RED STAR FOOTBALL CLUB.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10186, 11 March 1911, Page 3

RED STAR FOOTBALL CLUB.

ANNUAL REPORT.

Mr Ben. Iveson, secretary of the Red Star Football Club, will present the following report to the annual meetiug of the Club, to be held this evening:—

In presenting the .annual report, I have much pleasure in congratulating the club on its successful season last year. The senior and third-class teams were rimners-up in their respective competitions, but the juniors were unfortunate in that through injured members and holidays they were unable to place a tsam in the field on two occasions, and were, according to the Rugby Union rules, disqualified from taking part in the junior competition for the remainder of the season. At the

end of tli© season, when they were at)le to get their team together, they showed what a. farce this Rubby Union regulation is by defeating the junior champions (Dalefield) and the Masterton juniors (one of the best teams in the competition) by a comfortable margin of points in the Pearson Cup challenge matches. Our finances are in a sound position, though our expenditure was heavy last .season, owing to levies made by the Rugby Union and to liquidating some old outstanding debts. The expenditure for the season amounted to £l2 10s sd, and the receipts to £6 lis. The receipts in connection with the annual dance amounted to £l4 12s, and the expenditure to £9 10s lid. We thus start the season with a credit balance of £4 10s lOd. "We owe the Rugby Union fines amounting to £2 2s, but against this the Un-

ion is indebted to us to the extent of £2 10s. During the past season the members again worked loyally together, with the result that the prospects for the coming season are '■'particularly bright. The Club has indeed been fortunate in the matter of enthusiastic supporters, who assisted the club financially and, with their best services. I wish specially to refer to the Help received from our worthy patron (Mr E. Welch), our vice-president (Mr, R. Hunt), our treasurer (Mr T. G. Hoar), who by the way has disbursed a number of accounts on behalf of the Club and refuses to debit the*m against the Club, Mr Sam Pearson (for his splen-' did gift of the handsome Pearson Challenge Cup, which, although allotted by the Club for competition among the. junior teams of the Wairarapa, always remains the property of the Red Star Club), and to Mr R. Ward, whose untiring and valuable work on behalf of the Club on the Management Commit-

tee or the Wairarapa -KugDy union, and in other respects, is worthy of special commendation. Our annual social and dance was a decided success, thanks to the excellent work done by the ladies committee for whose self-sac-rifice and determination to make the function the success it was, the Club are deeply indebted. I wish to sincerely acknowledge the valuable assistance rendered by Mr Claud as assistant secretary of the social. Mr Corbett's varied experience in the past in conducting terpischorean functions, particularly suited him for the position, and the Club were very fortunate in obtaining such valuable aid. Most \ of the members of the men's social committee were away on tour with the Wairarapa representative team, but Messrs T. G. Hoar, J. Corbett, L. _

Welch, W. Hoar, R. Smith, J. Brown, R. Ward, C. Welch and A. Miller volunteered their services in preparing the floor, etc. Representative honours were obtained by the following senior members of the Club:—A. Ross, K. Welch, F. Ball, E. Douglas, R.< McKenzie, A. Miller, J. Corbett, B. and R. Welch. A handsome gold medal, presented by Mr C. Corbett for the best forward in the senior team was won by B; Welch. Mr J. Wing, captain I of the junior team, at the close of the season entertained his team,,, which won the Pearson Cup. at a smoke con-

cert, at which the formal presentation of the cup was nWle by Mr S. Pearson. Before concluding, I must refer to the splendid manner in which the. captains of the threeteams (Messrs A. Boss, J. Wing, and H. Smith respectively) worked in the interest of the Club, arid it was largely due to their able leadership and excellent example that the teams earned such kudos, for their conduct'on and off the field. I would ,- 'rim-ess upon •members the necessity of obtaining a building in which to obtain scrum practice during the coming season.