The Annual General Meeting of the Club was held on Monday, 16th March, 1908, Professor Hunter in the chair. A report on the proposed visit of the N. Z. University team to Sydney was read and discussed, and it was decided to appoint two delegates to meet representatives from the other College in Dunedin at Easter and make final arrangements for the trip.

There was a time this season, certainly before we took the field in earnest, when it seemed that our day had at last arrived, and that the bitterness of defeat might be more evenly shared with those who had rioted over us in days gone by. Several new forwards of real bone and muscle were to invigorate the scrum, the best of last year's backs again available, with new men of proved ability to fill the gaps, and to make page 47 assurance doubly sure, the old warhorse de la Mare decided to once more tempt Providence in a green jersey. The gymnasium of the Training College was engaged and was the scene of much misdirected energy. All this by way of an auspicious start. Since than troubles have come upon us thick and fast; at one time accidents alone threatened to exhaust our playing strength by a process of gradual elimination.

However we have no great reason for complaint. There are still four teams in the field, and by this time we are surely able to take a licking and come up again smiling for the next. At the worst, championship honours are deferred for another year. The following little list (authenticated) of accidents and injuries may interest our critics : three fingers, five knees, four eyes, two noses, one collar bone, two shoulders, one ankle, one backbone, one head, and a strained heart. It has been suggested that The Spike should inaugurate a guessing competition as to the probable last surviving member of the First XV, abandon the idea.

The Junior ranks have been strengthened by the inclusion of several men who played senior last year, and although there is no remarkable increase in the number of their wins, they are nevertheless a promising combination, and can give most of their opponents a sufficiently keen tussle. In our usual spirit of undismayed optimism we expect to see them do better as the season advances.

The Third XV, usually our most successful team, has not done so well as at the beginning of last opposed to teams of about their own weight and strength, and with the excellent material they have this year, should make a great effort to get in some training and score a few wins.

This year the Fourth XV was entered in the fourth grade instead of as IIIB, and are doing well. They have a set of tall and heavy forwards who should carry all before them, and several of the backs are individually good, but of general combination there are few signs. The scrum does not push anything like its full weight, and a few passing runs would materially improve the back work.

Hitchings was picked to represent Wellington against Wanganui on June 3rd

First XV Matches.

Captain .. .. G. V. Bogle.

V. C. v Old Boys. Lost, 9—5. Goodbehere scored, cutting in nicely after a smart shot. Dash. Hitchings converted, and stuck the bar with a second shot. De la Mare and Curtayne were prominent forwards, backs were strange to each other and ragged. A. H. Bogle "bumped" to the tune of a broken collar-bone.

V. C. v Athletic. Lost 30—0.several men unfit. A fast, heavy pack wrought great havoc in our weakened ranks. Wilson and de la Mare led occasional dashes — backs and so chances. O'Leary at full showed remarkable versatility and would have been comfortably warm had the weather been Arctic. Fell retired with a broken nose, Tudhope with a strained shoulder.

V. C. v Petone. Lost, 13—0. This was a much better display all round. The forwards performed excellently against heavy odds, and the backs were repeatedly successful in smothering the passing rushes of their opponents. Fine run by Hitchings looked promising, but a bad pass spoilt the chance.

V. C. v Southern. Lost, 12—6. We successfully asserted our claim to the "wooden spoon" after great struggle. Tries by Robertson and Wilson. Boyce injured, replaced by Morrison of Wanganui College whose permanent assistance would be welcome. Howling gale and absence of G. V. Bogle did not materially assist us, but the result might easily have been different had backs played the game with wind—pint infield and get down under it—instead of playing the line every time.

V. C. v Oriental. Lost, 3—11. Score 3 all until well into the second spell. Goodbehere was injured and Oriental profited by slight confusion of place consequent on his retirement. Our game was much improved all round, the forwards doing especially well.

Second XV Matches.

Captain .. .. G. W. Reid.

V. C. v Old Boys. Lost, 14—0. A fast open game in which we should have done better. Backs invariably went for a neck-hold, a most effective method when scientifically executed—they seemed slightly out of practice, out but persevered with grim intensity. Occasional mistakes could only be expected, likewise above result.

V. C. v Southern. Won, 8—0. Tries by A. E. Dobbie and Russell—one converted by Randrup with an an excellent kick. Forwards in great nick, backs improving but still loath to go below the belt.

V. C. v St. James. Lost, 6—3. Hard and exciting game, narrowly missed a win. Forwards again very fit, and backs got in some fine work, though good chances went begging. Boyce scored an excellent try—wind unkindly upset Randrup's kick.

V. C. v Athletic. Lost, 26—0. We have heard less of this game. Score 3—0 first spell. Rumours of absentees and injuries, and unsupported vapourings of a spectator about physical inability to move in second spell.

