WEST COAST RUGBY UNION

Hokitika Guardian, 15 May 1930, Page 3

WEST COAST RUGBY UNION

WEDNESDAY, MAY 14th.

MEETING OP HOKITIKA

The weekly meeting of the West Coast Rugby Union " Executive ‘ was held in the' County Chambers, ‘Hokitika, at 8 p.m. There were present: 'Messrs J. Guy (Vice^Pfussidcnt' Ur the Chair), N. Jones (Secretary),- T: Ryan,* H. Steel, «W. -Williams, P. r * O’Rbnnell, I." Steel, ,J. AlcLeod, "A. White, T. Mclntosh, E. 'Dewar,-' J. Kaye, J.' Eggeion. •'Members •'iof ‘ the .Westland SubUnion were ’also present as' follows: Messrs H. AD Conlson (President), J. Coulson,*- F. McGregbrj- J. 'Stafford, E. W. >Heenan, •A. Outbush, J. Breeze, D. Dowell, R. McDonald, S. Moore, G. A. Adamson, and J. Mora. Mr J. Guy (VicCrPresident) said tha it was ‘stated -earlier in the season when Mr Adams (President) came back from the meeting of the New Zealand Rugby Union that it would be nice for; the Union to come down and meet the v Sub-Union. Unfortunately Mr Adams had not yet returned to Grevnioutlf afid it had Ibeen decided- at last meetiilg <to keep - their appointment and come' down to Hokitika and, hold their- usual executive meeting here. They were therefore present that evening, with Them. Mr H. M. Coulson‘--(President, of The Westland - SubrUnioh) expressed .the pleasure .at the .meeting of tln Union being -held herei. He extended a welcome, to members. There were many matters, that oxfime before the Union that .vwier.ei difficult lespeoialb owing, pposition. He trusted that satisfactory eonc.his fpns would be opine-to as a- result o. their meeting.. -He-jimnn...extended : hearty welcome to ’Hokitika.

ORDINARY BUSINESS.

The minutes of tlie, previous meeting were confirmed pud outward correspondence: approved

INWARD CORIItei^ONDEtNCE.

From. Referees, reporting results .of Saturday’s matches,. . in the KiwiJo ode u/.game if \ias reported that McKenzie (Kiwi) had been, ordered on loi; attempting to strike a player. In Excelsior-Star, Mutch O' BonneT Afid H-all (baa language) . wm'e orderfed off. Atclyeiizie. was present and stated his action was. done in the heat' oi Thu' uiojiibutT At has .resolved to place Aly’lienziblion/the cqution list, ,j ■' - tlpit'O’ 1 Donnell and Mail be also placed on the caution list. U ■■ •

,-nrom Ross Club asking for J. Wilson to be transferred from League to Rut| iy and be classified as a junior.— Reuci.M ana request granted, subject to application iotm being properly - attested. From New ’ Zealand Rugby Union in reference to visit, of the''British team.—Received. It iviis .resolved to apply to the New Zealand Union for pass^,‘ for 1 British match-

From Same in reference to more care being necessary With applications for classification --froth League to Ttiigby.—Received. From United. Hockey Club inviting members of Merivale, team to their trance on ' June : 4th.—-Received and accepted. * From New Zealand lUigjby Union enclosing application from •'lnangahua Sub-Union for application with IMlier'Union.—-Received. 'Firom ■ Same lapproving-'of entertainment programme for British team -—Received. The Chairman’s action was approved in arranging for ! the .provision of an .X, kimbulance putfit for Victoria Park.

Messrs Mclntosh, Ryati, and O’Donnel’li were exacted selectors of Grey district teams. >.

Mr Williams wa,s. appointed selector, with Mr Dowell, of the 1 West . Coast teams. ■ !

Permission . wasv given the Star juniors: to withdraw off dm the junior cotnpetition, and play for any other Club.

A sidelight

Mr Heennil. asked if,fit were correct that in connection •.iVitli' the nomination; for the South Island team that J. King had been, oiftjtted . from the list of probables at the direction of the Union. .v..tjr-J

The Chairman replifed in the negative. : The salefcto'r&J Ryan and Dowell had been asked to nominate players to forward on and. tlieir nomination > had been duly forwarded. • • i

Mr. Dowell.isaid in . fairness to, himself he wished to estate .that he had proposed to nominate J:.-.' King and Mr Ryan (the other . selector) chad stated his name could not be eiitertained. ■ > -v

~,M'r. Ryan was questioited rather pointedly on ..the subject, but was. not iluflined to .he : drawn. ' ■

Tlie Chairman said the Union does not. tell . the,, selector.,,.who.•, he ;sl>Qiild Presumably he . Gio,fight?-King was not go.od. enough • to be-selected. (Satirical, laughter,) . •?’ In reply to a further question on the subject;.Mr Ryan.’ refused to answer as to his reasons for omitting King.

THE EXCELSIOR APPEAL

.The ,Excelsior. Club ,notified an a,pipeal against the decision of the Wesi Coast, Rugby' Union in awarding the match, against .Brunner, on. May 3rd to- Brunner,—Received.

,/Tho Chairman said this was an appeal against, the decision of the union, the Club having played two men who resided in the Grey district, yvajch ivas iigim.Sb me i-.,jw hi tins Union. . :

MrAlclnlosh :iubv.ed that the prd;.esf; be loi-warued lo me New Zeuiaiid Union.. Seconded by Mr Steel.

