THE RUGBY TROUBLE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 309, 24 September 1918, Page 7

THE RUGBY TROUBLE

DEEPER INQUIRY REQUESTED

AUCKLAND ALSO TO INVESTIGATE

NEW ZEALAND UNION'S VIEWS

At a meeting of tho Management ' Committee of the New Zealand Rugby Union last evening a reply was read from the Wellington Union-respecting tho .Now Zealand Union's request that an inquiry respecting the playing of the Wellington-Auckland match should be held. Tho reply was to the clfcct that there was no agreement to vary the rules, and that no instruction was given to tho Wellington or the Auckland captain not to charge kicks, nor to claim tho right to put the ball into the scrum, etc. . Mr. A. Lanrcnson said that it.seemed that the Wellington Union had not hekf a full inquiry. He thought a full inquiry Ought to he held. The chairman. (Mr. 0. 11. Dixon) said that the position' evidently was that thore\ had been no \ttompt mp.de to get down to what induced the players not to charge. XicholU had said that lio did not give instructions that there was not to be any charging, ■but'there had been no • attempt to probe the matter. Mr. G. Howo.said that in"the.match last Saturday (Poneke and Potone) he. noticed •instances in which tho forwards did not charge. Mr. Laurenson: Tommy rot! Mr. Howe: I am entitled to my ©pinion. Mr. E. 'Wylie said that as the Wellington Union had not thrown much light on the matter the proper.course might bo to ask the Auckland Union to hold an.inquiry. ' The chairman: There is ho question in my mind that there was sonio arrangement. Dr. P. F.-M'Evedy: That was obvious to anyone- who saw the game. Wellington's Inquiry Not Complete. Mr. G. C. Fnchft said that it seemed to him that the .Wellington Union's inquiry was incomplete, and that tho New Zealand Union should be.required (under Rulo 24) to-complete tho in-; quhy. When only one player out of 30 was questioned, surely the inquiry wan incomplete. I Mr. Wylie said that it seemed that tho Wellington Union had not questioned the referee at all. Mr. Howe: Did not somo of you question him in the dressing-shed after the match? '.'''' The chairman: No. Mr. Howe: I thought you did. Tho chairman: No. I.will tell you About that afterwards. : Mr. Fache thought a iime-limii should be fixed for the completing of the inquiry. He said also that the matter of the inquiry it'seemed reasonable that the Now Zealand Union should be guided by tho newspaper reports. Mr.' Howe remarked that Messrs. Dixon and Wylie had said previously (when questions had been raised about the New Zealand "Union not raising objection to tho playing of tho amended rules prior to tlio match of September 7) that newspaper reports could not be taken' notice of.

The chairman and Mr. Fache said the cases wore not analagous. Mr. Wylie moved, "That in the opinion of this committee the Wellington H.F.U. had failed to make proper inquiry regarding the playing of the Auckland-Wellington match on Septcmher 7, and the committee should call upon the' said .union to complete the inquiry; and, further, thnt the Auckland R:U.-should: he requested to in-' quire'into the matter." . The motion was agreed to. Tho committee then dealt with a letter from the Wellington Union asking the New Zealand Union why no exception was taken to the playing of the amended rules while two present members of tho New Zealand Union were Auckland representatives on the New, Zealand Union.

An Inference Objected To. Mr. Fache said that it was a gross insult to suggest that any member of tho committee represented any particular union; all members of the committeo were there in the interests of the whole of tho Dominion, not by. a section of it. Mr. Wylie: They are elected by the whole of the delegates at the annual meeting. . The chairman said that the inference was that' he and Dr. M'Evedy had been dropped by the Auckland Union (for whom they had been delegates), and in consequence had taken their present stand, but ho could produce correspondence to show that they had

not been dropped. Thoy resigned, and the Auckland Union's annual report bore that out. The chairman said that he was afraid that members of the Wellington Union had not been as candid as they could have been. The statement that the referee had been questioned by the New Zealand. Union, was incorrect, and he thought Messrs. Weir and Kitto, who were aware of this tact, were not playing the game in allowing the statement to so uncontradicted. Dr. M'Evedy said that the chairman of the Wellington Union knew well that lie and the chairman had not been dropped by the Auckland Union (as a member of the. Wellington Union had stated), and there were also on the Wellington Union others who knew. These members were not playiue: the gams—were not fair. Dr. M'Kvedv said also that he and the cliairman had resigned their Auckland seats before the present full set of amended rules were adopted bv Auckland. It seemed that the Wellington Union bad got into trouble and were not making a manlv attempt to get out. of it. Mr. Howe contended that three matches had been played under amended rides before Mr. Dixon and Dr. M'Kvedv resigned. Mr. Fache moved that the Wellington Union's letter be received, and the motion was carried.