HOW FARES RUGBY?

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1232, 14 September 1911, Page 5

HOW FARES RUGBY?

ITS RULERS CONFER. AND GET TO PERSONALITIES. WHAT IS THE OUTLOOK P A special general meeting of delegates from tho Rugby football clubs in Wellington was held in t)io Chamber of Commerce Buildings last night. Thero were, about 35 delegates present. Sir. G. P. C. Campbell presided. Tho meeting was lively throughout and personalities vero fairly frequent at times. Mr. D. Weir, Hie convenor of the mooting, said that, beeauso peoplo had signed tho requisition it did not follow that they had a grievance. Homo of tho signatures were given becauso the people thought that if grievances existed, it was wise to hold a meeting, lie was responsible for tho meetin/ alter conversation with old players. Tho time had arrived for an ell'ort! to do something. They had had a great year, and had made many records. There had been record weather, tho "gates" had been exceptionally good, and they had had a record amount of dissatisfaction. Tho forfeits in the lower grades were also a record. Then, as far us the Selection Committee was concerned, it maclo a record. They had nover yet known any selection committeo to tail to satisfy tho public so much as appeared to ba the case at present. And tho public were fairly good judges. To me and many others it seems that there is only one care to-day, and that care is finance. The player is not in tho hunt. All they want is the gate, and they want to be there to see the gate. The competition this year was juggled in such a way that iiuy acrobat should bo proud of it. Things were not as they ou<* i be. There were not as many pla. as there wcro a few years ago. They wore losing approximately fifty players a year in the last three years. It seemed to him that they should now do something to better the good old game which they all professed to love. do you suggest?" was asked. "If you have puhencn you will hear," retorted Mr. Weir. ] "We find we arc losing players. That has to be admitted. Wo also find that the game is going back as a game—that is as a spectacle. (Hear, hear.) . . . And our opponaats are gaining ground." Mr, Weir went on to give reasons for the alleged slate of afl'airs. Mr. S. Brown (chairman of the Management Committee of the Wellington Union): What year was this? Mr. Weir; 1906. Mr. Brown: I was thero. Mr. Weir: If I am wrong, I will hand you a pound for the hospital. Jfr. Brown: "Oh, it's all right." • Mr. Weir: Wo had men on the union then who didn't merely meet on the Wednesday night and occnpy tho grandstand with their friends on Saturday afternoon. Mr. Brown: And who resigned becanse lie could not go to Auckland as manager o£ tho team. Mr. Weir: You aro wrong again, Mr. Broivn. —Mr. Weir: We hare not now got the men fitted to occupy the benches on tho Rugby Union. Thero are hundreds of men willing to look after tho higher grades, but what of the lower grades? Thfro must be a change, and it is timo for the clubs to realise it. Too many games were played this year. Men we.ro run to a standstill. Massaging of players was not practised, and yet they cried because, matches were lost. Voices: Hear, hear! A delegate: Who cries? "On the Nod." Mr. Weir then said that he was going on \jx> deal wilh mismanagement at the park, but would not mention names. Mr. Brown asked if ho was ono of tho parlies to bo referred to. Mr. Weir: You have taken in moro peoplo on the nod that anybody else. Mr. Brown: Havo you any idea how many I have taken? Mr. Weir: No,, I-. havo ..not. Mr. Weir continued that peoplo not holding season tickets had taken the scats Mason ticket-holders had bought, flic way things were run amused him. (Laughter.) The union had shown great weakness in dealing with the Referees' Association this srason, ami ho hoped the next body would have moro backbone. Mr. Burns: Why don't you mention names, and not deal in generalities? Mr. Weir: I believe the' members worked to tho best of their ability, but I say that their best was not good enough for us. Ho moved: "That, in the opinion of this meeting, the Management Committee has failed to carry out its duties satisfactorily." ■ Mr. W. Perry (smilingly): I second tho motion, pro forma. Mr. Brown (to Mr. Weir): Didn't you, in 1005, resign becauso you were not elected manager of tho team to Auckland ? i Mr. Weir: Absolutely, no! Mr. Brown said that tho whole matter was in tho hands of the teams. "Talking about going in on the nod/' he proceeded, "I think they are talking nhout some of my friends who go on tho stand with a blue ticket in their hands. Those'gentlemen paid at the gates. . .' . Last Saturday I issued four tickets. Three were to a doctor and two friends who havo done a lot for the union. Tho other was to a man for his wife—a shareholder in tho park. I think in the past few years if I put in my claim for expenses I should probably have been .450 richer." Mr. Horry Roberts remarked that there was not tho slightest doubt that the Rugby Union was losing yonnger players because they were not encouraged. The "soccer" people wcro doing all (hey could to win the lads. The Rugby Union might bo helped in the matter of travelling ex-pensp-s. Through lack of encouragement, the boys lost heart. Events had proved that tho Northern Union game was going to bo a serious opponent; the gamo was advancing in Xow Zealand by leaps and bounds. If they weri> not prepared to look after tho younger players tho Rugby that they know was doomed. The Northern Union v;ould be established in this city in time, and largo numbers ivho now played Rugby would go over to it. What wns wanted w.-is fostering of tho 1 players and improvement of tho game. It had surprised him that in this year's games with Auckland and Tnranaki "there had been no trainers. When h-avclliiig to uphold tho honour of tho city men should be paid out-of-pocket expenses. Ho could not see that that was professionalism; it was just. Th-j chairman observed that he thought that Mr. Roberts was trefpaffiing on the province of the New Zealand Union; it was outside tho bounds of the committee. Mr. E. Roberts: Regarding the English Union, I hope tlio day will soon come when we shall cut the painter. Tho chairman decided that that olfw was a question which could not be discussed. Mr. T. Walsh complained that .£SO was an extravagant amount to give teams to entertain visitors at Easter. "It's a Lie! ,, Mr. J. F. Sullivan said Mr. Weir -was fond of a great bluster, hut tho speaker did not follow Mr. Weir's arguments. Mr. O'Sullivan made somo remark to the effect that the. "man in tho street" said that Mr. Weir had inspired certain letters in the'press. Mr. Weir: It's a lie. Tho chairman toll Mr. Weir that if he had occasion to make any comment ho must do so in a way that could not bo taken exception to. Mr. C. Atkinson thought that the Rugby Union could take a leaf out of tho "soccer" people's book, as regards tho junior players. As regards tho representative, team, it would be better t» have ono selector instead of Hi roe. Tho chairman: I think that is provided for by rule; there must bo three. It is not, therefore, the fault of tho Management Committee. Mr. Weir: Thcro is no rule. A delegate: I think thero is. Mr. Weir: No there isn't. I hare been fightingflor one for years and ycatrs. I will got him yet. Mr. B. Gallagher spoko in favour of their being one selector. Mr. Coliii Campbell expressed tho opinion lliat thero was a lot of dissatisfaction. Ho thought that the union got it on to the public by charging Is, for the- cup final. Mr. Brown: Rot! _ Mr. Campbell regretted that the Wellington representative teams had not received training this year. Mr. J. Burns (a. member of the committee) said that no stated or fixed chargo had been made ogaiEst tho ManaKement

Committeo. Why didn't Mr. Weir state tho name of any member of the coniunltoo who was shirking his duty instead of dealing in these generalities, livery member of the committee had worked well Una year. Mr. Weir's remarks about Mr. Brown's taking a few guests to a match showed n most miserable spirit. Thero was not a better sport in Wellington than Mr. Brown, and they all knew what ho had done tor Ituguy. ".,'. . Mr. Paul Peters suggested that to iinprovo junior football the union should appoint two trainers to leach tho young players tho game. Somo were natural footballers and picked Rugby up cjuickiy; others rcquirod teaching. He expressed dissatisfaction with thoi selection of. the