WEST COAST RUGBY UNION.

Hokitika Guardian, 31 July 1930, Page 3

WEST COAST RUGBY UNION.

The ordinary meeting of the "West Coast Rugby Union, was held last evening at Greymouth.

Mr Adams moved that the. New Zealand Union be- written to with a recommendation that no more loans be granted to Unions which already hold loans and that no Unions be granted loans to erect grandstands until the question of Unions who were without paying areas of their own was fully gone into. Mr F. Wilson seconded the motion which was carried. Oobden team were declared winners of the Third Grade competition, and it was decided to commence a new competition of two rounds.

Westland Sub-Union wrote stating that a request had been received from the Excelsior Club that they be freed from fixtures on Saturday, owing to injuries sustained by their players at Motueka. Mir Mclntosh moved and Mr O’Donnell seconded that the request be granted. Mr Ryan moved an amendment that the fixtures as drawn be adhered to. Mr Williams seconded. The amendment was lost .and the niotion carried- It was then decided to play the, sixljh ro.upd ..fixtures. Grey Technical School were freed from their third ..gi*ade_-fixtures c-n Saturday on accouiiit of playing a school match ngaihst/ Hokitika, Tliov notified tluHt Westport Technical school would probably visit Greymouth within the next fortnight to play tho final of 'the Newman Shield; The Secretary stated he'was in receipt of fourteen tickets from the New Zealand Rugby Union for the fourth test at Wellington. He explained that twenty-four tickets had been ordered. Inangahua had asked for four tickets. Mr Kyle asked that Inangahua be considered, and be given the tickets requested. Mr I. Steel moved that each member be given a ticket for a start. This was done and all members requiring tickets were ’ suppli*4. It was decided to notify Inangahua that further pickets were unavailable.' ; v M!r W. Bring was appointed referee jfbr the Newfiran. Shield final match between Technical High School and Westport High School on Wednesday next, End it was decided to aisle Mr A. Fong to referee the match Hokitika v. Tech. School at 11 a.m. on Saturday morning. ... Mr Ryan, manager of tile West Coast jteam which journeyed to Nelson and Motueka on week' in quest of the Seddon Shield, reported the team had a glorious trip to Nelson and gll went .along splendidly. The team played brilliantly in Nelson, and were noted for their straight running and ..fine tackling. Kennedy, Martyn, Denchv and Freitas, and a number of other players showed signs of soreness after the game on the hard ground at NelS&n.-,;. They, were well, treated; by the Nelson people and the Nelson Rugby Dn iqn,. Motueka : was. reached .on . Friday, when they were met by the Presi.-r dent of the Progress League and the president of tlie Rugby Union and accorded a civic reception, being entertained at a dinner in the; evening. They were treated in a very cordial manner and played up to expectations ijn the shield match and were not disgraced. The trip -showed a'small debit balance. •

Mr Kyle moved a hearty vote of ■thanks to Mr Rvan for his capable management of the team. f

FIXTURES.

Seniors —Rivals v. Stars at Victoria Park at 3 p.m. B. ground (A. Jamieson referee). Brunner v. Cobden at Brunner at 3 p.pi (H. Ryan). Blaketoivn v. United at Victoria Park at 3 p.m. A. ground (W: 1 Williams). -b" ‘ ■ -

i.■ ~ .. . .. . EXCELSIOR CLUB’S PROTEST

At its meeting dost evening the West Coast Rugby Union received a letter from the secretary of the New ‘ Zealand Union regarding the appeal of the Excelsior Club as follmys,:.—'Ehe, appeal by the Excelsior Club has been very fully gone into by my committee, .but, on. the conflicting statements before them, they were: linable to arrive at an equitable decision on the .matter. Therefore I pm ’directed- to advise you that it is necessary for your Union ’ and the Excelsior Club , to agree on a statement of facts which are to be submitted to us. Will you, therefore, please' arrange that the Club forward us a statement of facts as agreed, upon between them, and your Unioif.' ,yln their letter to ‘ the Union, dated Ist. July,' the Excelsior Club gives specific cases where players,have crossed .the. 1924 boundary"to3ay^%> r respective clubs, no .action having, been taken by the West Coast Union—L. ■ Hahn, A. Mclntosh, A. King, and A. .Thomas. Will you kindly report ,in connection with these flayer,s. On, the evidence before us' it. is difficult to "understand how the, happenings, as stated in the Excelsior - Chib;S letters, -could have gone on for five years without the knowledge and the ; tacit consent of your Union. Upon receipt of the information asked for, my Committee will again go into the matter, and arrive at a decision.” Mr Ryan .stated that- they should boldly reply and tell the New Zealand Union that .what this Union did in 1925 had nothing to do with -1930, even if a breach had been committed at that time. Mr O’Donnell said he regarded the

whole business, as,’absolutely ridiculous. Air Bring stated that the rule was brought up to date and it had nothing to do with 1925. Mr Adams stated that the rule had only been reprinted and was not a new one. The whole point was whether the .rule which existed had been broken. If a Club could break rules in 1887 and therefore thought it could do so now, it would not he allowed to do so. He was heartily sick of the thing. On three different occasions the Excelsior Club and his Union had written to the New Zealand Union on 'the matter.

Mr Ryan moved and Mr Wilson seconded that a letter as drafted by the President be forwarded to' the Now Zealand Union, as follows:—“In reference to your letter relating to the appeal by the Excelsior Club, my Union considers that any conference between the Excelsior Club and this Union at is juncture would only bo a further loss t)f time. If the Excelsior Club and this Union agreed .as to statements furnished your committee, there would be no necessity for appeal. My Union adheres to its previous statement in respect to players mentioned, and resents strongly the implication in your letter. Quite apart from any implied infringement of the residential rule in past years concerning which we have already made a statement to which we adhere, iny Union considers the question ori eentirely as to whether the rule laid down by this Union has been, broken or not, or whether it can be flouted at will Tiv chibs and players. The rule was known to the players 'concerned at the 1 commencement of the season, and fro request, was. ever made for special consideration under the clause relating to extraordinary circumstances.

GREY MAIN .9. v. WRSTPORT CONVENT 0.

At Victoria, Park yesterday afternoon, Westport Convent School were defeated by Grey Main School, after interestin>r game by 9 points to 0. Mr A. Fong was referee..

The following team will represent TCoiterangi in the football match Kokatahi v. Koiterangi at Kokatahi on Saturday, organised on behalf of the Kokatahi Hockey iQljilb :— Fleming (2), jDjmmick (2), A, Stooforth,- Wall, Smith , Farrington. Ritchie, Schroder, Godfrey. Haroourt and Growcott.