UNFAVOURABLY RECEIVED

Chronicle (Levin), 19 October 1949, Page 4

UNFAVOURABLY RECEIVED

. ... t . s Sub-Union Basis For Rugby A Bitter Piil

A proposal that the Horowhenua Rugby Football Unioii become a sub-union of Manawatu, with the mutual henefit to the sport in both unions as the aim, was not favourably received when put to the management committee of the Horowhenua union in Levin last oight by a deputation from the Manawatu union. The deputation consisted Jof the president of the Manawatu Union, Mr. B. Palmer, and Messrs G. A. Brown and M. F. Henry. The Horowhenua union members expressed the view that such an arrangement would result in merely benefiting a few of its top senior players to the detriment of the vast majority and the Horowhenua football public. They would have much preferred to have discussed thg question from the angle of an amalgamation for representative fixtures, but with a ' 50-50 representation on any management council formed, not a minority representation as in the past. On the other hand, the Manawatu members stated that a subunion basis for Horowhenua would be the most practicable and that another amalgamation was not favoured by the Manawatu union. Any attempt to merge would ohly have the same result as before. If, however, it was thought that the Manawatu union had not found the best formula, then it was for the Horowhenua union to say'so and perhaps put up counter proposals for consideration. • If the Horowhenua union was willing to become a sub-union it would retain its separate identity and run its own affairs, said Mr. Palmer. Some financial compensation could be made by way of an annual grant for the use by Manawatu of its players. He cottixi not see how this would affect the clubs, as representative games were played off towards the end of the season. Lessons learned in bigger company by these players would be passed on, .thus improving the general standard of club Play. • Bright Future Ahead. The past season had been the best ever in the Horowhenua and • he could see a bright future ahead, ! said. the president of the Horowhenua Union, Mr. R. L. Robinson, The committee, however, was qiiite willing to approach any suggestions with an open mind and would appreciate some scherne which would benefit rugby generally in both the unions. He could noc see this being done on a subunion basis. Five or six players in a Manawatu representative fceam wo.uld not assist' Horowhenua a great deal. However, he would like to see the whole question fully mvestigated by the committee. It was then decided that a local sub-commiti.ee of five be appointed for this purpose consisting of Messrs R. L. Robinson, J. A. Zuppicich, D. J. Oliver, C. E. Wiseley and F. Juno. This committee will submit counter proposals (if any) to the Manawatu union. DISCUSSION IN DETAIL After being formally welcomed and introduced to the management committee by the4 president, Mr. Robinson, the leader of the Manawatu deputation, Mr. Palmer, ' said that the main object of the visit was to propose a scherne for the betterment of rugby football in the two unions. Neither Manawatu of Horowhenua could be described as major unions, but this could be achieved by combinatior They could then make th stronger unions, who at preser .. dominated the sport, "sit up aird take notice. We don't want ar.y advantage except to aim for the betterment of our playing strength, neither do we want to interfere with the running of either union. There would be the minimum of interference and each union could go on just as before," $ rsaid Mr. Palmer. "Regarding the previous arrangement, we know. very little and feel that we should forget it and start off from scratch. We think that possibly the best approach would be to incorporate you as a sub-union. By this you would lose neither your identity nor representation on the New Zealand Rugby Union. The main thing is to select players with which to build up our representative teams." Manawau would only want one or two, or six or seven players, as the case might be, added Mr. Palmer-. In return the union would be prepared to make Horowhenua an annual grant. He suggested that if the scherne was given a trial for two or three years the position could then be reviewed. His union did not consider it wise or advantageous to form a combined union, nor did he think the New Zealand Rugby "Union would favour it. It had already been tried once. Horowhenua as a sub-union would result in more scope for the players and improved football throughout the district, poncluded Mr. Palmer. Against Merger. "Our playing days are over" and we are only here tonight becausbv. of love and interest in thefj game," said the second speaker for Manawatu, Mr. Brown. "Our motive is to raise the standard of football and if we have not got the best formula then it is for you to say so. We have given the matter considerable thought and are against another attempt at a merger. "We in Palmerston North have overcome our financial position and during the past two years have had no difficulty in obtainihg (Continued oii Page 6)

