FOOTBALL NOTES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9060, 8 April 1908, Page 7

FOOTBALL NOTES.

(By "All-Black.")

A junior football club has been ■Sormert in Eketahuna, and Mr R. JMurrell has been elected captain. It is reported that more than one iprominent footballer at tihis end, if 'asked to accompany the Otago team •on its northern tour this season, will request payment for loss of time (says "Fullback," in the "Witness"). It is a question which is certain to engage th« attention of the Rugby legislators this year. Mr Rowland Hill, who has been lor many years the honorary secretary of the Rugby Union, and for the last two seasons the president, is so indisposed that his medical adviser his forbidden him to attend to business of any description at present. Donald Stuart, one of the finest forwards Utago ever produced, and who missed the famous All Black team for England on a medical certificate, has decided to play again this season, after standing down for three years. In Otago the season will open next jSaturday week,. Auckland will be $$ fortnight later. A scheme has been institeted-to popularise Rugby football in the navy, correspondents having been appointed in each fleet too arrange snatches, etc. An Otago representative forward, in G. G. Denniston, is lost to the .province this year, owing to being transferred to Queenstown. Among the proposed new laws which will be considered at the New Zealand Referee's Conference at Auckland are the following:—l. If an opponent secures tne ball from ■a free-kick taken behind their goal line by the defending side, and puts it down in their in-goal, a try must be awarded, "even though the ball haa not crossed the goal line." 2. In the event of a kicker kicking from his own in-goal and one of his side being penalised Sot offside, the opposing side electing to take a scrum, "such scrum shall take place five yards from the goal line, opposite to the spot from which it was last played." 8. In the event of a player marking in his ■own in-goal—say a yard from the dead ball line—and his opponents line up to the mark and change the kick jdown over the dead ball line, "the fhall becomes dead." The annual meeting of the N.Z. JRugby F.U. will be hi:ld in Wellington on Thursday, May]4th. The Bush Districts Kugby Union has elected the following officers for the ensuing vear:--Patrr , Mr Tripe: president, Mr D. Kelly, secretary •and treasurer, Mr F. Morris; delc,gato to the New Zealand Rugby ; Un;on, Mr E. Darky.