N.Z. RUGBY UNION.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 April 1924, Page 1

N.Z. RUGBY UNION.

ANNUAL MEETING

fiiv telegraph—run muss association

WELLINGTON. April 10. The annual meeting of the New Zealand Rugby Union was held to-day. There was a lull attendance of delegates and Air S. If. Wilson, president, presided. -Members of the Alaori Advisory Committee were present hy invitation. Ihe president said that there were important matters to discuss and he asked for brevity. They had not quite made up the leeway of the previous year and the executive was still doing its utmost to lend to the union at a fair rate of interest. He thought they might, in future, possibly provide for certain expenditure and then allow provincial unions a fair proportion of their

profits to pay for entertaining ami extra, secretarial services. Rugby Imd gone ahead by leaps and bounds, and the lutiire was bright. Indeed, the question of representative matches would have to lie taken into consideration. 'The backbone of football was the club contests. He did not favour the players finishing the season in July and sitting on the hank watching other [ layers. They must not concentrate on winning matches and lose sight of the progress of the game. He referred to the boundaries question. The Management Committee had accomplished a tremendous amount of work, especially in connection with the English tour. A motion moved hy Dr. M’Evedy—“That in view of the visit of the New Zeahtnjd representatives t<o England, where they will bo compelled to play under the rules of English Rugby the kicking into touch rule as played hy that union lie reverted to.” After some, discussion the motion was

heavily defeated. Air 8. S. T)c«n, on behalf of the management committee, moved that, "'itli a view to giving effect to tile recommendations of the management committee with reference to the selection of the 1021 Xew Zealand team, in view of resolutions passed at a special general meeting held on September 14, 19211, the resolution as follows: “That in future on all Xew Zealand selection committee each island should he given equal representation,” passed at the annual general meeting, held on April 27, 1922, he rescinded. This, said the mover, was with a view to giving effect to the wishes of the delegates expressed at the last annual general meeting.

Air Tlitrris (Otago) said tlie motion "as to a certain extent' Hung upon last mootin';. It was nothing like so leProsentativo a gathering as this one. The joli seemed to him to ho altogether too hig lor one man. Mr I’. Wylie contended that the motion should he adopted ns a matter of j form. The principle should be diseuss- , ed later, when the English tour eaiue j before the meeting. Mr H. White (Otago'S also thought [ that the motion would throw too much responsibility on one person and doubted "..ether a sole selector could give satisfaction even if he could spare the time, Tre motion was carricl by 17 votes to IS, holloaing a thorough ventilation of the opinions of delegates on the stthjec t. of the daily allowance for players i n tour, the New Zealand Bugby Union ccnlirmed anangements lor the Kug!i;di tour. The meeting generally was reconciled l:> the fact that allowances could not he granted, and only a few stray voices lesponded to the chairman's demand for “noes.” The chairman and .Mr Harris reviewed the negotiations, and said the management committee had done its hoi. to convince the English Union that the New Zealanders should have an allowance, hut without success. A few days ago they once more rallied, hut again the reply was in the negative. England would not jay players an allowance, nor would it consent to the New Zealand Union paying them. Air Harris made ii clear that- New Zealand was now committed to the trip. Air Frost, (Auckland) asked what- hud changed the English Union’s opinion on the subject of allowances. A delegate: “The impression that we are ‘half-pie League.’” Other delegates, while, favouring Hie payment of an allowance, considered i 1 essential for New Zealand to carry out its undertaking and Hie motion when put. was carried by an overwhelming majority. h was decided that the final selection of the All Black team for England should Ire left to a committee of five. The election of officers resulted as follows : —Pa lif on, Viscount Jcllicoe : president, Afr 11. Frost: treasurer. Air E. Wylie; Appeal Council. Messrs fJ. 11. Dixon, E. O. Hales and G. C. Eaclie; auditor Air 0. (1. Kolobov; rr presentative on English Tlnghy Union. Air Cecil J. Wray.

Tile Management Committee elected for the ensuing year is a.s follows: Messrs S. Dean. A. C. Kitto, T. A. Fletcher, C. Muilany. W. Horning, E. Little. Mr W. T. Parata was re-elected an honorary member. Oil the motion of Mr 11. Harris, it was decided that a grant of £SOO should ho made for the encouragement of school football, and that inquiries f made in the different districts with a view to obtaining a pro rata subsidy. A recommendation was made to the Management Committee to have arrangements made for publishing and circulating the hook on school football. Mr Nelson (Otago) referred to the disorganisation of club football caused l>v the largo number of inter-provincial matches. It was far hotter to have thousands of men playing every Saturday than to have a few .playing and the rest looking on.

Mr Meredith (Southland) said that trouble was caused by some of the unions holding up tours from one year to the next and there thus being congestion. The difficulty might he got over by laying it down that South Island teams should tour only the South Island one year, and only in the North Island the next, and the same with North Island teams. SECOND MANAGER PROPOSAL. WELLINGTON, April 12. • The Rugby Union further discussed the ' appointment of delegates to the Imperial Conference. The proposal to appoint a second manager was withdrawn in favour of an open motion merely deciding that X.Z. would be adequately represented.