N.Z. .Union Decides Against Horowhenua

Chronicle (Levin), 21 April 1948, Page 4

N.Z. .Union Decides Against Horowhenua

By a deeisiom issued by the New Zealand ■ Rugby Union, the Hoeowhenua Union's management committee now ceases to have control over Foxton and Awahau teams. , - The secretary of the committee, 3\Ir. J. E. Fullarton, said at a meeting last night that he had received a telephone call from the secretary of the New Zealand Union, who had stated that it had' been decided to abide by the rule laid down in the New Zealand rule- book of 1937-38, unless Horowhenua could nrojduce eyidence that an agreed boundary, incorporating Foxton in the Horowhenua, had since been? declared. Though it is compelled to accept the position meanwhile, the Horowhenua Union will enter a strong pro.test and empower its delegate1 ; to the, annual meeting of the New ; Zealand Rugby Union to raise the question during the discussion on general business, it being too late .now to have the matter included on the agenda. in a telephone 'discussion with the Manawatu management committee, which was also holding- its meeting last night,. Mr. Fullarton was informed that Manawatu wero accepting Foxton and Awahau on the legal point, but said they' were prepared to discuss any application for the retention of Awahau. byHorowhenua under special dispensation. , A letter received from the Awahau Club last night, reiterated its previously-announce'd view- in the matter. It added that the club was anxious to play in the Horowhenua junior competition, and could not afford to send its team to Palmerston North to. play. If it was com'.pelled to play under Manawatu, Tt would have to -disband, the letter added. After discussion on' the matter it* was decided to apply for the retention of Awahau, and the Manawatu Union was immediately contacted and asked to; give the matter consideration. . Deep concern at the course the case had taken was expressed by members. A perusal of multitudinous minutes and doc-uments of past years revealed that many discussions on the boundary" question had taken place since 193,7, an'd although the Horowhenua rule book carried a detailed boundary, which included Foxton district, there were no records of how the boundary ha'd been arrived at. An

; uhsignecf carhon eopy of a legallyworded agreement was uneafthed and the original, if it was evfer .signed, maght' change the position ,in favour oi Horowhenua. > Apparently ther.e had .. always ; existed a gentlemen's agreement •berween Manawatu aiid ' Horoi whenua .in regai'di to the boundary, said the president, Mr. A. Gillespie. Some- reierence was also made to" a commission that had been set ' up to decide the boundary, and although there were ^requent references to such a committee in .the minutes,, no decision could be locate'd. Such a decision would decide the iss.ue, said Mr. Gillespie. Obviously the Horowhenua rule book must have" gone on some authority to fix the boundary, i Qther members expressed. the , opinion that there must have once been an agreed boundary fayouring .Horowhenua, otherwise the Foxton Club would . never have come in. Manawatu had also never made any eomplaint about Foxton players participating in the Horowhenua representative teams. After further discussion it wasdecided that the N.Z.R.U. be wfitten to in strong terms, condemning the decision and giving details of the past history of the situation, Mr. D. Cqle moved that a strongly worded letter also be sent to .the ■Manawatu Union, decrying its att-i-tude in taking Foxton away from ;the union and thus causing it considerable inconvenience. The motion, however, lapsed for want of a secoiider. The 'chairman pointed out that all the moves had come from the Foxton Club, and the Manawatu Union was only -taking advantage of the legal point. * "It is. a pity that we are startmg the season without the Foxton Club,'; said Mr. A. Gillespie. f'lt is eertainly not in the best interests of football. We.have beeen abiding ■by the rules of the ofd „Mana- , whenua Union, and those rules stili stand. The change over has -come as a blow as probably ever since rugby football started in the district — some 5.0 years ago — Foxton has been with us. 4 It has never -come to us with any official grievances. • However, though we will feel the loss of four teams, and are very very sorry to see Foxton leave this union, I am sur.s we will carry Sreater. strength and be 'one of the major unions in New Zealand." In the meantime there will be °nly fivs teams in the senicr competition, and those drawn to play Foxton will be given a bye. ■- •