NEW CONSTITUTION

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 88, 30 April 1937, Page 8

NEW CONSTITUTION

'Magpie.")

Doings at the NZ.R.U. Conference GRANTS TO UNIONS

(By 4

The annual meeting of the New Zealand Rugby Union, held in Wellington laat week, was important for the fact that tho delegates assembled decided by a most pronounced majority,' on a change in the constitution of the parent body, Every union in the Dominion was represented by at least one delegate, and some had five. Such an attendance serves to show, if such were necessary, the importance of Rugby in the eyes of New Zealand. The adoption of the Ongley proposals in regard to the constitution had its surprising features, as when they tvere first put forward twelve months oack they could not be* said to have been xeceived with even mild enthusiasm. Prior to the meeting opponents to the scheme were confident that they would be turned down very delinitely, but after the debate had been in progress but a short time it was seen that the opposition was a eniall mindrity, Hawke's Bay Support. Hawke's Bay supported the scheme, but the unions north and south of it along the East Coast were opposite. The actual vote revealed only one • major union and nine small ones against the proposals. Whether or not the echeme is a success depends very much on the unions of New Zealand, and so long as men sound in judgment and on their knowledge of Rugby are appointed to the council there need be no fear of its success. . The new constitution proviides for the appointment of six representatives, three from. each island, to the council, 1 such xnen to be resident in varioue parts of the Dominion. It was while discussang the the basis of representation from each island that one delegatea a North Island one, revealed the. fact that in teams and players the North Island had a preponderance almost double that of the South Island. Needless to say the representatives present from south of Cook Strait received this information in stony silence. "Upper" and "Iiower" Houses. As governors of New Zealand Rugby there is now a council (six members; and an executive {(seven .members); Very promptly the f'ormer were dubbed the "Upper House" and the latter the "Lower House." In the appointed six is Mr G. A. Maddison, Mayor of Hastings, who did valuable work ia drafting tne new constitution prior to the annual meeting. In the dabates at the annual meetings over a number of years Mr. Maddison has proved to be one of the most constructivo speakers and his , election was a foregone conclusion. An attempt was made by the Wellington Union to once again revert to the old rule regarding the kick-into-toucK, but delegates would have none Of dt in regard to club and provincial " matches, but this rule will be applied to the trial games and, of course, those with the Springboks. It is quitp probable that this question has now died a natural death so far as our domeetic Rugby as concerned. Mr. J. O'Sullivan, of Taranaki and a-meruber of the 1905 All Bl'acks, sponsored a motion in favour of a return to the old diamond scrum formation — 2-3-2, but in view of the coming of the Springboks delegate8 gave the idea short shrift. However, should the result of the pending Tests with the South Africans be against as it would create no surprise to see, next year, a complete change over to the old idea.

When one compares the records of New Zealand with the 2-3-2 scrum against those since we adopted the three-man front row one cannot but be impressed with the argument in favour of a return to our traditional scrum formation. Loans to Unions. Loans to provincial unions by the parent body total near to £30,000, and in view of the times there is a probability that the interest rate charged, which by the way is lower than the general ruling rate, being lowered still further. The prdces of admission to matches with the Springboks caused delegates to gasp, but it was pointod out that they were identical with those charged when the British team was here in 1930. Out of the profits of the coming tour it is propose.d to make grants to those unions who are not staging a fixture with the visitors. This intimation was popularly received, and in addition it can be expected that the grant to school football will also receive a lift next year. Eor this year i.t will remain at £750. Although the executive of the N.Z.R.U. had previously reported against a visit from Canada or Japan, delegates generally favoured a further review of the subject, and it as possible that one or the other will be invited to New Zealand in 1938 or perhaps in 1940, when the All Blacks will be visiting South Africa. Not Mentioned. Por once there was no mentioa of Maori football, a somewhat surprising circumstance considering all the vaguo promises that were made to them not so many months back. However, this feature of our Rugby will no doubt receive consideratioii from the new administration. The arrangement of the provincial lixtures, a difticult task in such a crow.ded season as this, promises to bring the proceedings to a, close. In this list Hawke's Bay figures prominently as they appear as the openerg of the xep. season with Wairarapa, and in the grand finale with Otago, at the end of Septeniber, while an between they figure in thirteen additional fixtures.