Air. . Jieeiuiu said a wuum oe ‘.better before this mo lion was dealt witn ... ,iiu., ,i..u a- iiiu u.scussion on the 'py.ujoii.. in Lie iir.sr pia-ue lie’- uuulu like lo knuw how long me moo-pliii.e .hounuary -had oeen in lorce. The Secretaiy •staled that according to the minutes l of tntv'2oth March, .yJ4,- ; tlie lio'hndanes 'w-hiv. : lixeu, the iithe-rn* Tiou'itUany '■ oi f the Urey dish.ict -k'lHg tiiun lixe-d ’as far as the ivapitea Creek. ()m : 22nd May.- Kuihara at fVieir own, request came into me Grey district and the Sub-Union approved, ••

Air uecnuii, said at that time the Sub-Union was running .a senior competition on its own aiid that was fixed as the Sub-Union boundary. He questioned that, that* boundary eouii. prevail over a senior competition

The Chairman said - the 'SC st boast

. uion - district was sub-divided into Inangahtia, Grey and Westland districts.

The Chairman said at the beginling of the season the rules or tin. to. ust Rugby Union were

-nought light up to date and the Union had decided to carry on under these revised rules. . If there were any hardships then Fie players should have sent their objections to the Union and they could have been dealt with. He: pointed out that after the first decision against the .Excelsior Onfb they had deliberately flouted the Union 1 and played ■ the ir.-en objected to again. The S'dbv; inion boundary governs the senior players.

In answer to Air Cutbush tlie Chairman said the W.C.R.Ii. was running lie senior competition and the district uoundnry was from inaiigahua to U aiho.

Mr Ryan asked what was the point raised. The bound.iry was defined on -ne map. • y i’

Mr Cutbush said the Excelsior Club had not been libtiiied of any change ip the, rules. He did.not think the Union had power to iix boundaries, and that it was entirely wrong 'inflicting pent .iities. " He further asked v on what! in*, ormation the ,Union had moved in regard to .tile'.Brunner match... They iiad no official report and could not ueal with hearsay. Mr J. JBreeze said that the Excelsior blub 'claim they are entitled to play these players in the competition. He Said it was a question of whether hie-making of the rules had been carried out'with the proper procedure. •Mr H. M. Coulson presumed the Union were only doing what they considered to be right. They certainly had not enlorced the boundary in the past. It was in 1924 that the boutr daries were fixed, but at that time the Sub-Union was running' a senior competition and the boundaries covere d senior and junior players. In 1925 when Rugby was tottering in the Grey district and it was seen that unless, sonic assistance’was given that Grey would be in dire straits the Southern Unioi had gone to their assistance and joined up ror the senior competition. He thought it was pretty clear that those boundaries were only made as between Grey and Westland. When the senior competition was merged into one under the W.C.R.U., those boundarie became ineffective as the competition covered the whole of the territory. There was a decided feeling that it is jpn .injustice that- players should be asked to play for any particular club h this competition. He instanced the players affected were still playing in the same competition in the, same ierritory as they are in residence, and they are told they must play for another Club. ’ Those boundaries were fixed when the -senior competitions were separate ones. It was not fair 01 just to penalise these players? as the;, proposed. , Mr J. Mora said the Excelsior Clu) played those men without any knowledge of boundary rules, and when they did not know they were breaking an; rules. ,

IMr -M in tosh said the fact'that the men were living in Greyniouth alter, 1 the case. They had practically defied the Union and the Excelsior Clid should he suspended for having defied the Union or severely censured. Mr O’Donnell endorsed the attitude of Mr Mclntosh. Mr .Dowell said. the. boundary rule was an unjust one. He thought the Union had made a mistake and the Club should not be penalised. The Sub-Union was governing junior football. Mr Mora said the Union could not make a loose district scheme. It must embrace, all clubs or none at all. My B.van said if the rule was requested to be altered it could only be altered in the proper way. The Excel sior Club knew the rules and had broken them and had been penalised. Mr Coulson urged there should be no motion. There was no official notification of the rule being enforced. He suggested tliatdn view of the fact that the senior-competition is played tinder the W.C.RrU. -that players be allowed to play for : any Club ''they'"chose. If th is'-were’done r it-would tend to make the relations as harmonious as possible. »Mr- McDonald 1 moved to this effect.— R tiled -out l of order. -In reply to-a question it' Was stated ; txl'e Excelsior Club had not been nOtir tied.-but. the decision had been sent to the filuh-TJnion. ! The Chairman said the Union want; •fid no friction, and would like to worl! OTV nennipfnllv. The\ J had better leavr })> n .'diomroeffon nn the-boundary. ’The ‘rule - is - there- and 1 tllfiv should stie'j to it. The Excelsiors knew quite weT

that they were doing wrong and should be dealt with.

A lengthy discussion continued, and ultimately Mr Goulson suggested further penalty should be held over till the New Zealand Union had dealt with the appeal. Mr Ryan then moved that the Excelsior Club he severely censured for playing these two men last Saturday .it er, iicing censured the previous week. Seconded by Mr O’Donnell and cari it!it.

Mr Goulson 'moved that the decision of 'the Union be held over until the N.ZiR.U. decides, the appeal, and that meantime the Club be allowed to play

in the senior games. Seconded by Mr ore and carried.. ! It was understood that in the event i.l the H.Z.R..U. decision being against Lite Excelsior Club, that they would lose any matches they played in 'with the two players affected. FIXTURES FOR SATURDAY. SENIOR, Kiwi v. Brunner, at Hokitika (Mr D. Heenan). United v. Excelsiors at Grey (Mr McIntosh). Blaketown v. Stars at Grey. Cobtlen v. Rivals at Hokitika (Mr A. Cutbush). «. REP. GAMES. Mr Dowell stated that the Sub-Union ho-i been promised a representative tame at Hokitika last year, but it had •ho 1 - eventuated. He asked that when fixtures wei'e. being arranged that one tame be played at Hokitika this year. Tt was resolved to, forward the names of A Outbush-fEv W. Heenan and J. Mora as referees'for inter-Union games.

The meeting terminated at 11 p.m