MASTERTON FOOTBALL CLUB.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8387, 26 March 1907, Page 7

MASTERTON FOOTBALL CLUB.

ANNUAL REPORT. The following is the annual report tfco be presented to the members of the Masterton Football Club, at the annual meeting, to be beld on Wednesday, in the Y.M.C.A. Rooms:—The membership of-the Club stands at 67 —the slight decrease on the previous .year's total being attributable to the fact that your Committee found it necessary to cancel the membership of several honorary or active members who had either removed from the district or shown no interest in the club's welfare. The membership now is considered to be very satisfactory except perhaps.that a few-ojtstand-ing subscriptions are not likely to be forthcoming. Your Club's Senior team again carried off the Wairarapa Championship, and won the Reliall Cup for the second time in succession. The record being in all matches as follows:—Against Old Boys lost by 8 to 0; against Carterton <championship), lost by Gto 3; against Carterton (championship—l'), won bv 24 to 11; against Carterton, won by 11 to 3; against Greytown (championship—3), won by 35 to 0; against Red Stars (championship—--3), won by 24 to 3; against veterans, won by 11 to 3. The Junior team made an excellent bid for the Banner, and were only prevei ted from securing possession of th-?. trophy through the action of the winners in playing three ineligible men. being ultimately ccnfirmed by the Union. Your Committee enters a inojS emphatic protest against this ar.d similar unsatisfactory methods of dealing with Junior matters by the Wairarapa Union. The Junior record is as follows:—Matches won 5, Jos: 4, points for 60, against 45. rf, he question introduced by your delegates at the annual meeting of the Union last year with rei'eionce to the formation of a Referees' Association unfortunately had no better effect than to have the matter discussed. Several regrettable incidents, which resulted from the appointment of some of the district's best referees to certain matches during last-season, makes it all the more imperative that some further and more definite action should be taken this year. The financial position of the Club shows a steady and therefore satisfactory improvement j on that of past seasons. The bal-ance-sheet shows an excess of assets over liabilities of £9 12s, and your Committee hopes that the item "outstanding subscriptions" will be fully justified under the former heading. It is desirable that all members should make their subscriptions a question of first, importance. The question of •allotting Mr medal for the season 1905 was decided oy ballot as a result of a decision arrived at the last annual meeting. Mr J. W. Cochrane again placed a second medal at the disposal of members in order that one might be presented to the best players in the backs and forwards of the Senior team. These medals were won • for the second ttime in succession by J. O'Leary and R. H. Spackman, respectively. The Henderson and Eliott medals for the season 1906 are also to be decided by ballot amongst Senior players. Your Committee desires to place on record its high appreciation of the action of those gentlemen so generously donating the medals abovementioned. The thanks of this meeting are due to retiring officers, Gymnasium Committee, and several gentlemen who renewed past years' donations. Committee meetings were satisfactorily attended throughout the .-year. Two vacancies were caused through the election of Mr D. K. Logan to captaincy and the temporary absence of Mr B.' Chapman from 3Vlasterton, but these were filled by the appointment of Messrs R. J. Williams and J. O'Leary. An invitation was received from the authorities to send a team to take part in the Exhibition Carnival from April ■6th, but it waslound impracticable to •accede to the request.