LEAGUE FOOTBALL WEST COAST DELEGATES AND N.Z. COUNCIL

Grey River Argus, 2 June 1948, Page 3

LEAGUE FOOTBALL WEST COAST DELEGATES AND N.Z. COUNCIL

Treatment of Players is Questioned

At the usual meeting of the West Coast Rugby League Board last evening Mr B. F. Connors presided, and there also were present Messrs J. Oakley, J. Kidd, W. Meates, B. Ramsay, N. Messenger, R. Armstrong (League Referees’ Assn.), Tl F. McKenzie (secretary) and L. Coffey (treasurer). Club delegates present were: Messrs T. Merriman, D. Darby (Runanga), T. Freeman. J. Haddock _(Cobden), E. Kerridge (Kohinoor), J. Williams, J. Harper (Brunner), W. Gilbert, M. Power (Marist), A. Shand, A. Nielson (Blackball), T. Furlong, J. Mulcare (Ngahere), T. N. Warren and K. Moseley (Hokitika) and H. Pinn (Rapahoe). Speaking on the plan of insurance for injured players, the president said that injuries must always be considered. The League would always look forward to the day when an insurance scheme would be in operation. “And the sooner we get going the better,” he said. The scheme was one of the mam subjects of the meeting and discussion of the details was taken ’ in committee. _ • The president said reports had been received as to the poor condition of some of the playing fiields up country. The secretary who read the report of the referee (Mr J. -Griffen) on the Ngahere-Blackball natch at Ngahere, said a field was not clearly marked, the goal posts were in need of repair and the rope along the sideline to keep back the spectators was too near for the safety of players and the public alike. Mr Mulcare admitted that the ground needed improving, but the club’s financial notition was precarious. Therefore the money accredited to them by the League last year for improvements at Wingham Park ought to be now released to enable these improvements to be made. , , ~ T It was pointed out that the League last year requested clubs to allow money due to them—and in the case of Ngahere £llo—to he held over to allow improvements at Wingham Park to be completed. It was decided that payment of this money should be recommenced this season. The Ngahere Club was reported to have had to pay out £49 this year before its ground eould be used. It was resolved that this matter be Uken up with the Ngahere Domain Board ip. an effort to improve the field. It was decided that the senior competition should close when leading team is in an unassailable position and that a one-round competition (for Senior Cup) should follow the championship round, to be followed later by a knock-out competiThe question of whether the West Coast should withdraw from the New Zealand League Council was raised by Mr Power, who stated he considered that the council had ben unfair in its methods and also in the attitude that it had adopted towards the selection of West Coast players. “It is only through the. calibre of the players from the West Coast and Canterbury that the North has taken an?/ notice whatever - oi the South” he said. Referring to reports as to the cancellation of the Kiwi tour of the South Island and the team’s return fiom Australia, lim secretary said that the N.Z. Council had not yer met to decide whether to curtail the Kiwi tour and therefore the newspaper report was premature. The president said that it appeared as if they had left the matter of the Kiwi tour in abeyance until the managers of the team were able to report on the attitude o> the men towards the proposed tour of the South Island. Mr Warren was not. in agreement with any proposal to break' _ away

from the N.Z. Council, and advocated a closer liasion between tne Wiest Coast and the main body.

Referring to the matter of the Kiwi tour, the president said that a Strong letter had been sent to the League Council defining the West Coast attitude.

A motion by Mr Freeman that the secretary write to the N.Z. Council in an endeavour to have tne minutes of the executive meeting sent to all Rugby League committees throughout New Zealand was carried.

Mr Darby suggested that application be made to the New Zealand Counc.l for a North v. South match to be played in the South Island. The president said that such an application already had been made and it was hoped to have-such a match at Christchurch next year. Mr Nielson expressed the opinion that the sooner the clubs got back their players who were with the Kiwis, the sooner their standard of play would improve. A visit of the South Auckland team would be of moi’i benefit to the code on the Wesc Coast than to have the West Coasters . playing against their own men in the Kiwis. Mr Kidd said that as far as Wellington and Canterbury were concerned a visit from the Kiwis would certainly help to popularise the game. Mr W. Hopkins was aonointed to a vacancy on the Schoolboy Board of Control. WEEK-END FIXTURES Senior Runanga v. Marist, Wingham Park 2.45, J. Mathews; Ngahere v. Hokitika, at Hokitika 2.45, J. Williams; Blackball v. Cobden at Blackball 2.45 R. Baird. Senior Reserve Ngahere v. Blackball, at Ngahere, 2.45, L. Kinsella; Brunner v. Runanga, at Dobson 2.45, J. Griffin; Rapahoe v. Lake Brunner, at Rapahoe 2.45 W. Hopkins; Cobden v. Marist at Wingham Park, No. 2, 1.15 p.m., J. Knowles. Third Grade Brunner v. Blackball at Brunner, 2.45, E. Bassett; Marist v. Runanga fourth grade, Wingham Park, No 2 2.45, W. Mundy. Fourth Grade Cobden v. Marist at Cobden, 1.15 K. Bullimore; Hokitika v. Kohinoor at Wingham Park No. 1, 1.15, P. E. Sweetman. Fifth Grade Kohinoor v.- Hokitika at Wingham Park, No 2, 2.10. A. Kelly; Runanga v. Marist at Rapahoe, 1.15, J. Ward; Blackball v. Brunner at Brunner 1.15 B. Flaherty. Schoolboys (Saturday): Sixth grade.—Kohinoor v. Runanga at Victoria Park, 10.0 H. Fisher; Hokitika v. Marist at Hokitika 11.0, W. Mundy Blackball a bye. Seventh Grade.—Marist A v Runanga at Victoria Park 10.0, J Ward; Marist B v. Blackball .at Victoria Park, 2 p.m. W. Hopkins; Kumara v. Brunner at Victoria Park 2.15, K. Russell. Eighth Grade.—Runanga v. Brunner, at Brunner, 10.0, G. Williams; Marist v. Ngahere, at Ngahere 10.0 J. Mulcare; Cobden, a bye. Ninth Grade (Sunday).—Marist v. Ngahere, at Wingham Park 2.30: Cobden v. Blackball, 'at Blackball 2.30; Runanga v. Brunner at Wing ham Park 1.10.