FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 August 1922, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

TARANAKI RUGBY UNION. MEETING. OF MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE. The Management Committee of the Taranaki Rugby Union met on Tuesday night. Present : Messrs. Jas. McLeod (in the chair), W. H. Moyes, A. J. Papps, R. S. Harkness, L. G. Beamish,. W. A. Guy, W. B. Fearon, Jas. Garcia, and G. E. Jago (secretary). It was decided to play the second grade semi-final between Stratford and Okaiawa as a curtain raiser to the Manawatu-Taranaki representative match at Stratford on Thursday, August 10.

It was resolved that Urenui and High School play this week and in the event of High School winning, the final in the north end between Clifton and High School will be played as a curtain raiser to the Auckland match at. New Plymouth on August 12. The final will be played on August 19, at New Plymouth. Should Stratford win the semi-final, and should Okaiawa win they will be given the option of playing either at Stratford or Okaiawa. In the third grade it. was resolved to play the final between Hawera (southern) and (Central) on August 5, at Eltham, and the final will be played between the winner and the winner of the north at on August 19. In the fourth grade it was decided to play the semi-final between Kaponga and a Stratford team j>t Stratford on Thursday, August 10. as a first curtain raiser to the Mana.watu match, the High School C to play winners on their home ground. He Peta, ordered off by the referee, Mr. A. Neilson, in the Okaiawa-Opunake match at Waimate, was ordered to stand down for two Saturdays. Skipper Tutu, ordered off by the referee in the Okaiawa-Rahotu match, was ordered to stand down for the rest of the season. Doile (Old Boys), and L. Carey (Okato), ordered off by J. O’Grady, referee in the match on Saturday, were, on the report of the referee, cautioned, as tyas also Peters (Eltham), warned off by E. Gilmour, referee in the Star-Eltham match. The players ordered off in the HaweraOkaiawa match were also reprimanded. Okato Club protested against Old Boys playing A. McHardy, whom they considered was a* South Auckland resident. Old Boys explained that he had been resident in New Plymouth since July 4, and that Old Boys was the only club that he was a member of. Held over pending receipt of further Information from Okato. Toko protested against. Midhirst, whom they alleged played three first juniors against Toko thirds. Held over for further information. Tukapa wrote withdrawing their protest against Patea for playing Tangipo. Wairoa Sub-Union wrote regretting that it was unable to send a team to play Eltham, owing to lack of finance. Owing to Wanganui being unable to meet a Taranaki B team on August 5. it was decided to cancel the B tour for this year. Wellington Rugby Union wrote agreeing to the match at Wellington being a Ranfurly Shield match. In reply to Otago’s request that the match against Otago should be a shield (.match if Taranaki then held the shield, it was decided to reply that Taranaki do not play any matches for the shield while on tour in the South Island. A letter was received from the recently formed Taranaki Schools Rugby Union asking the support of the union. The chairman stated that It was anticipated that the New Zealand Rugby Union's school grant would be allocated this week and Taranaki’s share would probably be £3O. If the Taranaki Rugby Union subsidised this £ for £, it should put the Schools’ Rugby Union in a good position. It was resolved to express the union’s appreciation at the formation of the Schools’ Union, and to assure them of financial assistance to the extent of £5O per year. The Wellington Rugby Union wired asking whether the Taranaki Rugby Union would object to the Taranaki-Wellington match being played as a curtain raiser to a proposed match between the New Zealand team in Australia, and the Maori team. ‘ Members strongly resented the idea of the provincial match, which was a Ranfurly Shield imatch and had been fixed for some time past, being played as a curtain match. It was resolved to suggest that the match should be played at Wanganui and the Taranaki public would have the opportunity also of seeing the match, as special trains could be arranged.

SCHOOLS’ FOOTBALL. At a meeting of the executive of the Taranaki Schools Rugby Union at Stratford on Tuesday it was decided to play a trial match at Eltham at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, August 9, of the boys who have already been selected, with a view to making the final selection of the team to play against Wanganui on August 19 at Wanganui. At a meeting of the Taranaki Rugby Union on Tuesday It was decided that the play off in the senior competition between Waitara and Stratford should be played as the first curtain raiser to the Auckland-Taranaki match at New Plymouth on August 12. URENUI v. HIGH SCHOOL. The Urenui junior team to play High School to-day at 2.30 p.m. at Urenui is as follows’. D. Cunningham. T. Bailey, G. Wright, M Skelton. D. Tate, M. Jonas, W. Brown. R. Klenner. T. Smith, R. Wiley, F. Wallace, J Waite. Riki Hana. Ted White, J. O’Neill. W. Pigott, J. Fitzgerald, C. Handley, W. Jones. THE MAORIS OF 1922 Mr. W. T. Parata. manager of the Maori team which finished their engagements in Sydney, was delighted with the performances and the spirit of the boys under his command. "The manner in which they fought on when -.uffering from injuries, several of them quite ; boys, was very gratifying to me,” said Mr. "And you imight say,’’ interpolated Mr. JR. Henderson, "that Mr. Parata is heart and soul in the game among the Maori boys. He went to no end of personal trouble in getting this team together, and it is a grand thing to find that he has been so well repaid by the football and flirt they have shown.” As we talked of the old game and its future, says the Sydney Referee, Mr. Parata gave me c surprising fact. lie said that the New Zealand Rugby Union had been empowered by the English Union, if it. thought fit, to vary the number of players to make a team in matches under its auspices. "This means,” I remarked, "that if it be deemed worth while the New Zealand Union may reduce the number on a side to fourteen, eliminate the wing forward, and play the 2 3 2 pack?” "That is so.” said Mr. Parata. It is a ' most important thing. If the New Zealand and New South Whies Rugby Unions determine to play fourteen aside, and to make one or two other alteration of inestimable advantage to the Rugby League game,__ they will bo in a position to fight the League with ammunition matching that which the League has used for so many years successfully against the ponderous weapons and weak ammunition of the Union. I do not know how this matter is viewed by the New Zealand Union, but I do know its genuine importance in the Australian view. Rigid amateur control is the bulwark of Rugby Union football in this country. If the Rugby League had it. and regulated professionalism, it would be only a matter of lime when there would be only one brand of Rugby in this country. But. the Rugby League has it not, and the Rugby Union, fortified with authority, may possibly determ-ne, to march a little more with the times. Mr. Parata mentioned that his team found the rulings of referees on the field somewhat different from these to which they accustomed in the Dominion. This perplesed them to some degree. It might be added that the Rugby Union should give this referee question serious attention for the coming matches with New Zealand. Younger and faster men are leeded for these important matches; wen, also, not too exacting in dealing with minor branches, and while helping to keep the. rhythm of playing moving, are not likely to let go too fu.