FOOTBALL

Hokitika Guardian, 29 June 1927, Page 4

FOOTBALL

RAMTRLY SHIELD. (Australian A- X.Z. Cable Association.) NAPIER. June 28. Hawke’s Hay badly want the Ranfivrly Shield to he brought hack to Napier on July Dth. for the cherished piece of limber lias meant a lot in the past to the seaside capital as wool and frozen meat to the province. For football lans it lias signified the visit to McLean Park of all the best sides in the country during the past live years, and now that it is gone Rugby peopi’e are realising the great value it had both in raising the standard of their Ideal play, and giving them the opportunity to witness iu action the high-class provincial teams.

ASHBURTON RUCBY UNION. WEST COAST TOUR ASHBURTON, Juno 2S. Tiie Executive of the Ashburton Rugby Union last night decided to send a team to tour the West Coast during August. There was a good attendance at the meeting, over which Mr W. S. Walter presided.

The Ways and Means Committee reported Hint it was unable in raise the required amount to enable the tour to be undertaken.

Mr S. Pritchard said that the present financial state of the union made large withdrawals inadvisable. They could not estimate the revenue Horn the gate receipts of the West Coast matches on account of the trade depression existing there. Mr J. Smith moved that the Ashburton Union send a team to the West Coast during the current season. lie said that the tour had been talked ol for some years and the promise made last year should he honoured. Mr R. 11. Biggar said tlmf the reserve fund, which it was proposed to tap, was created for the purchase ol grounds should the present grounds become unavailable. He moved an amendment that the tour be iintiertaken provided that not more than £3O fie withdrawn from the reserve luiid. The amendment was carried.

Proceedings became boated when Mr A. Lane said that it appeared to him that certain members were keen on the tour so that they could become ‘ jolly good fellows ” with the players. Alt- Smith said that the Ways and Means Committee could guarantee C 1.22 7s (id before the tour was started. Air D. Heenau moved and Air AI. Turnings seconded that the Ways and Aleans Committee be disbanded. Air R. H. Biggar: That is tantamount to abandoning the trip. Afr Lane remarked that the motion proved bis contention that certain members were concerned only with making themselves good follows with the players, and were playing duck and drakes with the union’s funds. Mr Heenau said that he took the remark as a personal insult and asked that it he withdrawn. The chairman asked that the remark be, withdrawn.

Air Lane: 1 see no reason for its withdrawal. Air remark was tail' comment. It was not personal. The motion was withdrawn and it was decided to give the committee a further fortnight to report on the amount available. The sum of £l2 Us was collected at the meeting. . The New Zealand Rugby Union advised that it was unable to make a grant towards the cost of tlw tour. The Puller Union wrote stating that the gate money ranged from £6l to CLI2 for representative matches played on favourable occasions. It was prepared to give Ashburton 60 per cent of the net receipts and suggested August ID or 20 for a match at Westport.

The West Coast Union wrote suggesting August 13 for the Oreymouth match and August 17 for tli<> Hokitika match. It was decided to play at Greymoutli and Hokitika on the dates suggested, the team to return to Ashburton on August 18.