RUGBY INCIDENT

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 98, 12 July 1946, Page 5

RUGBY INCIDENT

UNION’S FIRM STAND MEMBER’S LIFE SUSPENSION ‘That he he suspended from this Union for life, and that he he warned off all Rugby grounds for life’. Such was the penalty - inflicted by the Whakatane Rugby Union at an extraordinary meeting of the Management Committee on Wednesday night, on Mr Steve Hotene, who was responsible for a serious breach of football etiquette and misdemeanour upon the field. The member in question was involved in the incident last Saturday at the Whakatane Domain, when one of the referees was manhandled. After stating a short defence of his action, Mr Hotene left the room, and the decision, which was made solely by the Union, prior to the announcement that the Referees Association was recomending such a .penalty in any case, was made in his voluntary absence. Mr Hotene was not only a member Of the Management Committee, but also a referee and a Junior Selector. * '

Stating the details of the incident, Mr F. Darvill, representing the Referees’ Associatipn, said that the happening occurred when the final whistle for the Poroporo v United Junior game was sounded. Paul, a Poroporo player requested information concerning a certain point- in the game. He did so decently and was quite within his rights. He (witness) was explaining the ruling, but before he had time to finish, Mr Hotene rushed down the line, grabbed him by the shoulder and said: “It!s time you and I finished Darvill”., Mr Hotene had also invited him to go over behind the trees with him. Another Maori, Hira, also became abusive, and a crowd of spectators began milling round. He had since -learnt that another person attempted to kick him. One of the Poroporo leaders had later apologised on behalf of his Club as far as he was able. Mr W. S. Henderson (Union President) : I understand that Hotene laid ;jiands on you. < -■ Mr Darvill:'Yes: He used a threatening manner. Onlookers Versions Supporting evidence came from ether members of the committee. ;Mr Bert Norman stated that he was on the other side of the field when the incident started, but he saw Mr .Hotene run down the side-line, and then noticed Mr Darvill in the midst of a melee..' He' saw one man attempt a kick. Mr J. Keepa stated that although ■he was not on the actual spot at the time of the incident, he. could see the crowd gathered round. The discovery later that a fellow referee

had been manhandled by a Maori, „.one of his own people, had caused him great concern. Mr I. Tunui stated that it was definitely not a player who had at- - tempted to kick the referee in question, but a spectator. (Mr Bert Norman corroborated this point). He had been a member of the-Union for 23 years, but had never heard of any incident approaching the seriousness of the one- with which they were dealing. Mr Henderson: It is almost unbelievable that even a spectator, let , alone a member of the Union, and a Junior Selector, should lay hands on a referee. Offender’s Explanation Giving his account of his actions, Mr Hotene, after making mention of .an ‘incident’ in the game stated that -on-the final whistle, he noted a crowd milling round the rgferee. He ran down the side-line from midfield. He did not, take hold of Mr •Darvill by the shoulder and threaten him. All he meant to imply'was that in view of the manner in which the game was played, both he and the referee should stay on the side-line until more experienced. He mentioned further, two recent matches, in which a team had requested that it be not asked to play under the same refgree again. Delegates’ Opinions The aspersions cast upon Mr Darvill’s refereeing ability were dispelled by other delegates present, who volunteered the opinion that Mr Darvill’s refereeing was of a consistently reasonable standard. Mr Bert Norman (United) declared that from what he saw, the crowd on Saturday was ‘just * rearing to go’, and that if the Union . did not do something about it, it would mean the end of Rugby as a game in the district. \ To Mr Hohapata’s query as to

whether Mr Hotene had actually laid hands on him, Mr Darvill re- . joined that he could get at least a

dozen witnesses to prove what he said was correct.

Mr Hotene: You could get a dozen witnesses—l could get a dozen witnesses too. I have no apologies to make; I’m not going to call myself a liar. I didn’t handle the referee. He then left the room.

The Chairman then asked if there were anyone present who really thought that Mr Hotene did not lay hands on the referee, and the complete absence of any assenting voice, left no doubt as to the opinion of the delegates. ■The penalty of suspension from the Union, and an exclusion from all Rugby grounds for life, was then unanimously decided upon.