FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 March 1920, Page 7

FOOTBALL.

TARANAKI RUGBY UNION. ANNUAL REPORT. The annual meeting of delegates to tlie Taranaki Rugby Union will be held at Stratford on Thursday next. In addition to the ordinary business the following motion will be moved by the president: "That the Taranaki Referees' Association bo granted a seat on the Management Committee" The bal-ance-sheet shows that the receipts, including ' £3 5s Sd brought forward, amounted to £959 17s 2d, and the expenditure to £825 lis lOd, leaving a credit balance of £lB4 , 5s 4d. •i The annual report is as follows: : "Your Committee has to congratulate the clufcs of the province on the re-establishment of Rugby football on a stable, basis; tlie , number of players and standard of play towards the end of tlie season augur well for ; the success of the coming season. The club competitions were keenly contested, the grade championships being won by the following: i Senior, Hawera; First Junior, Hawera; Second Junior, Clifton. The resumption of i inter-provincial football was welcomed by I players and the public, and although varyi ing fortune attended the efforts of Tara- : nakl, the results were quite satisfactory, wherf considered from the point of view of the > severe handicap inflicted on clubs and the Union by the wnr, which brought all club football to & complete stop in Taranaki for over three years. Representative matches were played as follows: Against Wellington, at Hawera, won by Wellington; against Wanganul at Hawera, won by Taranaki; against Walroa, at Stratford, won by Taranaki; against Auckland, at Auckland, won hy Auckland; against Wellington, at Wellington, won by Wellington; against Auckland, at New Plymouth, won by Auckland; against Wanganul, at Wanganul, won by Wanganul. A considerable amount of consideration was devoted last season to the question of suggested alterations to the rules of the game, and your delegates attended two conferences at Wellington on the question. The matter will again come up for consideration no doubt at the annual meeting of the' New Zealand Rugby Union, when suggested {improvements will be considered in the lights of the results of the conference recently held of New Zealand, New South Wales, and Queensland Ruffby Unions. Your Committee regrets that Clubs falted to respond to the wishes of the last annual meeting of delegates to prepare complete li&ts of players who joined the Expeditionary Forces, and of those players who made the supreme sacrifice. The framing of a footballers' roll cf honor for Taranaki Is quite impossible without the full co-operation of the clubs. It Is hoped club executives trill arrange to get players enrolled and practices started as early as possible this year. In view of a possible heavy season it is advisable to get players Into form earlier tlian has been usual in Taranaki. Finance.—As disclosed by the balance-sheet tha finances are in a better condition tliau for some years past, but are not such yet 1 as to warrant your Committee undertaking ! any considerable expenditure for popularising the game. The question of finance generally ' Is onri that clubs will be asked to give con--1 sideraticn to. r Referees.*—The Union on behalf of the clubs has to thank the Referees' Association for as- * slstance rendered the game. During the sea- > son n conference between the Association and the Union was held at which all matters of possible difference were fully and freely discussed, with the result that an understanding * was arrived at that can only act for r the 1 benefit of players and the g;iim© generclly. ' During the year, the president, Mr. T. Buchanan, who had been associated with the Union in executive capacities for over 20 * years, resigned owing to his leaving the prov- ! ince. His presence at our annual meetings 1 will be much missed by all the older dele- ' gates. It is hoped clubs will make every effort to induce returned players to give teams ■ the benefit of their knowledge for this sca- : son at least, and In this connection your * committee takes this opportunity of congrntu--1 lating the Taranaki members of the New Zoa--1 land Division champion team on their splen- * did record. School football received more attention last year than for some time past, 1 and it is hoped this interest will bo de- * veloped. Tour Committee desires to record I its appreciation of the consideration gener- > ally extended at all times by the press of the province, and in conclusion wishes players ■ and clubs an enjoyable and successful sea- * son. * OLD BOYS' CLUB. i THE ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the Old Boys' Club , was held last night, Mr. C. H. Wynyard prel siding. The annual report and balance-sheet which > wtre adopted without tilscusslon, referred * to the formation of the club, last year and ■ thft entry of a team In the senior competli tlon One. member of the team (Mr. Wyni yard) had received representative honors. A badge to be worn by players had been det signed, and it was hoped that now the eluh , was firmly established players would tako the t field in the proper colors. Thanks were ex- : pressed to all who had assisted to further * the interests of the club. The financial statement disclosed a credit balance of £3 i 5s lOd. ) At tlio request of Mr West, who waited on the meeting, it was decided to recommend to the Rugby Union that the Referees' Ast- sorption be given direct representation on tho Union. Officers were then elected as follow: Presldent. Dr. E F. Fookes; vice-presidents, Messrs. E. P, Webster, W. H. Moyes, A. R. Ryder, P. J. H. White, F. N Whltcombe, A. Bowler, A. M. MacDliivmld, and A. R. Stnndish; hon sorrotnrv, Mr. D. F Snston: treasurer, Mr. R. G. Howell: auditor. Mr. B. Wilson : executive, Messrs. Sykes, Wynyard, Brokenahire, Dolle, Whittle, and Kelly. Tlie subfwlntlons were fixed at "»s for playing members, 7s 6d for honorary member*, una 2s 0d for junior members who have left le*s thru n year Mr. Wynyard wit* elected cju!> captain

It was decided that, the selection committee be composed of the' captain and vlcecaiftain of the senior team, with the club captain, and the junior selectors would be the same with the addition of the captain of the junior team. It was decided tc have the opening practice on April 10, and the flrst match with the High School, If possible, a week later. A vote of thanks to the retiring officers concluded the business. i THE SEASON'S PROSPECTS. Club secretaries and officials are already bestirring themselves in readiness for the coming football season. Indications are that there will be a decided revival of interest, and that a very early start will be made with the competition fixtures' this season, This latter Is particularly desirable in view of a probable big programme of representative fixtures. Already Star, Okalo, Inglewood, Eltham and Okalawa Clubs have had their meetings, and other clubs will hold theirs this week or early next week. A pleasing feature of the meetings already held is the number of young players that are showing interest In the gTand old game, and with a leavening of the old players, who maintained Taranakra reputation on the football field and on a wider field during the war, there Is no reason why we should not see football of & high quality this season. Several of the clubs will be commencing practice this coming week so that by the time the season opeils unany of the players should be in good form. The value of practice cannot be too much emphasised. Often a team of medium players In form to commence, the season will get a commanding lead before their opponents, who are possibly better individual players but are out cf form, can get going. It therefore behoves all clubs to get into form.