RGBY REFREES MEET.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1404, 2 April 1912, Page 7

RGBY REFREES MEET.

RUGBY REFEREES MEET. NKW KU.IIS AtVKITKI). A meeting ol the Wellim.'lou Ru-.-l'V l"t<'iu-s' A-o.i.uion h.w held li-l eioii- ">;; (Mr. .11. M-Keii7.il- presiding), lor llu-purpo-e ot di-en-in.,- the propo-ed ..-millions under winch tin- Rugliv Union desnv the Re,,,,,.- A-oo,at,on to «..,-;>. A strong pi-0t,..! u , entered a-aiu-l the now rule- by the , ha'irman. Ho held the opinion, howou-r. tli.it it the R.-ioivo-' \s-oei,ilion did not accept ,hc-o ndints Ihe ltiKby 1.i,i0„ would form a new Reluces' Association, and the pr.-enl bodv would cea-e to . .\i-t. , At this jiuietiiio Mr. Card remarked: Have you done aiiythins in regaid to Mr. Weir's remarks at. vlie annua! meeting ot the union;" 'the chairman, in replv. staled that the lu-lei-eW A-onaiion .-oui.l not do anything in the matter. Mr. Card -ai, something about Mr. Wen getting ell "scot live.- and with a curt --(iood night." letl the 100111. At the coiulusi.vi 01 this little episode the meeting went into committee, ami Mr. .U'lvouzie explained whv no action had been taken. Considerable discussion then ensued over the proposed new rules, and several nieni■>er> expressed their opinions Mronglv against them. Letters were read from the 1)1 aco and I anrerbury Associations explaining how tho referees were appointed in tho-e centres. -Mr. Clinkard was of the opinion thai tho Referees' A-o.iation should be j;ovcrued l.y the delegates appointed bv ihe players. He also sa'd that lie thought thoy would receive a fair deal at the hands 0 f the Rligbv Union. Mr. t linkard ihen moved: "'.l'nat tiiis association accept the rules of 'the Kughv i Union." This wa> .seconded bv .Mr. Cozetis.

In -npiwrting the motion. Mr. Meredith held that the Ueferees' Association wa< formed to as<i-; tho union in controlling the game-, and therefore he thought that the Referees' Association should l>e subservient to the parent body. Mr. Sievei's Mok the opposite view to the former speaker, and thought that the ru!;s look away authority from the association. Under these rules the yanngfr members would not have an opportunity of advancing. The association should manage its own affairs, lie maintained that the Referees' Association's only opposition to the Rugby Union had bein in regard to mutual agreements, lie stated that Rugby was having a hard fight at the present time, and if affairs wore not well managed at this critical time Rugby would receive a set-back. The chairman suggested that the Referee-'. Association accept the rules of the Kugby Union on a twelve months' trial, but he objected to the Kugby Union having the power of veto over the a-s> ciation's by-laws and regulations. He stated that the only thing the Rugby Union wanted was to have control of the appointment of refereis. The motion was carried. Mr. A. Xeilson was appointed the Kofei'v'es' Association's delegate on the newboa id. At the conclusion of the mveting Mr. Keys moved: "That this ns-ociation requests an apology front' Mr. Weir through the Kugby Union for tho remarks lie made at the animal meeting of the union." This was .-ocomled.