FOOTBALL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 323, 9 October 1908, Page 8

FOOTBALL.

NEW ZEALAND RUCBY UNION. SPECIAL MEETING OF DELEGATES. LAWS OF THE GAME DISCUSSED. IMPORTANT DECISIONS. A special meeting of delegates to tho New Zealand Rugby Union took place in tho Chamber of Commerce last night. The object of the meeting, which was held in response to a requisition signed by the Otago, Southland, and Canterbury Unions, was to consider the advisableness of amending the laws of Rugby with a view to the improvement of tho game. The president of tho union (Mr. G. F. C. Campbell) occupied the chair, and fortyuine delegates, representing the various unions, were present. NECESSITY OF AMENDMENTS AFFIRMED. . Mr. J. Hutchison (Otago) moved as follows:—"That in the opinion of this union, tho time has arrived when it is imperative that the rules of Rugby football should be amended." - ' The mover said that the prospect of ob'taining amendments through the English Union was considered by his union too remote to justify the New Zealand Union in .waiting." Some of the unions had, in his opinion, cause to complain owing to the action of the Management Committee in rejecting certain suggestions which had been made. He would regret if any resolution were carried which would result in the divorco of the New Zealand Union from 'the English Union, but if it meant a choice of alternatives —the making of necessary amendments or "cutting the painter"—he did not think the delegates should hesitate to do what was necessary. The motion was seconded by Mr. Sheehan, an Auckland delegate. Mr. G. Dixon, chairman of the Management Committee, said, that in his opinion, unions should exercise patience—wait until it i was seen .what attitude the Home authorities would take up with respect to the sug. gestions ■ already submittal. What was wanted was that tho game should be played in a better spirit. (Hear, hear.) It was not possible to make a player honest by laws. (Cries of "Yes" and " No.") Referees were, he thought, far too lenient nowadays. He moved as an amendment: —"That, in tho opinion of this union, it is advisable that the rules of Rugby football should be amended. Mr. Meredith , (Wellington) _ in seconding the amendment, said it was ridiculous to suppose that an organisation which included a large number of players who had been disqualified in amateur Rugby was going to do a great deal of harm to the old game. The laxity of referees was responsible for much, if not all, the rough play. In his opinion, the game was quite fast 'enough for players who had to earn their livelihood at some trade or profession. It would be more dignified to await the decision of the English Union .with respect to the proposed amendments already submitted. ' Mr. Ohlson (Auckland) thought the Management Committee should have submitted to tho Home authorities a suggestion on each of the subjects sent forward. Mr. R. M. Isaacs, a member of the Management Committee, did not think there was an imperative necessity to' mako any amendments. ■ ■ ' • Mr. Mason (Canterbury) said that with few exceptions the rules were all right. (Hear, this stage, Mr. Hutchison said if it would curtail tho discussion ho would accept the word "advisable" for the word "imperative." it waß agreed that Mr. Hutchison should be allowed to accept the amendment. Mr. H. Roberts (Wellington) hold that referees were too strict. The great blot on amateur Rugby was the winger. Mr. Piram (Manawatu) said that the,,meeting was nothing more than a .vote of no-confi-denco in tho Management Committee for tho manner in which they had dealt with tho recommendations submitted. The motion as amended was adopted without dissent.

