Untitled

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1089, 30 March 1911, Page 7

Prospects for the Season. In a brief speech on prospects, Dr. Newman said the position of this Rugby "Union was vory satisfactory. ■ A mistake bad been mado three years ago in taking over Miranwr. Had this not been done the balance-sheet would .have been =£1050 prettier than it was. Happily the lliramar payments had. now come to an end.' There would be no drawbacks during the coming year, and the union ought to pay its way satisfactorily. It ought to be able to pay something to the New Zealand Rugby Union and hold the Athletic Park for all time for themselves. .Office-bearers. The .following officers were elected for the'ensuing yeai'President, Dr. A; K. Newman; vice-presidents, Messrs. J. I. King, Cr. I'. 0. Campbell, J. I'. Firth, and A. H. Turnbull; vice-president to' New Zealand "Union, Mr. G. I'VC. Campbell; Wednesday representative on Management Committee, Mr. W. I*'. Hornig; treasurer, Mr. W. Perry; secretary, Mr. W. G. Talbot; management committee, Messrs. S. Brown, E. 0. Hales, S. Crown, J. Sweeney, A. B. Wilson, W. Hardham, and' Little; delegates to New Zealand Rugby Union, Messrs. I?-. Roberts, J. T. King, Lynskey, 13. 0. Hales, and D. D. Weir. Suggested Innovations, A proposal mooted by Mr. P. C. Peters, that the action of the Management Committee in such matters as securing the use of grounds was thrown out after a brief discussion. It agreed that confidence must be reposed in the committee. A similar fate befell tile following proposal moved by the same delegate:—"All drawings for tho first round shall bo drawn before representatives of each clubhand such drawings shall be strictly adhered to. Notice of such drawings to be given to representatives seven days before drawing takes place." An amendment was approved providing that 110 player shall play in more than on 6 club in the same season. The rule retains a proviso providing that a player leaving a school may play for another club and vice versa that a player entering a school may play for .that school although ho has' previously, during tho season, played for a club. Referees. Mr. O'SulHvnn introduced an amendment providing t.hat. the committco entrusted with the duty of appointing referees should consist of five members instead of seven, tho reduction to .be secured , by- excluding two. captains o] clubs who now sit on the committee. Under tho amendment tl'.e committee would consist of thres members appointed bj the Referees' Association and two by the Management Committee. Mr. Weir seconded the motion pre forma, but' stated that once more h< thought, Mr. O'Sullivan's politics were wrong. A sop had been given to tin referees five years, ago, and' tho speake; nr/iv considered that a mistake had lieei ; made. It would be far-better to form ai ' entirely new bodv, with some 200 mem bers so that a man need only give u] onu day a month to football. Tho motion was defeated. ) Mr. Weir moved that the ManaKemen ; Committee be asked to leave the busi ) ness of selection in the hands of on* > man. | The motion was rejected. J It was agreed that in place of th . honorary auditors who have hitherh j served, a professional auditor should b I appointed, at a fee not exceeding SEve .. guineas. 1 Mr. 0. Kember was appointed auditoi A Cup Match Project. ; A proposal involving a radical altera r tion in tho system under which Hugh e Cup matches are at present arranged wa introduced by Mr. W. Perry. The pre posal, which emanates from the Manage ment Committee, Is briefly as follows "With eleven teams competing in th r senior championship there is little mor i.' than sufficient Saturdays to play on ) round in this grade, whereas it i n thought the position would be more satii

factory if each team played every other team at least (wice id the season. There is a feeling among members of the committee that some better scheme for running the championship might be devolved, and a suggestion on the following lines appears worthy of discussion:— To divide the teams into an "A" and a "B" grade—six in the former, being the six leading teams on last season's result?, and live in the latter. To play through one round would require five Saturdays, ■ when a new round would commence w.ith.this alteration. One, or two teams in the "A" grade with the lowest number of championship points be retired to the "ii" grade, and the leading team in "B" grade bo promoted to "A" grade. At the end of another five Saturdays a rearrangement on similar lines to be made. This would result in each team playing'each other team in that grade three times, giving fifteen Saturdays, 'i'ho points to.be computed on the total points scored in the "A".grade, whether such points were gained in the ,",ii" or "A" grade. '■'."' • Mr. Perry explained that under the rules the Management Committee had power to inlroduco the. alteration «n their own'responsibility if they so desired. As the proposal was a far-reach-ing, one, however, . (he committee had deemed.it wise to lay it before delegates. It.seemed to the speaker that the. scheme proposed would confer an undoubted benefit on the weaker teams. Pitted against strong teams at the beginning of the season, the. weaker teams now.sometimes became discouraged. If they met teams of about their own calibre, even if defeated, they would have an incentive to train and keep together. Tho hour was late when the matter came up for discussion, and after some half-hearted comment by a few speakers the proposal was thrown out. It will be brought up again, however, at the first favourable opportunity. THE PALMERSTON CLUB. Mr. T. Stubbs presided at the annual meeting of the Palmerston Football Club, which was held this week. The report and balance-sheet, showing tho club to bo in a. very satisfactory financial position, and also that the club had won all the .competitions which it had entered for last season, were read and adopted. Tho following officers wero elected:— Patron, Mr. H. V.. Gibbons; president, Mr. D. Buick, M.P.; vice-presidents, Messrs. A. Mahon, W. L. Fitzhcrbert, T. Childs, A. H. Rodgers, M. O'Reilly, P. Hanley, A. N. Gibbons, E. S. Dixou, E. Wingate, H. Lyall, H. B. Tucker, and Dr. Poach; secretary, Mr. J. H. Gray; treasurer, Mr. R. Milne; club captain, Mr. J. Brown; senior captain, Mr. AY. Boon; vice-captain, M. L. Ford; management committee, Messrs. B. Stagpoole, C. M'Williams, Baker, Harkness, and Scott; .delegates to union, Messrs. H. Muller, C. Jl'William, C. H. Warden, G. Corstensen, C. Fraser, and T. Stubbs; selection committee, tho captain, vice-captain, and secretary.' Ten new members -were elected.