17 April 1912, The Mercury (Hobart)

BRITISH ASSOCIATION ANNUAL MEETING.

The third annual general meeting of the Tasmanian British Football Association was hold at the Y.M.C.A. buildings on Monday evening, there being a large attendance of members of the various clubs present.

Hon Henry Dobson (Vice-patron of the association) presided, and, in moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, said that it must be exceedingly gratifying to the promoters of the game in Tasmania to see such a splendid gathering of supporters present. He noted with great pleasure a paragraph in the report, which stated that the T.B.F.A. successfully entertained a team from New South Wales, and it was indeed a surprise to him to find that this was the first occasion on which a football match had been played between Tasmania and the Mother-State on Tasmanian soil. (Applause.) For so young an association it was a highly creditable undertaking. He hoped that the proposed tour in New South Wales would eventuate this season; also that an endeavour would be made to meet Victoria at Melbourne en route. In speaking of the merits, of the game, he understood that supporters claimed for it the exclusive title of "real" football, which other codes of football, in which there was a large clement of "hand ball," could not, claim. Another most important aspect of the roundball game was in the fact that it was a game remarkably free from accidents, which was certainly a great point in its favour, as no mother cares to see her son returning from the football field in a battered and disfigured condition, be he ugly or good-looking. (Laughter.) In support of this view of the game, he stated that the English F.A. team which toured South Africa played 22 matches on grounds as hard as any to be found, yet the team returned to England without a single casualty.' (Applause.) In conclusion, the chairman stated that Mr. Chamberlain said that we should endeavour to "think Imperially," and the Imperial aspect of a game which was played throughout the Empire was well worth considering. He hoped that it would not be long ere an Australian combination went Home to England, and held its own with the leading English clubs, just as the cricketers had done. (Applause.)

In proposing a vote of thanks to Capt. Cottrell-Dormer and Messrs. H.H. Nurse and C. Falkinder for having presented trophies for competition for clubs affiliated to the association, Dr. Purdy, in a most interesting' speech, described how the "All Blacks" Rugby team was induced to take part in a Soccer match during their stay in the Old Country, and, although pitted against an experienced team, gave a very creditable performance. The public was greatly impressed with the possibilities of an Australian team playing a series of matches in the United Kingdom.