RUGBY UNION.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1388, 14 March 1912, Page 6

RUGBY UNION.

( ; WELLINGTON DELEGATES CONFER. ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of delegates to tho Wellington Rugby Union was Ticld last night in tho Chamber of Commerce Dr. A. K. Newman, M.P., presided, and thero were some, forty delegates present. The Wadestown Rugby Club was affiliated to the union. On the motion of Mr. i>. Brown, the anmwl report and tho statement of accounts were adopted. Athletic Park Property. In discussing tho report and balancesheet, Mr. D. Weir took exception to a statement appearing in the report, to the efl'oct .that' "tho committee worked on harmonious lines with the Referees' Association." Tho speaker considered that this was contrary to fact. Regarding tlio Athletic Park, ho considered that the arrangement was an unsatisfactory one. Tho property would always be a lie on the union unless the Wellington public moved in the direction of having legislation passed to free it from rates. Tlie public owed a good deal to the footballers, who had preserved the ground as a playing area, and performed a duty that should have been performed by the city authorities. Coming to the balance-sheet, Mr. Weir considered that tho expenses of the southern tour could have been easily reduced by ,£lO, nnd the money spent with advantage at Miramar. Mr. Little, who had acted aa manager of tho team on tho southern tour, oxplained that tho team had been kept on tour a day longer than was necessary, because they had won all their matches and had behaved in an exemplary manner. Professor Hunter spoko in appreciation of tho men, who gave up their sparo time in managing the affairs of tho union. He considered that the criticism of the city authorities was unwarranted. Tho Wellington City Council lind done more than any other council in New Zealand towards providing playing areas. Several other speakers also discussed tho report. Mr. Lusk suggested, as a recommendation to the incoming Management Committee, that tho gates at the Atliletic Park be thrown open at 3 p.m. on Saturdays to all boys. (Hear, liear.) Election of Officers, Before the election of officers took place, Mr. S. Brown moved, nnd Mr. W. Perry seconded, that Rule 1" be altered, to increase the membership of the Management Committee to ten. Professor Hunter said a consequential amendment would bn necessary to raise tho quorum to six. He was, however, opposed to tho increase. The motion was carried with the necessary amendment. Tito election of officers resulted as follows:—President. Dr. A. K. Newman, M.l'.; vice-presidents, Messrs. J. P. Firth, G. F. C. Campbell, J. T. King, and S. Brown; vice-president to the New Zealand Union, Mr. G. F. C. Campbell; Wednesday representative on Management Committee, Mr. W. F. Hornig; treasurer, Mr. W. Perry; secretary, Mr. W. G. Talbot; auditor, Mr. 0. G. Keraber; management committee, Messrs. E. 0. Hales, W. J. Hardham, E. A. Little, J. Burns, A. E. Wilson, D. D. Weir, E. A. Dawson, C. F. Atkinson, and H. Urquhart; delegates to the New Zealand Union, Messrs. F. Roberts, J. T. King, J. Lynskey, E. 0. Haks, and Colin Campbell. Alteration of Rules. Rule 20 was altered to enable the Management Committee to 'appoint sub-com-mittees outside the Management Committee. An alteration to Rule 22 was passed to provide that, in addition to the annual general meeting, of delegates in March, a general meeting of delegates shall be held in .June each year. Tho rules for club contests were altered, so as to leave in thfl hands of tho Management Committee tho question of insurance, of sixth-class players. Rule 9 of the rules tor club contests wero also altered, so as to make players liable to disqualification if they play in third and fourth-class matches without being eligiblo to do m>. The captain of a. team who permits a player so to play is also liable to disqualification. A motion by Mr. Perry, to alter Rulo 10 of the rules of club contests, so as to do away with tho right of clubs to agrco upon a referee, was lost. Messrs. D. D. Weir and A. E. Wilson moved that Rule 10, rules of club contests, bo amended as follows:—First paragraph l\> be excised, and replaced by tho following: "The appointment ot referees shall be in the hands of tho Management Committee,-, who will select same from members of tho Wellington Referees' Association, which shall be directly affiliated with tho Wellington Rugby Union." Second paragraph to stand with the exception that where tho words "appointment Committee" appear they shall be altered to read "Management Committee."—This resulted in lengthy discussion, during tho course of which Professor Hunter pointed out that from statements made at the meeting it was clear that tho Referees' Association hud,, by refusing to sign mutual agreements, broken a compact entered into with the Rugb.y Union. The motion was eventually carried by a substantial majority. A motion by the Athletic Football Club delegates to set apart a Saturday in each season for the purpose of playing matches, the net proceeds from ( which are to bo used to assist clubs to build gymnasiums, was lost. A motion by Mr. Collerton to expunge from the books of the union the minuto censuring Mr. Little (manager of tho southern tour), was carried. On the motion of Mr. Colin Campbell, it was decided to issue free passes for Athletic Park to all club secretaries. The Rugby Annual. Mr. D.' D. Weir expressed the hope that now that the union was in a better financial position than it had -been for a long , time_ that the Rugby 'Annual should be revived. Later in the evening the president (Dr. A. K. Newman, M.P.) announced that Mr. D. M'Keuzie was in possession of all the information to bring the roll of honour in the annual up-to-date, and that ho would place tho information at the disposal of the union. Tin announcement was received with applause.