FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 May 1916, Page 7

FOOTBALL.

NEWS AND NOTES. The "action of the Taranaki Rugby Union in deciding to wnfme football to ■ senior cadets this year is not that is meeting with general favor throughout Taranaki. The military authorities, also, it is understood, view the proposal with favor and will give it every assistance. There are some fine lads in the/senior cadets, and they can be relied upon to put up good games. One lias only to remember the fine exhibitions put up by the New Plymouth High School, Stratford High School and Technical College last year. All these schools possess strong cadet companies, and have the necesary football organisation. Waitara cadets had already made a move and had formed a club prior to the Union' proposal, with which they have quickly fallen in line. They are coached by old players like "All Black" Abbot, "Denny" George, and others. Stratford, Inglewood, and New Plymouth have strong cadet companies independent of the schools, whilst there are also companies at Toko and Tariki. In North Taranaki alone there should be at least ten cadet clubs, and there is no reason why some of them should not enter two teams, a senior and a junior. In South Taranaki, the cadets are equally as strong. Once the competition is established on a firm basis, it should prove very interesting, and in future years should be the "big thing" in football for once startfed, it will last.

The question of dealing with unfits and returned men- has cropped up. Regarding the former, it may be made an axiom that the men unfit for military service, is unfit to play football. Regarding returned men, one would like to see every consideration extended to them, but at present there are so few of them back in the Dominion that one can only ask them to add a little to their self-sacrifice, and at the same time gain pleasure by watching the younger players. The same applies to keen enthusiasts who are debarred from age or other causes from enlisting. The new president of the Taranaki Rugby Union, Mr. T. Buchanan, is one of the keenest supporters of the Same in Taranaki, and is to be congratulated on attaining such a well-merited position. By a coincidence, lie was elevated to the position on the same date as he attained his majority (his twentyfirst annual appearance as a delegate), and 20 years as representative of Clifton. During 18 years, he was appointed to the Management Committee, of which he was some years chairman. On three separate occasions he was defeated, but in each case, the following year saw him re-elected.

Simon Mynott, for a long time selector of the Taranaki team, and whose name was a household word a few years ago in Taranaki circles, and who was a member of the original "All Blacks," is .at present on a visit to Rotorua for health purposes. It is pleasing to note that our lioys at the front have not forgotten how to play the grand old game, and the old adage applies that wherever three or four New Zealanders are to be found, a football will not be far distant. The depleted club ranks bear silent testimony to the number of players that have left the Dominion to assist the Empire on a wider field, so that it is not surprising to learn that football is being vigorously . played under strange skies. In Egypt quite an elaborate .competition was arranged, in which fourteen teams competed, and this was won by the Wellington Battalion, who defeated Auckland somewhat easily in the final match. Taranaki should be greatly interested in the doings of Wellington, as no less than ten of the fifteen players hail from this province, five of thein being from Waitara. Eight of the Taranaki men were Roberts, Cameron, Taylor, Reid, and Bertnsen (Clifton), Richards (Hawera), Allen (New Plymouth), R. Woods (Stratford). The names of the other two Taranaki members of the team are not ascertainable. Occasionally one reads in the cables of the doings of the New Zealanders in England. A feature that strikes followers of Rugby here is the number of men whose names- are unknown in first-class football circles here that are', prominent in the various matches. This shows that the training received is going to produce a number of fine footballers, and from these, with the pick of our well-known players now somewhere at the front, some great teams could be chosen, and no doubt will be picked, to play matches in England when the war is over, against the choice of Australia, South Africa, England, and possibly France, because tffe Frenchmen are already much taken with the sang froid with which "Tommy Atkins" follows the game in his spare moments, almost within the fire zone/ The All Blacks had a great reception, but what a reception will be accorded to the present heroic "All Blacks," fresh from defending their Empire! . This should be an added impetus to footballers to enlist.