AMENDED" RUGBY RULES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 219, 10 June 1919, Page 6

AMENDED" RUGBY RULES

A HISSING CABLEGRAM. The question of amended rules wag to have been discussed at last night's meeting of the Management Committoo of the New Zealand Rugby Football tinion, but in view of the. fact that a letter explaining the attitudo of ' tha English Union on the matter is now on its way to_ tho Dominion, consideration of the subject was postponed. The secretary, Air. W. BeauchampPlatts, said that, on February 25 Inst a cablegram was forwarded to the English Union intimating that a report of a special meeting of delegates of the New Zealand Union had been posted by the San Francisco mail, which jeft on February 21. On April 30, another cablegram was sent Home, pointing out that a reply was awaited on tho matters discussed at tho meeting of delegates. No answer to this communication being re. coived. a further cablegram was dispatched on May 23, urging that an immediate reply be made. On Juno ft the following cablegram, dated May 23, camo to hand from England"Cabled yon 6th, 'If cablo insisted, "Ycvj," 'but cabling strongly deprecated. Writing." This reply meant that if the Now Zealand Union played tho amended rules its action would entail secession from the English Rugby Union.

Mr. Beauchamp-Platts was at a loss to understand what had become of tho cablegram which the English Union sent on ay (j. Ho certainly had not received it. Inquiry made at the Telegraph Office threw no satisfactory light oji tho matter, but should tho union desire it. the authorities wero willing to make a search for the missing message. ' Members of tho committee wore of tlifi opinion that, despite the recent heavy delay in the transmission of cablegrams the matter required explanation. Comment was also made on tho faot that the cablegram which the English Union forwarded on May 23 did not reach Wellington until Juno 4.

On the motion of Mr. 6. Howe, the committee decided to defer discussion on the matter of the -rules until the letter from tho English Union was received. It was also resolved- to ask tho Telegraph Department to make a search for the cablegram from England, dated May G.