LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1108, 22 April 1911, Page 6

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

[ » i. SCHOOL FOOTBALL, Sir,—At last night's meeting of the Wellington 'Public Schools' Rugby Union an application was received from the- Marist Brothers' School for permission to enter teams for the public schools football competitions. The application was refused. For some years past the Marist Brothers' Schools in Wellington have been playing Association football, because, Sir, the , Public Schools' Union would not allow thein to play Rugby. Some five or six years ago tliey applied to ho allowed to play Rugby with tho State schools, but their application was refused on the following grounds:— (1) That the Wellington Public Schools Union was a "public' 1 schools' union, and could not admit "private" schools without altering its constitution. (One would think that they were being asked to alter the constitution of the United States). (2) That the Marist Brothers' boys wore bigger than the State School boys, and ' (3) That there were not sufficient grounds available. Tho consequence was that the Marist, Brothers' boys wcro compelled to play ' Association in tho' Association Boys' Leagues. Tho above facts were brought before the Wellington Rugby Union, and last night a deputation from that body waited on tho Public Schools' Union, and asked that the Marist Brothers' boys' request be granted. It was pointed out by tho deputation that it seemed to bo an easy matter for the Public Schools' Union to alter its constitution if it so desired; that there was nothing to showthat tho Marist Brothers' boys were bigger than the State School boys, and that, as the city recreation grounds had been formed, since the last application, and the Rugby Union had plenty of grounds, the objection on this score was now removed. It was further pointed put that m Auckland and Canterbury the Marist Brothers' Schools took part in the schools' competitions. 1 understand that tho same thing applies in Wangauui, Napict, West Coast, Dunedm, and almost every other place in New Zealand. Wellington—the capital city of tho Dominion—alone has tho unenviable reputation amongst footballers of preventing these boys from plaving Rugby football. And yet, in spite of ?in t' tllo "PPlication was refused. }< hi "', o ,'\ r,cr? Surely it cannot bo that the Wellington public school teachers are so narrow-minded that thev will not allow these boys to play om account of «ieir■religion?.'/'Buf'l'-coiifess that 1 can think of no other reason I understand that an effort is to bo made to have a special general meeting next week to reconsider tho question, and I hope, that for tho honour of the city of Wellington the ln ,bli c school | teachers will no longer allow it to ho the only place in New Zealand in winch such a flagrant injustice is being done to Catholic schoolboys.—l am, etc., ■ GEORGE HOME, Wellington, April 21, 1011.