CONSIDERATION OF THE SUGGESTIONS. Tho delegates then proceeded to deal with the suggested amendmonts to the laws of tho game. _ It was moved on bolialf of tho Otago Union:— . , ' " (a.) That the charge in the caso of a free-kick or kick at goal be abolished." Mr. Lusk moved, and Mr. Laws seconded, the following amendment: — " That no charge be allowed in the case of a penalty kick, but other.''kicks' bo subject to a charge."—Lost by 36 t0.25. As a further amendment, Mr. Mason moved:—"That' tho kicker in taking his kick from a mark, penalty, kick-off,'or kick at goal from a try, shall not be charged, and the kicker may place the ball himself."—Rejected. • Upon being put, the resolution was carried by 33 votes to 28. Mr. Wilson (Otago) moved:—(b) That the throw-in from touch be for a distance of not less than say five, yards.":—Carried. Mr. Hutchison (Otago) moved:—(c) "That in tho event of the ball landing directly in touch from the kick-off or kick-out, a penalty of a free kick to the opposing side be given 10 yards from tho point at which tho ball crossed the touch-lino and parallel to tho goal-line." As an amendment, Mr. Mason (Canterbury) moved When the ball, is kicked direct into touch ri free kick should be given to the opposing side 10 yards from where the ball crossed the touch-line and parallel to the goal-line." Both the motion and the amendment were rejected on the voices. Mr. Hutchison (Otago) moved":—"That a penalty of a free kick be imposed upon any player who shall cross, an imaginary lino drawn through the. back of the scrummage on his own side, while tho ball is in the scrum."

Mr. Fred Roberts said that if the ball were heeled out properly a wing-forward had no chance of interfering with the halfback. Mr. Dixon held that wing-forward play developed recourse in tho half. Mr. Hutchison, in reply,_ thought 90 per cent, of tho players were in favour of the proposal. The resolution was carried by 38 votes to 23. Mr. Wilson (Otago) moved:—(e) "That a team bo reduced to 14 players."—Rejected. Mr. Hutchison (Otago) moved:—(f) "That the side which touches down fjjjould be required to bring the ball out for tho kick-out in a direct line from tho spot at which it was touched down a.nd parallel to tho touchline."—Withdrawn. As an amendment, Mr. Hilton (Marlborough). moved: —"That after a force down the ball shall be brought into play by means of a scrum at tho ccntre of the 25-yards line."—Rejected. Mr. Murray (Canterbury) moved as an amendment:—"ln a drop out for a force down the ball shall be kicked out from a point within the 25 yards limit parallel to the touchline from where it crossed the goal lino."—Rejected. As a further, amendment, Mr. Lusk (Poverty Bay) moved: —"That the kick out after a force down bo from the goal-line at the point wliero it crossed." —Rejected. Mr. Hutchison (Otago) moved:—(g.) "That the referee place tho ball in all the scrums." —Carried. Mr. Wilson (Otago) moved:—(h.) "That a goal from a mark or penalty kick shall count two points." —Rejected. Mr. Hutchison (Otago) moved:—(i.) "That a player brought to the ground bo allowed to pass the ball even though it has touched the ground, provided it be dono immediately." As an amendment Mr. Wylie moved:— "That the word 'must' bo substituted for 'be'."—Rejected. The motion was agreed to. Mr. Wilson (Otago) mofed:—(l) "That the game be played in four spells of twenty minutos each, with an interval after the second spell."—Carried by 38 to 23. It was then proposed by Mr. Hutchison (Otago)"That the "Auckland Union bo . appointed to rovise the rules with a view to

