PAEROA RUGBY UNION.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4550, 13 April 1923, Page 2

PAEROA RUGBY UNION.

ANNUAL MEETING There was a representative gathering of Rugbyites at the Soldiers’ Clu’d on Tuesday evening, the occasion being the annual meeting of the Paeroa Rugby Union. Mr P. E. Brena.n occupied the chair, and congratulated the union on the large attendance. The annual report and balancesheet was read and adopted. ANNUAL REPORT. Tlie report was read as follows :— Your executive have much pleasure in presenting to you their annual report and balance-sheet for the yeai ending 1922. The season, although not marked by the success of previous seasons, was, nevertheless, oue upon which we may congratulate ourselves in many ways, and as may be seen from the following report our activities were extensive and our finance sound.

Finance. —A. comparison with last year’s balance-sheet shows a marked drop in gate receipts, £93 Hs 9d as against £149 14s 6d for last season, the' highest gate this year being £7 6s, as against £2O 8s for last year. This decrease of £56 2s 9d would have had a serious effect on the administration of the Union had not your executive acted upon a recommendation in last year’s, report and considerably curtailed expenses accordingly, the main item being travelling expenses of representative teams, £4l 3s 6d, as against £74 Is 2d for last year. This includes lorry hire, train fares, and all sundry expenses incurred by representative teams. As was experienced last year, representative matches did not show a profit, although the deficiency this year was very small. Two calls were made on the Union for charity, namely, Pearson Fund for the Blind,. £2 2s ; and a local case, £3 3s. Assistance was given a player injured in a representative mat,ch to the amount of £2 11s.

Competitions.—Th ree competitions were again controlled by the Union, in which four clubs and one subunion participated. A new club, the Komata club, affiliated, entering a senior and a junior team, and the School sub-union affiliated,,, entering a third-grade team. Altogether eleven teams were competing, four senior, four junior, and three third-grade, and your executive would like to take this opportunity, of congratulating the winning teams in the respective competitions. ,

Representative Matches. —We regret to state that during the season we were unfortunate in losing both the Frank Poland Memorial Cup arid tlfle Sharebrokers’ Cup. These trophies were won by the Piako and Waihi unions, our own teams in each case being the runners-up. The senior team played seven matches, winning four and losing three, while the junior team played six matches, winning three, losing one, and drawing in two. Peace Cup.—Owing to the large number of challenges received by the Thames union we were unable to play a direct game with them for the Peace Cup, but were instructed to play off witli Piako, the winners to play Thames. Your executive tried to have this arrangement altered, but it was, of no avail, and, unfortunately, in the ’play-off we \yere defeated. Refeiees’ Associaltion. —During the season the Referees Association did good work, but it was greatly hampered by the scarcity of referees. Ws would again appeal to ’all old players to assist the association, and also to the players themselves by their exemplary conduct on the field. Obituary.—lt is with the greatest regret that since the end of last season the Union lost one of its greatest supporters in the late Mr A. SFielder, who died in the Waihi Hospital after a short illness. During his younger days, as a player Mr Fielder cultivated those characteristics which in later years bespeak the man, and he was always eager to assist the younger players to attain that standard of efficiency which is inducive to the best football. As a ieferee MiFielder in his'day ranked as one of the first in this district, and his invaluable assistance and advice will be greatly missed by the local referees’ association. The 'Union expressed its sympathy with Mrs Fielder by a floral tribute, for her loss was a loss to every footballer in this ’district. v ’ Social and Euchre Tournament.— At the end of the season the annual social and euchre tournament was held, which we regret was not the success we anticipated. Considering the amount of voluntary work done by non-players the amount of support given by the players themselves was anything but encouraging. A debit balance of £4 15s Id was unfortunate, and would not have occurred had your executive received the support which was their due. Grounds.—Your executive regret, to report that so far nothing has been done to our playing fields. We still have the Domain Board’s sympathy and promise of speedy relief as soon as it is able to finance the proposed improvement scheme, and until such time we will fiave to make the best of the grounds in their present condition.

General. —There is one thing which received our attention in last year’s report which we regret to say must again be brought before the notice of members. It is the manner in which teams turn out on the field, regarding the time of starting with apparent indifference, and we would ask the Referees’ Association to assist the Union in bringing about a marked improvement. In conclusion we would like to thank all who have assisted the Union. the selectors and those who assisted on the ground, and all those who either by donations or advice greatly helped in the administratipn. To the incoming executive we hand over the affairs of the Union with every confidence, with best wishes for the suecess of the Union during their term of office.-BALANCE-SHEET. The balance-sheet set out. a balance from 1921, less £1 8s written off as bad debts, £3 8& 2d, cash in hand

