FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 March 1922, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

THE TUKAPA CLUB. * h THE ANNUAL MEETING. About sixty members were present at the annual meeting of the Tukapa Football Club held at the Soldiers’ Club last night. Mr. Jas. McLeod presided. ANNUAL REPORT. The annual report for the 1921 season stated : —Tukapa were y chosen to represent New Plymouth in the A grade, and although not successful in winning the championship the senior team are to be congratulated on the showing made. Undoubtedly the lightest team in the competition, they put up very strenuous battles, and only suffered defeat by a small margin. The club’s reputation of always “playing the game” in a hard, yet clean manner, was well maintained. The junior and third grade teams took part in their various competitions with credit to the club. For .he first time in the club’s history a fourth grade team was entered. This team was splendidly looked after by Mr. H. Sole, and although the boys were young and very light and won but one match, they met their engagements on every occasion and set a splendid example to other teams. Mr. C. McAllum was chosen as a member of the Taranaki team v. Africa, and Messrs. C. Brown, R. Oliver, C. McAllum, G. Hooker, P. Allen and G. Hart were chosen as representative players of Taranaki. The committee would like to particularly thank Lieutenant L. W. Andrew, V.C., for his services in physically training members for several weeks during the season. The questton of financing the club during the season consequent on the long travelling entailed, particularly in the A grade, and the fact that the union now take ail gate money, was successfully overcome. The season resulted in a profit of £4 18s 6d, and this, added to the balance brought forward from last year, placed the club in credit to the extent of £3O 2s. Messrs. E. Jackson and C. Fairbrother presented medals to the best forward and best back in the senior team, and these were awarded, by vote of the players, to Messrs. P. Allen and R. Oliver respectively. Messrs. H. Todd (forward) and F. J. Cameron (back) were the successful winners of the trophies presented by Mr. McLeod. The report concluded with thanks to various helpers.

RETROSPECT AND PROSPECT. In moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, the chairman said the cheerful tone conveyed by the report was extremely gratifying, whilst the attendance that night gave excellent promise for the coming season. He was particularly gratified that the fourth grade team had stood up so well and, encouraged by the success of the fourth grade teams'generally, he was going to propose to the Rugby Union that they should form a fifth grade, as it was from these teams that the senior teams were eventually recruited, and thus t the younger teams must be built up. Mr’ McLeod spoke strongly in favor of intensive training by players, who could not hope to attain the success achieved last year unless they went in for some such scheme as that introduced last year by Lieutenant Andrew. The junior players should be encouraged for all they were worth, and the seniors should set an example in training. Referring to the new system initiated last year of playing ail senior Taranaki teams in one division, Mr. McLeod said he thought the arrangement had worked well, and that all would agree that It had proved quite a success. Perhaps the scheme did not work out so well as anticipated for some clubs, but, at least, senior players were not called upon to pay out so much for travelling expenses. He could assure them that the Rugby Union made comparatively little out of the scheme for, although they handled about £3500, when 50 per cent, of travelling expenses had been paid out to dubs the actual profit for the season was only about £350. As for junior players, he hoped that with the growth' of the town and province it would soon be unnecessary for them to travel at all in order to get games. The prospects for the coming season were, he thought, very good. The report and balance-sheet were adopted. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. Officers were elected as follows: Patron, Dr. E. A. Walker (re-elected) ; president. Dr. E. F. Fookes (re-elected) ; vice-presidents, Messrs. R. Barlow, E. Jackson, A. R. Standish, J. Avery, J. Scanlon, E. Douch, C. Fairbrother, N. King, F. C. Faber, C. McAllum, F. C. Emeny, J. Wyatt, R. Paul, F. Watson, and Dr. R. Brewster; ton. secretary and treasurer, Mr. A. Morey; assistant, Mr. C. O. Berg; club captain, Mr. G. Hooker; hon. auditor, Mr. K. Kirk (re-elected) ; management committee, Messrs. R. Oliver, L. Honeyfleld, C. Brown, E. Ward, G. Loveridge, P. Allen, R. Cocker, C. Kingston, C. McAllum, R. Morrison, and the captain of the junior teams; selection committeee, seniors, Mr. C. Brown; junior grades, referred to management committee; delegates to Taranaki Rugby Union, Messrs. .J. McLeod and C. Brown ; delegate to sports ground committee, Mr. E. Jackson. CHOOSING THE REPS. Messrs. Brqwn and Jackson suggested that In selecting the representative team, a new method should be used, viz., by club selectors nominating their best players, from whom the sole selector should choose the team. A recommendation in this direction will be made to the Rugby Union. The club’s delegates were also instructed to vote in favor of one selector. INSURANCE OF PLAYERS. The matter of insurance for players was raised by Mr. Honeyfleld. The question was referred to the management committee for consideration. The delegates were also instructed to bring this important matter before the notice of the Rugby Union. GENERAL? Seven new members were elected to the club, including Mr. Kingston, who last year played in the All Blacks team against South Africa. It was decided to hold an opening practice on Saturday, March 18. The subscription was fixed at 2s 6d for juniors and 5s for seniors, the same as for last year. Mr. McLeod’s medals for ihe best junior players for the season were ' presented to Messrs. H. Todd (best forward) and F. J. Cameron (best back). Messrs. Fairbroti-er and Jackson renewed their offep of medals for the best senior forward and best senior back respectively for this season. Mr. McLeod offered two more medals for the best fourth grade players. It was intimated also that Mr. H. Allen had promised to donate a gold medal for the senior player scoring the most points. On the motion of Mr. Fairbrother a vote of thanks was accorded the outgoing committee and secretary (Mr. C. O. Berg) for services rendered.