for the butchers, but his aim was scandalous, and though breaking through manv times, none of his shots took eil'ect. ' The Bulldog specials were now arriving ,and a pass from Kitchener to French was speedily sent forward to Sword. Tiie centre forward, by combining his wings well, carried all before him, and a complete rout of the Butchers ended in the second goal being scored.' The Butchers now seemed thoroughly demoralised and Vilhelm was now constantly appealing to Wilson for off-side, but in*vain. Half-time arrived with the Bulldogs pressing. Score: , Bulldogs Two Goals. Butchers Nothing During the interval Vilhelm proposed to Kitchener (through Wilson, of course) to call the game a draw and finish up, but Kitchener said the game must be to a finish. Vilhelm returned to his men disconsolate, little need be said of the second portion. Excepting a few murderous raids by Bomb, Ferocity and Atrocity, the Butchers were never in it. The" Bulldog half-backs and forwards, backed up by Asquitli, Grey and Churchill, swept all before them, and the game ended in Berlin by the absolute rout of the Butchers, the final score being: Bulldogs Twenty Goals. Butchers .... Nothing (but disgrace).

NOTES. Now that the Taranaki Rugby Union , has held its animal meeting, it will not: be. long before football is in full sw.ir,,,' | in this province. Though the majority of the clubs have lost heavily through some of the pick of their players having, responded to the Empire's call, yet a j hopeful tone permeates every club re- ! port. The feeling is general that o d players will come forward to assist ( the' clubs, whilst promising young play- [ ers will also have an opportunity of set- , till" into the limelight and showing their worthiness to fill vacancies ill the representative fifteen. It has often been said that few young players could hope to «ain a place in the representative t-sim until some of the present fifteen qualified for the old age pension. Opportunity makes the man, and there should be plenty of good material ready to seize ,

it. , Tlio Taranaki Union lias niah some, liew departures in its list of ollicnils iiltcriltiinis that. should tend to crest< added interest in the game, or, rather i-hould sive old players an additional incentive to maintain their interest ii llugbv football. One of tlu-se is tti' creation of the office of vice-presidents whose number will be limited to t\\y. one from each division, and as they \yil be chosen, net. on account of their wo! iiiKness (o contribute to the funils —tl'< mjoat desideratum when filling that oi fice in the past—but on account of tie" connection with the -ame and prowes on tli" tield in past years, the positioi should be regarded as an honor, am should be keenly contested. Morcce! tin- idea is that the president for th followins year shall be chosen from th vice-presidents, alternately Ironi il northern and southern division. 'Hi two first vice-presidents of tin' Unsei to whom tiie writer wishes to offer his cm gratnlations on their elevation to 111 position, avo Messrs A. Tj. and W. La mhio. Both are famina name, i:: il;.' Taranaki feoiball ■ an"i and the former lias also had cimsi.n aide experience on the management con ; miltee. A resolution was also pass. , (\.f iij'c -iilciil s shall be chosen al.c r niiiciv i'l'um in; - isovvii:-t«\ :\'ul > n'uli'\ o < t visions, and the mantle fell on Mr. - Lees, the Okaiawa delegate, who h j representee! tlie southern club on t [, Union for some years paßt. The nt

president lias done a lot for football in a quiet, unassuming manner, and should admirably fill the role, though, as he modestly remarked, he felt he would have a difficult task to follow in the ■; footsteps of the late president, Mr. K. . T. Bollringer, who has filled the import- < .ant position as chairman and of presi- ; dent of the Union for fifteen or sixteen years and has steered the ship through some troublous times. The management committee contains quite a number of new men. All tlie southern men take their seats on the committee for the first time. In the northern division Mr. T. Buchanan returns after a year's spell, whilst Mr. J. A. ■ Hansen, well known in other branches \ of sport, also joins the committee, and should prove a valuable acquisition. Mr. J McLeod, who was re-elected chairman, is the only member of last year's sextette on the committee. The committee is a good one, and if backed up by the ejubs, should do good work. The Union's finances are not very healthy in view of the fact that this is the year in which Taranaki lias to travel Last season prospects looked very bright, but the adverse conditions caused by the war caused the matches to result in a loss and the Union is faced with a debit balance of .€OO odd, in place of the expected credit. The Season really panned out about square. A big item is the travelling expenses of the players in home matches. The advent of the motor car has considerably increased the ex- ; pense bill, as a player is tempted to wait I until the last moment and travel by car I rather than do as was done by keen players of the past—travel by horse and trap to the nearest station, and thence by train. Travelling expenses will be closely watched this year. It is pleasing to note that the chairman's appeal to clubs for assistance is meeting with response already, as the .Stratford Club at its annual meeting voted £ls 15s to the Union funds—a good precedent for other clubs with credit balances to follow. , (Absentees from the annual meeting were delegates from the Star, Inglewood and Opunake Clubs. Doubts were expressed as to whether the former club, which has been kept alive under great difficulties during the past two or three , years, would be able to get moving this "season, but the annual meeting on Thursday evening showed that there were signs of a revival this year. Quite a number of new members were elected, and a good set of officers chosen, and from the optimistic tone adopted by some of its old supporters it looks as though the club lias safely turned the

corner. Star lias entered throe teams in the competitions, and all footballers 1 ivill wish them their measure of suc- ' cess. Opunake and Inglewooil have not ; made a move yet, but each place possesses enthusiasts who will not allow the game to die without a keen light. The. Eltluun delegates received a cori dial welcome to the union meeting, and S the wish was expressed that the " mag- : pies" might become as vigorous as of yore. It is understood that an effort will be made to enter a senior team, instead of a junior and second junior as •' oriirinallv decided. The management i committee might encourage some of the I weaker clubs by creating a senior b I grade. 1 A matter that will cause considerable discussion is the rearranging of the • southern boundaries. The Stratford i Club appears to have met the lias tern . Sub-Union in a very conciliatory spirit over the line of demarcation between - [Stratford and Toko. Stratford is the s only club affected by the formation of .< the Eastern 'Rub-Union, which, judging r l,v the tone of its delegates at the :. Taranaki Hugby Union animal meeting, r Will be a really live body, and should prove a welcome acquisition to local d football circles.