V. C. v Oriental. Lost, 5—19. Try by Anderson, converted by East. Not a brilliant game. Occasional flashes of fine play show that the material is there. Russell was excellent throughout, and was one of the very few who did not make some unpardonable blunder. Two men, whom we will call "Hatless Jim" and "Ginger," for purposes of disguise, got within striking distance pat on his shoulder as he passed. For the second score "Oriental ball" found the greens bunched on the line-out, and a long throw-in took the ball across to the wing, who raced over despite two more furious dashes at his neck. So it went on. The number of men who kicked off at odd tlmes recalled the happy days of childhood, when each one had to have his kick or he wouldn't play. Two of the free kicks were something out of the ordinary. One went backwards about twenty yards and found the line as neat as could be. The other was strategy pure and undefiled, and occurred near the line in the enemy's 25. All available men were stationed under the goal (with great ostentation to deceive the enemy).the ball was then dropped carefully over the line at right angles to their direction, where five or six Orientals touched down and spoilt developments.

Third XV Matches.

Captain .. .. E. Lyon

V. C. v Karori. Won 9—0. Forwards played hard and solid, well supported by backs. Inder electrified the natives twice, and Palmer also won through after a neat dash. Waldegrave and Richmond played well.

V. C. v Stars. Lost, 9—0. Combination nil. Opposing forwards superior in tight word. O'Relly's consistent following up deserved more support.

V. C. v Selwyn. Lost, 9—5. Hard game against a slightly better team. We settled down to steadyplay rather too late. Score by Gibbons from a nice opening O'Reilly. Inder converted.

V. C. v Wellington. Lost, 5—0. Wretched display, our game all round much below form. Davie injured. Rutherford and Gibbons strove hard to avert defeat and Jackson, a recruit from IV, filled his position well.

V. C. v Epuni. Lost, 17—0. No definite information except "They had a great bullock who butted through us a dozen a a time." Tea and cakes were off, another sad disappointment.

Fourth XV Matches.

Captain .. .. H. E. Nicholls.

V. C. v St. James. Lost, 18—10. Scrambling game. Forwards led by Cooke and Clemance preformed fairly, but the backs were each man for himself right through.

V. C. v Wellington. Won, 8—0. Much improvement, Skinner decided acquisition; great gallop earned him a pretty try, and a second by Nicholls was converted by Dowling.

V. C. v Epuni. Won, 26—0. Epuni two men short. Tries were not scored by seven of us. One try converted, which so disheartened four more Epunis thar they left the field. Our blood was right up, and we gave the remaining nine a rough spin.

V. C. v St. Johns. Won, 11—0. Bridgeman scored from a forward rush, also Williams with a fine run clean through his opponents. In second spell Spratt got over. Wing three-quarters were not trusted with the ball at all. Robertson good at full-back.

V. C. v Selwyn. Lost 3—8. Our try by Skinner. O'Meara is reported to have very decided opinions of the man who prevented a brilliant score by hooking him backwards when he was just about to fall on the ball.

Matches with Sydney University.

Following on the preliminary meeting held in Auckland at Easter, 1907, when delegates from the Football Clubs of the University College decided that it was desirable to inaugurate home and home matches with Sydney, considerable investigation of the more serious obstacles to the success to the scheme has taken place with the result that when a definite invitation was received from the Sydney U. F. C. to visit New South Wales in Jul 1908, it was at once accepted, and arrangements have now been made to send a team which will for the first time represent the University of New Zealand.

The chief difficulties to overcome have been those of finance and selection. The cost of the trip will be about £250. On this occasion the burden will not fall on New Zealand as the expenses of travelling and entertainment are to be borne by the home team, while individual members will meet their own hotel and personal expenses. At the same this, Sydney could not be allowed to incur such expense this year unless we were prepared to undertake a similar liability in 1909, when they visit New Zealand.

Messers. T. A. Hunter. Of Wellington, F. T. Evans, of Christchurch, and Dr. Hunter, of Dunedin, have work, certain trial matches are to be played. On June 24th Canterbury College will meet Otago University in Christchurch, and after the match a team will be selected to represent the South Island. A meeting between Auckland and Wellington on the same day was considered impracticable, and it has been arranged that the Aucklanders shall nominate their best men, arranged those necessary to complete a North Island team shall be supplied by page 51 Wellington. The inter-Island match is to be played in Wellington on June 26th, and a selected team of 20 men will leave for Sydney on the evening of that day. The first match with Sydeny U. F. C. will take place on July 4th. The playing uniform of the New Zealand team, in the absence of any distinct University colour, will be a black jersey with the University seal as a badge.

First XV Match.

Saturday, June 6th, 1908.

V. C. v Wellington. Won, 11—6. In case anyone considers the capital letters unduly assertive, we may say that we have no false modesty—neither has the team, —that is is now some two years since a similar accident occurred, and that this was a glorious Victory anyhow. The improved form shown against Orientals seemed to indicate trouble for someone ere long, and unfortunately for Wellington the official fixtures list delivered them hard, especially towards the finish, but skill and science allied to perseverance must be rewarded in the long run, and all their efforts were powerless to upset the will of Allah. Allah is just—so say we all. The game was fast and open, and by far the most exciting admits contest seen on Miramar this season. Even Professor Hunter admits that, and as he was continually encroaching on the field of play, he ought to know. He first two tries, scored by Prendeville and Goodbehere (Father converted one with a excellent kick), were the outcome of pretty passing rushes, and he third was due to Goodbehere's Heaven-sent turn of speed. Backs and forwards alike covered themselves with glory, and have every reason to feel proud of their achievement.