giving effect to the amendments which had been approved." Mr. Hales (Wellington) considered that the motion was one of want of confidence in the management committee. Mr. Pirani (Manawatu) moved as an amendment:—,(Thnt the committee should consist 1 of the members of the committee of the Otago f Union." 1 Mr. Lusk (Poverty Bay) then moved, and , Mr. Mason (Canterbury) seconded, as a further amendment: —"That the work be per- ' formed by the management committee of the New Zealand Union." ' Mr. Isaacs said that if the motion were passed no self-respecting member of the management committoe could continue in ' offico. 1 Mr. Lusk's amendment was adopted. 1 QUESTION OF AUSTRALASIAN UNION. It was then moved by Mr. Hutchison . (Otago) as follows:—(3) "That it bo an instruction to the management committee to forward a copy of the foregoing resolutions to the New. South Wales and Queensland Rugby Unions, with the view to securing their co-operation in the formation of an Australasian Rugby Union to control the game under the revised rules." Mr. Dixon said that a letter had been received from the Queensland Union to the effect that it had decided that, in. the event of a favourable reply not being received from the Home authorities with respect to amendments to the laws of tho game by the end of 1908, a conference of delegates of unions in Australasia be held with a view to the formation of an Australian board and the making of alterations which shall , come into force at the beginning of the 1909 season. Mr. Pirani moved as an amendment that all the words after the word "co-operation" bo deleted. . . . Tho mover of the. motion accepted tho amendment, which was adopted. PAYMENT TO TEAMS ON TOUR. Mr. Wilson (Otago) submitted the following motion: —"That the rules as to professionalism bo revised in the direction of paying players for loss of time while touring with representative, teams." The mover said that if the adoption of the motion led to the discontinuance of tours it would be a very good thing for football in New Zealand. Mr.' H. Roberts '(Wellington) held that the payment of out-of-pocket expenses to players did not'constitute them professionals. Mr. Cargill (Taranaki) said no union in New Zealand could afford to pay its representative teams whilst on tour. At Homo players were bought and sold at their market value in tho field. The absence of the true spirit in football nowadays was due to money and tho bookmaker. A true player saved up to pay his expenses on a tour. Mr. Fowler (Horowhenua) said that ,if expenses were paid to players'all could say: "Good-bye to good football." Mr. Isaacs (of the Management Committee) thought married men, if they could not afford to go on tour, should • not desire to be members of the team. Mr. Ohlson (Auckland) considered that unions should have tho power to pay any player to whom it was a hardship to go on tour. Ho moved as an amendment: —"That the rules forbidding any payment to players ■be amended by the addition of tho following words: 'Except that an allowance not exceeding 6s. per day may be granted to members of a representative team ' from any union .when on tour outside its respective country or pro.vince, and to country members of representative teams taking part ,in a representative match , necessitating absence from usual occupation for a period exceeding 72 hours.'" . . _ . Both the amendment and the motion wero lost on the voices.'OTHER MATTERS. A . suggestion that l the amendments approved be referred by the various unions to the clubs under their jurisdiction before thoy aro submitted for confirmation or otherwise at the next meeting of the New Zealand Union was rejected; It was also decided not to agree to a 1 proposal that an adjourned special meeting of the council for consideration and adoption; of the rules as required bo held within two months from date.

It was agreed that the expenses of one delegate from each affiliated union outside Wellington attending the meeting 'bo defrayed Dy the union. " The delegates decided on the motion of Mr. Sheohan (Auckland) that in the event of a conference of delegates •of unions in Australasia being held the Dominion be represented by three delegates—one from the Management Committee and one from each Island—appointed by the Management-Com-mittee. ' • . . A vote of thanks to the chairman closed the proceedings.'

MEETING OF MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE.

A meeting of the' Management Committee of the New Zealand Rugby Union was held yesterday afternoon, Mr. R. M. Isaacs occupying the chair. There were also present:— Messrs. Wylie, Galbraith, Laughton, Kelly, and Wallburton, and Mr. J. D. Avery (secretary). Tho Manawatu Union forwarded an appeal to the Appeal Council against the decision of the Management Committee in upholding the appeal by Hewett, a Manawatu representative player, against the decision of the Manawatu Union in suspending him for not attending a meeting of the union and explaining the reason why he did not play in a certain representative match. It-was decided to forward the appeal.on to the Appeal Council, marking fresh matter which had not been sent forward when the' committee considered Hewett's appeal. Various affiliated- unions forwarded the names of players under their jurisdiction who had taken part in games played under the Northern Union rules. It was decided'that consideration of this matter be held over until the next meeting. ' Some' discussion took place as to the attitude tho committee would adopt in the event of the special meeting of delegates oalled to consider the improvement of tho rules of the game, - deciding that players should be paid for time lost. " The general opinion • was that, •in the event of- such a decision ' being ; como to by delegates, the committee would have no alternative but to resign. ■

NORTHERN UNION GAME,

(B¥ TELBOEAPH—PEKS3 ASSOCIATION.) Inveroargill, October 7. A football match under Northern Union rules, played here to-day, between Otago and Southhnd, was won by Southland by 30 points to 14.