FOOTBALL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4685, 9 April 1924, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

HAUlilKl PLAINS BUGBI’ ILMON. ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the .Hauraki Plains Rugby Union was held in Vincent's store, Ngatea, on Monday, Mr J. Costello, president of the Union, presiding. The following delegates were present : Messrs G. Pprteous (Turua), W. Thompson and J. H. Nicholson (Kerepeehi), C. Hayward and S. Kendall (Waitakaruru), D. 'Cowdrey and J. Christie (Patetonga), and D. A. Vincent and V. Williams (Ngatea). The balance-sheet showe 1 receipts to be. Cash in.hand £lO 0s Id. vicepresidents’ subscriptions £l5 10s, affiliation fee,s £l3 2s 6d, one-third of gate takings £6 Ils 4d. representative match gates £67 3s 2d, protest fee-3 £1 Is. travelling expenses £l2, school grant £7 17s Bd, donation £2. Peace Cun subscription £3 15s, sale of rule books £1 7s, advertising ss, total £l4O 13s sd. The following items were in the expenditure column : Car hire £56 13>, printing and advertising £l4 3s 6d. fares £5 14s Bd, refreshments £4 10s, players' expenses £9 19s 6d, meals £25 Is 3d, T.V.R.U. expenses £3 15s 8d re.cuecs’ expenses ss, bank chaiarcs 15s 6d, leaving a balance of £l9 15s Id. The statement of assets showed cash in bank £l7 Is 6d, cash in hand £2 13s lOd, due from T.V.R.U. £ll Ils Bd, one-third Patetonga and Waitakaruru gates, estimated £9, total £4O 10s. The liabilities to sundry creditors' were £33 19s, leaving a balance of £•> 11£. Members commented on the satisfactory state of the balance-sheet, which was adopted. Discussing the balance-sheet, M' - Co-tello said that the fact of having a referees' association in the district was the Union’s best asset. It hal saved the various teams paying for outside referees. A vote of thanks to the Referees Association was carried unanimously. It was decided to add £5 to the liabilities as due to the late secretary for telephone and telegraph fees. The election of officers resulted as fo’lows : Patron, MH W. G. Hayward ; president, Mr J. Costello ; life member. Mr R. Shaw ; selectors, Messrs Hayward, Nicholson, and Porteous; ho-i. auditor. Mr E. Walton; secre-ta,-y and treasurer, Mr J. N. Anderson ; assistant secretary, Mr J. Banks; Delegates to Thames Valley Union, Messrs Porteous, Thompson, and the secret; ry or assistant secretary; managers. Messrs W. Thompson (senior), aad V. Williams (junior). There were 50 vice-presidents appointed. It was decided that the junior ami senior teams travel together, and that the first match commence on April 26. circumstances permitting. The necessity for fostering junior pl-iy was stressed, and it was agreed to promote a third-grade competition, any boy who had not played junior being eligible. Mr Thompson asked delegates for an indication as to whether the delegates to the Thames Valley Union should endeavour to secure a fiftyfifty division of the gate money r.t representative matches. This was supported by Messrs Chri-sUe, Anderson, Cowdrey, and Huvward, but opposed by Mr Vincent, who moved that the present conditions lemain. Mr Nicholson seconded. Mr Christie moved, and Mr Williams seconded, that the delegates je instructed to seek a fifty .fifty divison of the gate money. The amendment was carried ov eight votes to three, Messrs Vincent, Niehoi«on, and Cowdrey opposing. Mr Porteous moved that the deleagtes,- to the Thames Valley Rugby Union endeavour to have the Thames Valley competitions played in one round. This was seconded by Mr Cowdrey and carried. An spplication was received from a native at Kerepcehi asking if it was permissible to form a native team in Kerepeehi. and it was decided not to grant the request. The question of the interference of club, fixtures by representative matches was brought up by the Turua delegate and supported by the Patetonga delegate. Mr D. A. Vincent contended that as the All Blacks were to be picked it would be advisable to play as many representative matches as possible so as to give players on the Plains a chance of being included >n bigger teams. No decision was arrived at. • Messrs B. and F. Wains waited upon the Union with reference to the split between the Pipiroa players and the Waitakaruru club. Mr B. Wallis said that the deput itkn represented all the Piniroa placers. who contended that they had supported the Waitakaruru club 'or many years, and at times had had eight players in the senior team. They therefore were of the opinion that the Waitakaruru club should have given I hem more consideration in the matter of matches, but their requests had been refused. The players of Pipirot- therefore appealed to the Union. They wished to play footbftll, but could not.put a team of their own in the field. If not given a game a hockey team would be formed. In reply to Mr Thompson Mr WalH-s said that Pipiroa did not have a balance of power at the Waitakaruru meeting. They would not now consent to play under the jurisdiction of the Waitakaruru Club, even if the requests were granted.

Mr Hayward, the Waitakaruru delegate, said that if his club lost the Pipiroa players it would not be able to put forth a team. He contended that the grounds of the split were frivolous, and admitted that he was Die cause of the difference. He offered to resign from his position as president of the club if it would tend to tiring the two sections together. He contended that no other club would have agreed to play two matches at Pipiroa. The Waitakaruru club was prepared to work in with the Pipiroa players but opposed any ether club getting them. Mr Cowdrey said that a similar

position had arisen between Kaiher? and Patetonga clubs, but they hal since amicably settled the matter, it lie'ng agreed that half the matches lie played at each place. He could not see why a reconciliation could not be effected. Mr F. Wallis stated that the players of Pipiroa had decided at a meeting not to again play for Waitakaruru. They desired to play for Ngatea, but if this was not granted they were pre-' pared to stand on the line or play hockey Last season it had been to play a match at Pipiroa, but it did not eventuate. Mr Hayward said that last seaso i Ihe Waitakaruru club had ■endeavoured to arrange the match with Turua at Pipiroa, but the Turua club would not agree, Mr Vincent said that Ihe Ngatea match was advertised to be played at Pipiroa. but the Waitakaruru club had later decided to plWy on its home ground. .After the matter bad been dealt with in committee the deputation was informed that a motion to alter the boundaries had been defeated by eignt vo*es to two. Mr B. Wallis said that the deputation bad been appointed with power to act. He therefore asked the Union to declare boundaries to permit of a club oeing formed in Pipiroa. The chairman said that this woull have to be considered at a later meeting, and on Mr Vincent’s motion it was decided to consider the matter of boundaries at the next meeting.