!s lid, donations, D. Leach, H.' M. ' Shand, Dr. Little, S. Taiboys, IL Poland, F. Wells, Mrs Corbett, p. E. Srenan £1 l s > G - Fallon 10s 6d. Gate -eceipts: Charity Saturday £7 13s 6d, Paeroa £7B 18s 9d, Netherton £2, Hikutaia £4 19s 6d. Affiliation fees mounted to £6 16s 6d. Dance and suchre tournament £l7 13s 9d, made up of cash at door £l3 4s 9d, donations 10s 6d, sale of tickets £3 18s 6d. Sale of Footballs £3 9s 9d. Thames Valley Rugby Union, return of loan and change £2O, and return of railway fares £3 10s 6d. Sale of rule books £l. change from cheque £1 Ils 10d. Cash in hand 6s Id. The rm_ __ ccipts totalled £l6l 10s 9d. , The expenditure was made up of domain rent, £7 10s; expenses of rep. teams, Short Bros £2l 10s, W. Roigard. £7 18s 6d, Ferry dues, Wharepoa, 16s, Mrs Williams, Waihi, £4 10s, sundry expenses £ll 9s 2d, total £46 3s 8d; donations from Charity Saturday, Mrs Flaunigan £3 3s, Pearson fund for Blind £2 2s ; Brena'i and Co. £l, Nicholas, Ltd., £8 9s 6d, J. D. Munro £3 3s, ground repairs £2 Bs, Canterbury Sports Depot £4 13s - Id, D. McWatters £ll 10s, T.V.R.U. loan and gate change' £2O, Piako R.U.. half share of gate £6 15s, M. Pavlak £1 10s 9d ( Dr. Little £1 Is, T.V.R.U. fares tq Hamilton £2 16s, R. W. Medhurst £1 10s, T.V.R.U. affiliation fees £1 Is, Gee and Beck (repairs to Cup) Ils, donation to Fire Brigade £1 Is, Le Manquais and Lamb 8s ; fiance and euchre tournament £22 Is Bd, made up of H. B. Woods £4 10 S ; F. E. Flatt £1 14s Bd, F. Billing £5, T. Hale £lO, miscellaneous 17s ; petty cash £5 13s t n lid, cheque books Bs, bank charges 10s ; leaving a credit balance of £6 Oss lid. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. Patron, Mr H. Poland, M.P.; president, Mr P. E. Brenan; vice-presi-dents, Mrs Corbett, and Messrs F. J. Wilks, G. Fallon, T. P. Vuglar, F. J. Wells, D. McWatters, J. Roach, R. Bramley, E. Edwards, G. P. de Castro, G. Collins, J. Barrett, G. S. Taiboys. H. M. Shand, A. J. Garry, P. Corbett, and W. Moore; management committee, Messrs E. Edwards, W. Power, C. Potter., H. M. Shand, W. Morrison, T. P. Vuglar, J. W. Walmsley, G. Jenkinson, B. Neil ; secretary and treasurer, Mr R. B. Penliiigton; auditors, Messrs J. H. Coburn and W. Nicholls. The management committee was empowered to appoint an assistant secretary. GROUNDS. v Mr Brenan.said that with reference to the playing grounds he could as-. sure the meeting that the council had the matter of improvements thereto steadily in view, and the clubs could look forward to big improvements in the near future. SELECTORS. s , A lengthy discussion took place on the matter of selectors. Mr V. Young suggested that it should be a recommendation to the committee that three selectors be appointed in stead of a sole selector, as formerly. Mr Silcock said that no reflection was cast on the sole selector of last year, but he thought that three selectors would be far more satisfactory. FINANCE. The chairman said that the Union’s credit balance, although not very large, .was quite', satisfactory, considering the interest that had been taken in the various matches duriing last year. The success of the season was clue, no doubt, to the energy and capable management of the secretary. Mr Silcock said he would like to add his quota of appreciation of Mr Penlington’s services. _He w r as an enthusiastic worker and an efficient secretary. KARANGAHAKE CLUB. The Karangahakc Football Club applied for affiliation with the Paeroa Rugby Union.

Mr Silcock pointed out that Docherty’s Creek was the boundary. As karangahake was the ether side of the creek, and Waihi was too far away to enable Karangahake to affiliate with that union, it meant that they would have to break up their club unless affiliation with Pae-" roa was allowed. After discussion it was left in the hands of the committee, with the recommendation that it be passed on to the Thames Valley Union. CLUB BOUNDARIES. Mr Walmsley asked what, was the committee’s intention with regard to the formation of new clubs last year, and had it any recommendation tri make. — Mr Silcock said that no one regretted the withdrawal of Uie East senior team last year more than he. It was understood that the differences that existed in the East Club last year had been satisfactorily settled, and this year it was anticipated that the club would put a senior team in the field. With reference to thes Komata and Netherton clubs, Mr Silcock said it was unfortunate that the town players had to do so much travelling, but the country clubs had to be catered for, and matches arranged for them. Mr Walmsley contended that if a club was prepared to put one team only in the competition it was not conducive to good football, and rather than carry on as was done last year he favoured the system of boundaries for clubs. Mr. Silcock said he thought that it would be a great pity if the boundary system were adopted. ' Mr Walmsley moved that it be a recommendation to the incoming committee to adopt the boundary system if necessary. Mr Silcock said that no doubt the lack of interest in football matters last season was due to the amount of travelling that had to be done. Inside the borough teams could be formed. He did not consider it wise to fc make boundaries inside the borough. The question of boundaries for the clubs outside i the town area should be considered. Mr Vuglar, in seconding the resolution, said, he considered that, as matters stood last year, it was most unsatisfactory. He thought it the only way to get players to stick to their clubs. OPENING OF SEASON. It was decided to commence the season on April 28.