ATHLETIC SPORTS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1440, 15 May 1912, Page 10

ATHLETIC SPORTS.

RUQBY FOOTBALL. THE NEW ZEALAND UNION. A special meeting of the New Zealand Union was held last night, the business being to review certain matters connected v,jth the. annual meeting of delegates. Mr. I.'. -M. Isaacs presided. An appeal from the Academy of Fine Arts for'funds for the purchase of picture's for a National Ail Gallery was referred to i\\e annual meeting. The Wellington Hugljy Ijiioii wrote asking that the interest on the balance of their loan be reduced from the rate of 31 per cent. In i\ per cent. The letter pointed out that'the Wellington Virion had had a very hard row to hoe financially, that,money had been advanced to otlier unions at' 2-i per cent, and that of the total loan of i:! 000, the. sum of .t:I9JO was ail that was still due. The matter was held over for the consideration of tho incoming committee. .Sever.il disqualifications imposed by unions, including that of T. Kapson (Athletic) were made general. A number of disqualified men applied to have disqualifications removed, but none of the requests were granted. Among the latter were E. I?. Watkins, who wrote from Syduev, stating inter alia that he had not plaj-cil a gams under League rules since leaving New Zealand. The secretary was instructed to reply that the union had no power to deal with hia application. A long letter was received from tho Poverty Bay Hugby Union, urging the reinstatement of players in their district, and in Hawke's Bay, setting forth as one of the main reasons that it would be the most effective check to the incursions

of the League game. They also ur»ed that the rules should be altered for .New Zealand, to make the game more attractive, tho .English rules to remain the standard rules for international and intercolonial games.—lt was decided that the letter be read at the annual meeting of delegates. MANAWATU INVITED HERE. BUT UNABLE TO COMPLY. IFrom Our Soecial OorrcjDondont.l Palmerston North, May 11. At a meeting of the Management Committee of the Manawatu Eugby Football Vninn last evening, an invitation was received from the Wellington Union to send a representative team to Wellington on June 1, as it was expected that p. military parade would occasion the suspension of the ordinary grade competitions on that day. The local union decided that it could not accept the invitation at this early stage of the season, as their representatives were quite an unknown quantity. The I'etone Club wrote stating that it would bo dispatching teams to compete in the seven a side tournament at Palmerston on Juno 3.