(Continued from Page 4) a nett surplus of £1000, and we are offering you a possibility of lifting your position. up. You will •be still the master in your own house and will give your. players a chance to play in stronger teams and against stronger teams. That surely is better than paddling your own small canoe," said Mr. Brown. "This' question has been predominant in our minds for some time now arai we have been striving to find some practicable scheme to improve the standard of rugby in both unions," said the third memher of the 'deputation, Mr. Henry. "By combiningthe two unions we can improve football throughout the district, and we would be failing in our duty as adminis orators if we failed to make the attempt. If you have a better plan we will listen to it. The main thing is to get the players into better company. Both unions are progressing slowly. United this progress would be speeded up." "I do not like this word subunion," commented Mr. E. J. Cook. He added that he had expected somethihg along the lines of the old time council with a 5050 basis, instead of ' Manawatu holding the majority. "Along those lines we might get somewhere," he added. Mr. Palmer: That would mean that we would have to form another union. Mr. Robinson: We have no plan. We just want to hear what you have to say. If you wish it we will set up a committee to go further into the question. We have nothing in our minds at. the moment, but are apprehensive that our best players will be taken away from their club games and those are what hold the union together. We see an opportunity f or the best of our seniors, but as for the rest it might be a retrograde siep. Naturally we are not opposed to anything which will help football as a whole, but what of the few. We have combined in the past with Manawatu for big games. If we continue that would we not be achieving the same ends? Sub-union basis will not improve our football as far as the clubs are concerne'd. Mr. Palmer: Selection for the represenfcative team should provide an impetus for your club footballers and thus improve your club . football. Mr. Brown: It is not a novel arrangement. Sub-unions are quite common in rugby organisation. Mr. Henry: The effect of having players in better company should become apparent in club play. Mr. Brown: Do you believe you have a future as a union? The key is finance. You haven't a ground at Foxton and very limited facilities elsewhere. Mr. A. .Morgan: What finance can you offer us? Mr. Brown: Enough to give you a surplus at the end of the season: Mr. Morgan: li is only during the past few years that you have secured a ground in Palmerston North. Mr. Brown: We h&ve secured the rights over several grounds and have a programme to spend hundreds and thousands on play and players. I am only trying to sympathise with you. I feel that minor unions will never solve their problems but only multiply them. Mr. Morgan: If we were a sub-. union, where would you play the representative games ?c Mr. Brown: You would only be killing the goose that lays the golden egg if you played them in Levin. Formulating A Plan. He agreed that finance was necessary and he also knew that there must be the public to put through the gates, said Mr. C. E. Wiseley, but personally he did not think there was a possibility of a sub-union basis being appi'oved by the general membership. He did think that good would come from an amalgamation of the senior grades in that it would give the seniors better chances but the fly in the ointment was club football. He thought that a committee of three from each union could well get together and formulate some sort of plan for discussion. It was human nature that "when a man rises to a standard and is told to sit down, he does not like it," said Mr. D. J. Oliver. "By being asked to accept sub--union status we consider we are being asked to sit down. It might not apply, of course, but it sounds like it." Horowhenua had struggled along and was not looking for a sudden uplift, continued Mr. Oliver. Otago, he said, had held the Ranfurly Shield by the prowess of its country players. Manawatu, although it had a huge population, was like Otago and wanted to expand into the country, too. It was.seeking more players, otherwise the deputation would not have come to Levin that night. Finance Lost. The Horowhenua union lost finance annually by designa'ting matches to other parts of the district in order to maintain local interest and help the clubs, said Mr. Oliver. What would happen under Manawatu's scheme would he that the clubs would not he fielding their best teams, and the local people would not see their players in action in the 'big representative games. "What would be the use of extra revenue from Manawatu if we haven't got the public behind us?" he asked. There was too much emphasis on the top grade and too little on the players not quite at the top, said Mr. J. A. Zuppicich. It was quite obvious that a subunion proposal was not popular with the committee, said Mr. Brown, in which case it was up to the Horowhenua to «examine another alternative. After further discussion it was decided that the H^iwhenua

management committee appoint 'a sub-committee to go into all phases of tho quesfciQn,