NEW ZEALAND RUGBY UNION

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2775, 19 May 1916, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND RUGBY UNION

ANNUAL MEETING OF DELEGATES

THE CALL TO ARMS

The annual meeting of delegates to the Now Zealand Rugby Football Union was hold last night, Mr. G. H. .Mason presiding. Tho annual report and the bal-ance-sheet were adopted, after considerable discussion on the question of sclibol football grants. Committee's Report. In presenting the report, the committee expressed its appreciation of tho noble response'made, not only by Rugby players, but also by the members of all kindred sports bodies and athletes generally throughout the Dominion, to the call for active service in tho interests of the British Empire. "The call, and'the need, for service is such/* continued the report, "that no self-respecting man of military age, unless Jio Jjo hindered by grave family responsibilities, xan fail to respond cheerfully and willingly. Your committee is confident that alhliated unions will throughout the coming year make it their aim and object to keep the game going for the purpose of keeping fit those who havo not-yet. been able to have their services, availed of by the Empire, and that every union, and every club in the Dominiou, will use every possible means to see that the thousands of Rugby players who have already gone on active service to not suffer from the lack of reinforcements." . Finance. The balance-sheet and' working account showed that the past year resulted in an accretion of .£BB Bs. 3d. to the-union's funds. _ This was brought about by the most rigid economy on the part of the committee and by avoiding every unnecessary item of expenditure. The item of >£3G2 3s. lid., debit balance due by the New South Wales and Queensland Rngbs Unions, again appears on tho balancesheet. This amount represents the balance due to the New Zealand Union for advance made to the Australian Unions to enable the . Australian representative' team to visit New Zealand in 1913. Up to the present the applications made to the Australian Unions for payment of this amount have not. had the desired reLast season tho sum of .£129 was, distributed amongst affiliated unions for tho kST ? °Svf'l 0t * RUSby ( ' n P" mar ? .The foWinfr grants were made* Wanganui, i'B; Southland, £8; Bush w£6 : Buller, .£G; Bay of.Plenty, -£6; Horo-' Wellington, £6; Wairarap?, tL! - h ; Manawatu. k\ land ifi' m ; ' L ke^ Bay ' •*"; Auckifril ISi th Canterbury, Ivi il >ol^"Kh - Coast. ,£G" Nelson, .£6; Poverty Bay, .£5; Canterbury,. A Moratorium, Mr. G. C. (Otago) moved: '-That during tlie currency of the war the penalty m connection with the non-payment t on ns 1)0 not enforced" • _ Ihiswas seconded'by Mr. V. Howe, but the following-amendment was immediately put forward by Mr. M'Gavock, on be-nalt-of the bouthland Union: "That in view of the impoverished condition' of many of the affiliated unions, due to the war, all payments of intent acci-uing fi 11 *? ii nuary 1916, ,B foregone, and that the repayment or principal of loans wat S '' 3P6n dunDg tlw currency, of the

Mr. K. M. Isaacs seoonded the .amendment, and m the course of. his remarks mentioned that already oyer one thousand players from the Southland Union's territory had gone to the war. The ajuendmtot was lost on the voices and a further amendmentNvas' moved bv Mr. Isaaos to the effect that the following words should be added to the Otago Union s.nwtion: "And that during the same period repayment of principal moneys bo suspended.'" This amendment was duly seconded, but was also lost on the voices. . . .■Tho original-motion was then put to' the meeting, and carried. Election of Officers. , Officers ifor the ensuing year were elected as follow: Patron, His Excellency the Governor (the Earl of Liverpool); president, Dr. A. K; Newman, M.P.; vice-presidents, the representatives of/the affiliated unions, every union to nominate its own representative; hon. treasurer, Mr. E. Wylie; Management - Committee, Messrs. 6. H. Dixon (chairman), J. H. A.- laughton, A. Laurenson, H. Gray Dr. M'Evedy, G. C. Eache, and E. u! Hales; Appeal Council, Messrs. V. K. Meredith, M. J. Cronibie, and A. Campbell;. Appeal Committee, Messrs. G. 0. Fache, E. 0. Hales, J. H. Lvnskey, ' V Meredith, and.-B. Wylic; Appointment Board, Messrs. G. C. Eache (N.Z.R.F.U.) J. H. A. Laughton (N.Z.R.F.U.), and I)! M'Kenzie (N.Z.R.A.); auditor, Mr. 0. G. Kember; representative on English Union, Mr. C. Wray PgJliser. .