FOOTBALL NOTES—THE HON. SECRETARY'S CORRECTIONS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1471, 31 August 1883, Page 2

FOOTBALL NOTES—THE HON. SECRETARY'S CORRECTIONS.

To the Editor. Sir,—As Captain Morison, in answer to "Touchline," has, for the benefit of. four public subscribers who support our noble pastime, given a history of the Club's proceedings for the first month, perhaps you will allow one (who is in a position to know) to verify and correct him where necessary, As he begins with tk telegram, I will finish that subject first. He says he "went to Wellington on the 3rd August, anil a telegram was received in Masterton next day." Now, this iclegvam was dated "Government Buildings, August 2nd," and being a ' delayed telegram, I will allow a day for transit, making it the 3rd: for what reason he suppmed it until asked about it at the committeo meeting on the Uth has yet to be explained to the satisfaction of the Club, i As this telegram stated that the 18th , was fixed for the final match, it left . only the 11th for the the first cup t match. Next he saya: "Greytown, i owing Masterton a return match, ■ thought, no doubt, it would be advis- , able to obtain, if possible, the chance '. •■• of getting the Cup Match played at- - , Groytown instead of having to go to Musterton for it." Now the Welling- ,; " ton Union recognises Cup Matches as : special ones, and have decided that when town and country teams are drawn rgainst each other, the preference be given to tho latter to play the firstniatches on their grounds, and so special are tho Cup Matches considered that the final must bo played in Wellington oven if two country teams were competing in it. I n the face of this, and tho opinions of the majority of the Committee, present on tho Hth, the captain's idea is quite absurd, because if they were treated as ordinary matches why do the Association Committeo go to the trouble of drawing for places of competing teams 1 "The important step of drawing." On the morning of August 7ch I received a telegram from the Greytown secretary requesting me to draw where the cup match should bo played, at the same time nominating a gentleman in Masterton to act for them. I immediately acquainted two of the committeemen, and also wrote at once to Captain Mon'son: not receiving any answer (until the Uth at the committee meeting) it was considered not of vital importance to him, so the drawing took place in the presence of four gentlemen tho modus operandi was as follows:—" 1 (the ■' hon. sec.) wrote the names Greytown and Mastorton on separate pieces of paper, these were folded up closely and dropped into a hat by a committeeman of the Masterton Football Club, the Greytown representative held tho head covering referred to, and a disinterested gentleman drew out a paper, which, on being unfolded, was found to bear tho magic name "Greytown." As it was agreed that the first name drawn should have the choice of place the Greytown deputy decided that it be played at Greytown. Our action was approved of by the committee (see minutes of meeting on the Uth) and also the team without exception until' the captain returned from town, when, finding that a difficulty existed 2 between the two Clubs (through that A' telegram business) he set to work, and, , ;i instead of assisting to smooth matters, he has further widened the gap between them. The Captain says :—"Tho secretary, I understand, arranged' the match for tho 11th, but sent me no word of such arrangement, though he knew that I left Masterton under the impression that no match was to be played till the 18th." 1 am glad he has insorted the word " understand" in the first part of the sentence, because it leaves me only a supposition to contradict, as. no correspondence '" passed between me and the Greytown Club that would lead them to suppose a match was arranged. In the latter part of the sentence there is some considerable " economy of truth," for my instructions were not to arrange a • match for the lltb, because the captain would be.away. The remainder of his letter refers to correspondence received and meetings held, which I know nothing about. ; Hoping; these few corrections will set ' matters right, especially in the eyes of the public, • lam, ike., - Hon. Secretary, M.F.C.