HOOTS AND BLOWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 July 1925, Page 1

HOOTS AND BLOWS.

FI.KM ENTS OF FIRST-CLASS RIOT.” Will. LING TON, July 1.1

The grim earnestness with which Rugby followers at Johnsonville support ilieir team each Saturday lias liecn made manifest for some time past, but matters appear to have reached a. climax he-l week-end when 1 1 if spectators became incensed because .Maris! A. defeated Jolinsunville in the junior grade match by li points to o.

The referee. Mr Anslmv, described his exciting experience to the Management Gommiltec of ihe Wellington Rugby Union last night, lie explained that he had eeeasieu to order a player off, and i his player made an attempt to strike him as he left the held, and would have done so had he not been prevented by inure rational members ol the team. The crowd hooted the referee vigorously, and hurled at him the mo.-t contemptmm- remark'- concerning hi- ability. “They were after me ail right." said Mr An-low. "and there was talk of following me to the train. One woman came up to me with a baby rn her arms, and almost spat in my lace, while she abused my ability as a referee in unmeasured terms. Two young girls also approached me, and one of them said: 1 suppose you are Igad that they won. seeing that you bad your money on them.’ To make matter.- woise I had used the Johnsotiville dressing shed, and I got a had t iine.”

These apparently were not: the only incidents of the afternoon. The Alarist Club wrote, reporting that sis one of their players was leaving the field . a Juhiisonville player demanded Ihe ball lie was carrying, declaring that it belonged (o the Johnsonville Club. The Afarist player assured him that the ball belonged io the Alarist Club, whereupon the .101 lii soil vi Ho player struck bill).

There was also a Idler from the Jobiisonville Club protesting against iho match being awarded to Marisl on ihe ground that the referee had over ruled a line-umpire when a John sonvilie player had scored a try between the posts. The referee explained Hint the hall had gone into much before the player in quest ion had started his run. The protest was dismissed, as t In' rules provide l hat there can he no appeal on a question of laet. ol which the referee is sole judge. The player reported by (be leleree did not attend the meeting, and it was ,IcccluJ i" ,-uspeml him until lie did so. G was decided Io lake action against the Jolnisonville player who was ieported to have struck the Alarist play- " \ member of the Junior Advisory Board attended (his match at Juhnsoiivilli* last Saturday." remarked Mr O. kb Jackson, "anil lie assures me iliai all the el men Is of a fir-t-elass riot were present Mad the Marisl player retaliated when lm was struck, there would have been a regular Donnyhrook." Air T. A. Fletcher, a member ol the Referees’ Association, staled that I"hail had a similar experience to Mr Anslmv when refereeing at Johnsonville. 'l’lie supporters oi the local team hci am" very angry if their side did not

Will. . All- An-low staled ihat the (Idle idof controlling mateh.es at .lolmsollville were increased through the specnil,ns encroaching on the held ol play, tie bad boon told that the local police iv,.re -o tired of attempting to control tin' rowdy element at Johnsonville matches that (hey gave the gioiind a wide hetih on Kniurd.'iy niteniooiis. It was decided to request the Johnsonville Town Board to rope off the playing field, and to request the police to attend, Rugby matches in order to rest rain the rowdy element amongst the spectators. NO CLOT I IKS. A junior player at a Rugby football match at Ketone last Saturday, on reluming to the dressing -lied, found that while the game had been m I'mmvss. someone lnni stolen liis elotnos, ami the playm' in question had Io proi oil home in his tootball clothes The matter was reported to the -Management Committee of the \\ oili ugion Rughv Union last night. “I have to report.” wrote the seere,,f the Ketone Club, "that one of cur fourth A. players, lost a full suit ~f clothes - coal, vest and o'imscrs. while playing in the mulch again-, I e--1 one A. at Ketone on July lHh. I hose articles were removed from the dressing -bed during t lie progress of Ibe mime, and a thorough search tailed to reveal auv irate of them, nor was any -pare clothing left after all the phiyei!ia l l vacated'the dre-dng -he,l Ihe mat ter is reported to you in order t hat the union may take such notion n- it thinks lit to protect player- Imm this sort ~f thing. We sugge-t that an endeavour he made, with l lie aid of the police, to make an example of some ol the dressing-shed thieves.” Ii was decided to place the mail r in till' hands of the police.