representative teams and said that tho' Southern Club (which had given Athletic, tho champions, the two hardest' games of tho year) had bixm persistently passed over in a way which showed that thero was something wrong, 110 was sorry for what had been said about Mr. Brown during tho meeting, for Mr. Brown was a good sport and hnd spent a lot of money on Rugby. Tho Wellington Selectors. Mr J. Sweeney (due of tho seloctorp) paia the selectors were trying to do their uest, but how were they to do that if they were going to be harassed, and waiten on by deputations from tho clubs, and m other ways worried. Because Wellington liad been beaten by Taranaki and Auckland, thero was an outcry. If tho I* points scored by ouo man's* goal-kick-ing were not counted thero wcro six minis dtifercuco between Taranaki and Wollington Because there was a big score against Wellington pei lie began to cry and howl, and they could not tako a beating. Was that tho true spirit of tho gamei l Mr. Sweeney said that some of tlio statements which had been made were not worthy of the mcoting, especially Mr. Weir's remarks about Mr. Brown. Mr. Weir's remarks were "only stuff at tho best." Tho delegates should not' stand it. Ihcy had hnd some farces in tho past, and they would havo moro farcee if Mr. Weir wa« allowed to havo tho convening of meetings.- Ue deolarod that Kugby was not deteriorating; it was belter this year than' had over been seen in tho city. Mr. T. W. Leslie (representing tho Tramway Club) complained of tho treatment of tlio Wednesday players. ■A r- 'I' ?? wson thought that tho committoo had been bound down to tho financial side owing to their obligations, and lipd forgotten a Jittlo to look after tho players. M . r - , w '..Perry (a member of the committee) said (here had boon a lot of wild and irresponsible talk by tho public, who did not know better, and could be excused, and also from the press, who could not be excused, bocaused they ought to know better. This night thero had bec-n a wild tirade from Mr. Weir nit an analysis showed his allegations to bo pin-pricks. There had been a certain amount of decadence in junior football, but that was duo to the lack of interest taken by tho clubs in their, younger play- .?«._ Iho union-spent ,£3OO a year on junior football. It had been said that the union's eyo. wns to finance and not to the players. Why did tho union par so much attention to finance? Becauso they wanted to maintain the amntonr game in the city. If the union could not hold tho park, the Sydney League would take it on, and the amateur gamo would be gone. He did not think that it was sportsmanship to crv as somo of the delegates wcro about being beaten by larauaki and Auckland. Mr. C. Campbell: Talk seneo! Mr. Brown (clapping his hands): It is sense. A voice: Rot. Mr. Perry deplored Mr, Weir's discourtesy to the chairman of tho committee (Mr. Brown). Mr.. Brown had taken many people on to tho stand, but on almost every occasion they had been either season ticket-holders or they had paid their way. Ho intended to move at the next meeting of tho committeo that there should be moro than ono meeting of delegates every year. Mr. Brown (to Mr. Weir): "Did you or did you not resign or tender your resignation to the committee becauso you wore not elected manager to tho team going to Auckland in 1905?" Mr. Weir first said tlfat the question was nothing to do with'tho business of the meeting. Tho chairman replied that he. thonglrl the meeting expected Mr. Weir to answer. The chairman certainly did. Mr. Weir made a long statement which tho chairman paid was irrelevant. Thin went on for some time, and tho chairman finally bound Mr. Weir down to "yes" or "no. A direct answer was not forthcoming, and the chairman asked Mr. Brown if he would bo content to withdraw tho question. Mr. Brown said ho would. Mr.'Weir then complained of tho chairin allowing a question which ho claimed was irrelevant. Tho chairman: "Mr. Weir, you como hero and in the course- of a speech you make allusions to a certain gentleman, and as long as I am chairman I shall allow him to ask questions in order to clear himself." Mr! 'Weir shortly afterwards withdrew his motion, saying ho had gained his object. Tho meeting was then adjourned.