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RUGBY REFEREES.

LOCAL ASSOCIATION DECLINING. SPECIAL MEETING. The present-Keak state of the Wellington Kughy Referees' Association was the subject of discussion at a special meeting of that body, held in the Y,11,0.A, building last .night, Members of the Rugby Union awl of tho Appointment Board, were also present. Mr. D. M'KenmOj who presided, stated that tho necessity for tho meeting was apparent They worn required to appoint 35 referees every Saturday, but they only had 30 active members. This scarcity of referees had been referred to frequently, and tho Hugby Union had written drawing attention to the inconvenience caused. Mr. L. Siovers, secretary, said that frequent appeals had been made to. explayers jto join the association, It was time that something was done to revive interest in the association. Mr. I). Weir, a member of the Appointment Board, drew attention to the fact that tho method of appointment had be-en decided oa. Members of the Hugby Union recognised that tho. time had arrived when they would have to ge out of their way to assist the association. It was a hardship that tho referees should be tied down to ail appointment every Saturday. There should be a sufficient .liuuiher of members t-o allow the referees a free Saturday every now and then. If there was a way out of the difficulty, without interfering with ' tho freedom of the delegates, he felt -sure that the Hugby Union would assist. They could not however, traverse the ruling laid down -by the delegates as to the appoimi mcnt of tho referees. It seemed to him ; thai the Rugby Union could best assist by getting tho association a bigger mem- : bersbip, and they could, do 'this by an ; appeal to the ciubs. ' Referees' Lass of Power. Mr. 0, R; Ingram said that the fact ■ tha.t all the power had been taken out ; of the hands of the association, as far as .classification was concerned, had disheartened a certain number members. Tho intentions of tho Appointment Board would bo listened to with interest. Mr. Kitto thought that they should drop tho matter of tho 'Appointment Board for tho tinio being, get down to bedrock, and devise semo means for extending the membership of the association. They epuld go round to tho elvtbs and gymnasiums, and, with tho assistance of the Rugby Union, tiiey should be able to get many how members, In answer to a question, Mr. Weir said that the fact that- a referee ordered a man off tJto field did: not, in any way, injure his reputation with tho Appointment Board. _ ■ . The chairman: Does it injure him with tho club whose member has teen ordered off? Mr. Weir: I have no knowledge of any elub objecting to play ufidar any referee, Tho chairman: They, oan approach their delegates. Tiiero are instances whero a referee has never been appointon to ,i match in which a club, against whom ho has given a decision, is'playing. ... Mr. Weir: As far as _ the board is concerned, there is no evidence <rf that. The chairman: It is a fact, though. The Appointment Difficulty. , Sir. Sievors suggested that, if tho appointment 'of referees wore handed over to tho Referees' Association before next Monday night, they could got about twenty-five new members. Tim reason? why so many members had dropped out was that they wore dissatisfied with the Appointment Board. During the time that the Referees' Asso-. ciation had had the power of appointment members had been quite loyal, and all appointments had been kept. Mr. E. A. Dawson, a member of the Rugby Union, said that an idea had entered into his head that the Referees' Association was a little jealous of their privileges, and would resent any approach from tl'io Rugby Union. What he. had heard had cleared the air on that point, and ho would say that it was the wish of every rncmber of the .union to assist the association in getting an increased membership. They should' leave tho question of rtjo Appointment Board alone, snci put their heads together to advance tho association, and promote a keener interest in tho matter of refcreeing. •CohhrcHce witli Rugby Union. Mr. F. A. Laws moved: "That a deputation of three from the Referees' Association, and tlivee from tho Rugby Union, should be appointed, to confer with cAch other, to sec if something could not be done to pat the association on a better footing that at present." The time had come, he said, when, if the union, and with them he included the players, was going to stand aloof from tho Referees' Association then tho days of tho association were ended. TLioy had to get into closer conimunieatiou with tho parent body. Why had the Appointmerit Board taken over the classification of referees? Simply because they thought that tliey know more about .tho capabilities of tho referees than did tho Referees' Association. Was that fair? Mr. Weir seconded tho motion. , 110 agreed with the mover in everything that ho had said, except tho reference to tho Appointment Board, on which M could not comment. Ho would say that all members of the Rugby Union wore anxious to meet the Referees- Association, and he eoitld assure the. association that they would let bygones be, bygones if they wore approached. Ho was quite prepared to mako a new start, ana do something to promote football.' It had been said that the Rugby Union had stood aloof, Perhaps they had, but a great deal of tlio 'misunderstanding : nad arisen through, the members of tho two bodies seeing too little of one another. He thought that the steps proposed by Mr. Laws Would bring about the desired effect. Tired of Fighting. The chairman said that those at- the head of tho Referees' Association were . tired of fighting. There was no doubt that tho association was in a weak coistlition. They (lid not even know that the thirty members on their books were active members. He had always felt that the Appointment Board was useless. Mr. Weir told them that the. delegates had appointed the board, and they had to abide by it, It was quite easy to iceonsider tho matter, and let the Appointment Board go. They clnins--1 o<l that the Appointment Board had no time for the association as an association. The board killed tho ambition ■ of the younger members by prohibiting them from rising. On the day that the appointment of referees was given back ' to the association that day interest m ' the bodv would revive'. Ho did not ; oppose the motion, but was doubtful | of it« effect. The, Appomimsart Board was a good 'thing ttt one time, tat when it bffK.au to be worked in the | interests of the clubs only, it became ! a bad thing. The motion was earned, and the fat- • lowing were appointed, as representa--1 fjves for the conference frolu the Referees' Association: —Messrs. D, M'Ken- . s?k', J. Francis, awl C. Gyro. A vote of thanks was pa&sed to the Rugby Union members, ami member: 5 of the Appoirctftietit Board for attendI >"«• _

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19140512.2.65

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2146, 12 May 1914, Page 6

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,176

RUGBY REFEREES. Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2146, 12 May 1914, Page 6

RUGBY REFEREES. Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2146, 12 May 1914, Page 6

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