FOOTBALL NOTES.—REPLY TO "TOUCH LINE"

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1470, 30 August 1883, Page 2

FOOTBALL NOTES.—REPLY TO "TOUCH LINE"

(TO THE iIDITOII.J Sir,—l have now before me your issue of to-day, and have perused, not without some degree of astonishment, the " bilious ravings" contained therein, under the heading "Football Notes," and purporting to be written by i'ouchline." However much subject to conje:ture the identity of that worthy may be, one thing is certain—that he (or ghe ] as the case may be) is " touch(eif m somewhat.a particular '' lint." . I do not, as a rule, care tq take any nofcica of the expressions of sentimont made by persons under circumstances which lead me to infer that they have a delicacy in owning to them as e,g, by making attacks under a nom-de-plume; but in case the public who support our noble pastime should be misled by your contributor's statements, which are in the main alike untrue and unsportsmanlike, l l beg to give you for publication the facts to which I perceive some reference is made. On the 3rd August I had to go to Wellington, under circumstances which demanded my presence there. Next day a : telegram was received in Mastorton from the Secretary of the Wellington Kugby Union tome, intimating the datoou which final Cup tie was to be played, but saying nothing of the Greytown match. This telegram, was forwarded, unopened, addressed to me at P. 0., Wellington, which I received, after having been some days there. In the meantime, the Greytown Club, as I am informed, received a similar telegram. Greytown, owing Masterton a return match,, thought, no doubt, it would be advisable to obtain, if possible, tho chance of ; getting the Cup match playtd at Greytown, instead of having to go to Masterton for it. They accordingly directed the Masterton Secretary to draw for the place where the Cup match should be played, and appointed a representative in Masterton to watch the drawing on their behalf. The important step of drawing, which eventually conceded to Greytown a l'ight which Masterton had (viz., to have the match played in Masterton, it being universally recognised, at all events, bv Masterton players, that the Cup match should be a return of the last preceding match between the local teams), was taken by the Secretary and an ex-committeeman, without oven consulting a member of the Committee, though a quorum of that body was obtainable at' a few moments' notice. When the members of the Committee and the team heard of what had been done, they, without exception, strongly disapproved of the action taken by the Secretary and excommitteeman. The Secretary) I understand, arranged the match for the 11th, but sent me no word of such arrangements, though he knew that I left Masterton under die impression that no match was to be played till the 18th. I received information of all these goings on on the morning of the 10th in Wellington, and learning from tho Secretary of the Union that the 18th was available for tho match,'and having knowledge lihat several of the team were unable to be present, and flilther considering that the Masterton public were quite as worthy of consideration in hiving an opportunity of seeing the match as the Greytown public, especially when having the right to, do so, I telegraphed to Masterton, postponing the match, and my action, has since been upheld by the Welling ton Union and by every member of the Masterton team. Immediately on my return from Wellingtons committee meeting was held, at which it was resolved to the effect that owing to tho inconvenience Greytown had been put to by the postponement of the match, on account of the action of tho Secretary and ex-cominitteeiimn, tho team should go to Greytown oil the 18th to play the Cup match there, tho committee, however, not recognising the right of Greytown to claim that the match should be played there. Greytown was informed of this resolution, and resolved that Masterton had forfeited the match, and also, that should tho Wellington Union fail to give the match in their favor when appealed to, that Greytown would not play the match at all Masterton received their reply to this effect on the 17th. On the evening of tho 18th at Wellington, the Union decided that Greytown had no lom standi for their protest, and upheld the action of Masterton. Late on the evening of the 22nd Masterton received notice that Greytown was prepared to play on the 25 th. On the morning of the 23rd Masterton resolved that as Greytown had already declined to play the match on their own ground (at Greytown)) and as they had only given notice at the eleventh hour of their' intention to depart from their resolution not to play at all, the match should be played at Masterton. Greytown was informed at once of this resolution, and a reply was received requesting the Masterton men to be in Greytown by 1 p.m. on the 25th. This was out of all reason, (even had the committee intended the match to be played at Greytown) as many of the Masterton team reside a considerable distance from town, and had been instructed to be in Masterton by 2 o'clock in the afternoon in order to play here. On the 25th, when the team found out that Greytown would not come to Masterton that afternoon, a meeting was held when it was carried by acclamation, that; under the circumstances Masterton do now decline to go' to, Greytown for the cup match. ' X .miy mention that the Masterton tsm are ready aud willing to play for the cup on their own ground, we, a decided aversion % rti objected to the leccantrjpf and oufr«ide clnbs, and if fhey get a beating I venture to state that they will take, it as men, for they have been practicing for that sort ot thing with almost unqualified success overßincefootballwas known here. Thus the first 'sentence of Touchline's effusion actually reveals a fact, and has been evidently written in a lucid interval, the remaining .verbiage through which he rambles, regard-

less alike of grammar and .construction, I take to be the outcome of an expanded imagination, and as such the- author thereof can hardly be reckoned respon-. aible therefore. I give him credit however, for one neat little! piece of sarcasm he indulges in, viz., the allusion to the "past laurels" of the club. Perhaps the glory of these is only realized by himself in his moments of delusion, >., as, no one else has heard of them, at least I, as ex-secretary, do not recollect having observed anything answerta to the description of the articles ingestion among the,/club's belongings. Perchance Touchline refers feelingly to the brilliant eiit which the olub, under / " the previous regime" made through / tho back door of the football season of 1882. I am (Sec, C, Bruce Morison, Captain M.F.C.