Foxton Wants To Play Rugby For Manawatu

Chronicle (Levin), 7 April 1948, Page 3

Foxton Wants To Play Rugby For Manawatu

Whether Foxton is within' the territorial boundaries of Manawatu or Horowhenua for Rugby purposes, was debated at the first meeting of the new management committee of the Manawatu Rugby Union held in Palmerston _ North last night when an applieation was received from the Foxton Rugby Club seeking affiliation provided a release could be obtained from Horowhenua. The secretary (Mr. M. O'Keefe) read to the meeting a ruling on Manawatu boundaries given by the New Zealand Rugby Union which defined the area as including the following borough and counties: Pohangina, Oroua, Kairanga, Woodville Borough and riding, Manawata. Mr. P. O. Skoglund: Foxton Borough is not specifically mentioned. The chairman (Mr. B. Palmer) : Nor is Palmerston North City or Feilding. It was moved by Mr. G. A. Brown that the New Zealand Rugby Union should be requested to give a clear definition of the status of Foxton in relatjon to the Horowhenua and Manawatu unions. f Mr. Skoglund pointed out that although Woodville was within the Manawatu area, by consent it had been permitted to affiliate with th'e Bush union, Was there, he asked, any intention to bring Woodville back, or would it be better to cede Woodville to Bush and. settle the matter? Mr. S. Green: We might do something tonight we might regret later. In 20 yea.rs' time this unioil might want to .reverse such a policy. The chairman said Mahawatu had been complainihg a few years' back that its territory was too small. Mr. R. Ormond: We have ha'd some good footballers from Woodville. Mr. W. V. Shannon: Would. the representative teams be strengthened if Foxton affiliated? The chairman: In order to strengthen our position we have hoped that Horowhenua would become a sub-union of this union and we have negotiated to this end successfully. If Foxton aflrliated with us there is a possibility that the Te Kawau sub-union might he revived with Foxton as its mainstay. Mr. Brown's motion was carried. An applieation from a newly formed Awahuri Rugby Club for,

affiliation was deferred for consideration when team nominations are called.