HASTINGS RUGBY CONTROL

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 57, 23 March 1937, Page 15

HASTINGS RUGBY CONTROL

April 10 Agreed to For Opening Day

SUB-UNION MEETS

The anbual generai meeting of delegateg to the Hastings Hugby Football Bub-Cnion was held last evening, when, xn the absence of the president, Mr C. H. Bunker, who is visiting Nelson, the chair was occupied by the Mayor, Mr G. A. Maddison, patron of the subunion. There was practically a fuH presentation of the elubs in the town and district. In moving the adoption of the report (previously published), the chairman congratulated everyone concerned on the suecessful season enjoyed. He said he eonsidered that the coming season would he one of unusual interest because of the visit of the Springboks and also because the shortening of hours of work meant more hours for leisure, and in this regard football provided many advantageous oppoi'tunities for the youth of the community to indulge in some healthy form of recreation. He urged the need for strengthening the lower grades, pointing out that it was only by building up the lower grades that success could be achieved in the senior division. Congratulations were extended by the chairman to Celtic upon theix: winning the championship, and he expressed to the ciub best wishes for its participation in the Spillane Cup competition at Palmerston North during Easter. He further mentioned that the Swain Cup, which was competed for along the lines of a knock-out competition among the junior-grade teams in Hastings and Napier last season, would this year be open for competition throughout the province. "It is only right and fitting that at this meeting we should recognise and express our appreciation of the services given by those who have administered the sport not only for the past year but for a number of years past," he said. "They givq voluntary and very willing service. There are also the referees, and in this respect I can say without fear of contradiction that the standard of refereedng in Hawko's Bay is quite equal to that in finy other part of New Zealand. To the honorary doctors and the St. John Ambulance we owe a great deal, and there are others who do thefr share in providing scope for healthy and fine recrea^ion for our youth and to whom we owe a deep debt of gratitute." The New Officers The ©lection of officers reeulted as follows: Patron, Mr G. A. Maddison; president, Mr C. H. Bunkerj vice-presi-dents, Messrs. R. M. Hewitt, O. J. Baker and A. R. Mclvor; management eommittee, Messrs L. Andrews, g. K. Hingston, W. Lockhead, G. Reeves, E. J. Wall, J. Helfernan and W. O'Neili; honorary secretary, referred to incoming eommittee; honorary treasurer, Mr F. H. Corbin; honorary auditors, Messrs Rainbow, Hobbs and Nesbltt; honorary solicitor, Mr W. S. Bramwell; selectors, Messrs A. Kirkpatrick (senior) and W. Lockhead (junicr) ; representative on Hawke's Bay Rugby Unioii. management eommittee, Mr YV. Lockhead; representatives to Hawke's Bay Rugby Union annual meeting, Messrs. E. J. Wall, A. R. Mclvor and W. O'Neili.

Opening of Season Contending that the hard state of the playing-grounds precluded a start being made on the date suggested hy the union, April 10, and also that consideration should be given to the fact that in the lower grades, where there were only four teams entered in the various competitions, the teams played one another too frequently during the season, Mr L. Andrews, On behalf of the Hastings H.S.O.B. ciub, moved that it should be a recommendation to the union to start the season not earlier than April 17. This was seconded by Mr W. O'Neili (M.A.C.), who said that there were too many breaks in the competition last year. "After all, only 15 players are selected as representatives, and the rest of the players have to sit on the bank during representative games," he said. "We should take more care of the ciub football this season and run it ofE before the representative matches start." 1

Moving as an amendment that the senior competition should be started on April 10, Mr A. Kirkpatrick pointed out that the arrangement of representative matches was a matter of suiting the convenience of other districts. The amendment was seconded by Mr O. J. Baker and eventually was carried.

Ceneral Business The Hastings Ciub advised that Mr A. Lomas had donated a trophy for competition in the fourth-grade competition and also that an anonymous donor had given a trophy for the best baek in the junior-grade competition. — The donations were accepted with gratitude, the chairman expressing appreciation of the fine spirit displayed by the donors and of their practical support to the efforts of the sub-union. A circular letter was received from the Hawke's Bay Union stating that notice oi motion had been given for the rescinduig of the motions adopted last Oetober that, in effect, meant the merging of the sub-union in the union. — -Delegates to the union annual meeting were instructed to support the motion when it was tabled. On the motion of Mr S. I. Jones, seconded by Mr A. R. Mclvor, it was decided to place on reeord the subunion' s apreciation of the services of Mr J. C. Taylor, who had been secretary for the past six years and who was unable to continue in offiee owing to pressure of business.