22. Declaring Goals, Time, ere.—The referee shall declare fouls, half-time, and time by whistle ; goals by bell. The time keeper may notify half-time and time by whistle.
Next in importance to the work of the various Leagues comes that of the county associations, whose delegates have now become a powerful factor in water-polo circles. Undoubtedly the most energetic at first was the Surrey County Association, which was formed in 189o, under the presidency of Mr. J. F. Genders. It at once took the lead in activity among the other counties. The affairs of the Association are conducted by a committee, elected annually by the delegates of the affiliated clubs, and individual members of the Association. Besides arranging matches with the other counties and the Universities, a large number of matches are played annually in different districts in the county, for which teams are nominated by the Association. This is for the purpose of giving the officials an opportunity of finding out and affording practice to young and comparatively unknown players.
In addition to these matches, an inter-club competition, open to all amateur clubs in the county, is carried out each year on the League principle, each club playing the others.
The first county match was one arranged by the London League at Tunbridge Wells, the opposing counties being Middlesex and Kent. It was played on July 26, 1890, the home county, which was almost entirely composed of members of the Tunbridge Wells Cygnus Club, winning by four goals to three. This success caused the honorary secretary of the Cygnus
Club to endeavour to form a county association ; and in 1891 the other clubs rallied round, and the Kent County Water-Polo Association was established. Since its formation it has done good work, and large crowds have gathered at Tunbridge Wells to witness its matches. Many new players have been unearthed by means of a challenge shield competition for affiliated clubs, won the first year by Tunbridge Wells ; and there is reason to believe that, although the officials have greater difficulties to contend with in raising teams than are met with in the really metropolitan counties, whose men are always at hand, Kent will maintain a leading place in county water-polo.
Sussex started a county association in 1891, and after a spell of ill-luck have now become very powerful. They have a local centre of their own, as have also Devon, and both counties promote big inter-club competitions. Leicestershire, Wiltshire, Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Staffordshire have each a county Water-Polo Association, and Dorset has a League com petition.
The Middlesex County Water-Polo Association was started in April x891. Its players were then at the head of the counties, and remained so until the Lancashire County players beat them in 1893. Like the Surrey Association, it arranges matches with Kent, Hants &c. regularly, and has once or twice opposed the Universities. Its first captain was W. Henry, of the Zephyr Club, and A. Hudson, Amateur, acted as secretary. During its first season as a properly consti tuted county association its representatives scored 36 goals, as against 6 obtained by their opponents ; but in 1892 this goal record was lowered considerably, owing to improvement in the play of the other counties. Surrey almost grasped the lead from them, but an unlucky defeat by Hants robbed them of the honour. By affiliating to the London League, it was granted a direct seat on the executive of that body ; and as a like privilege was accorded to Surrey County, the League committee has become an organisation of experts. They have no legislative power, and are compelled to take all questions as to alterations of rules to the A.S.A., but their opinions hold a great weight in the South, and it may be safely assumed that anything brought forward by them represents the feeling of a large section of Southern water-polo players.