PLAINS FOOTBALL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4995, 2 July 1926, Page 4

PLAINS FOOTBALL.

HAURAKI PLAINS UNION*

MEETING OF COMMITTEE. The management committee of the H'auarki Plains Rugby Union met at Ngatea on Tuesday evening, i Mr J. Costello presiding over the following : Messrs C. S. Foster, H. Dent, WThompson, J. H, Nicholson, F. Wallis, 0. Lawrence, A. H, McClean, H. L. Berney, E, Ha,rris, E, A. Mahoney, and W. Wylde (secretary). SCHOOL GRANT.

A letter was received from the Turua School Football Club asking for a football and pointing out that the N.Z. Rugby Union annually ma.de a grant to foster Rugby in the schools.

The secretary reported that the annual grant had not yet come to hand. The previous grant of £3 15s had not yet been distributed, a ; s the policy in the past had been to hold the money for a year until there was sufficient to purchase footballs for the ten schools in the district.

The secretary was instructed to a.dvise the club accordingly. PEACE CUP MATCH.

The question of playing the challenge match for the Peace Cup, and the dates for this and th& return match at Ngatea, came up for discussion. The Thames Union offered July 24 and August 7 as the only suitable dates, but on July 24 the Thames Valley North v. South match a.t Paeroa was to be played for.-..the selection of the. touring team, and on August 7 the touring team would be away. As it was probable that the best of the Plains representatives would be in the team, and the interclub matches were being seriously interfered with, the alternative date submitted wa,s not the most suitable. Mr Berney supported playing the matches on the alternative dates submitted by Thames, and was supported by Messrs McClean and Mahoney. Mr Costello pointed out the folly of sending a weak team for the Pea.ce Cup match. Mr Foster asked if a percentage of the. gate receipts would be given to the Thames Valley Union in view of the fact that a home match would detract from the gate receipts of, the Paeroa match. The union had a debt to its mother union, which should be considered before matches with other unions.

After much discussion it was decided to submit July 24 for the match at Ngatea and August 7 for the Peace Clip challenge, fifty per cent, of the nett gate receipts of the Ngatea match to be given to the Thames Valley Union’s touring fund. CRITICISM OF SELECTION.

The letter of criticism of the Rerefees’ Association concerning the selection of the representative teams which wa.s deferred at the last meeting was considered. Mr Mahoney, the association’s delegate, explained that the letter was sent in error. The association had decided that its delegate should move the motions for the purpose of giving members an opportunity to say at a meeting what they were saying outside. He therefore moved :— "That this association viewte with regret that the representatave team selected to play Paeroa includes players whose form in representative matches does not justify their being persevered .with, and that many players with stronger claims to representative honours have been excluded.

“That it be made a rule of the union that in future the selection of the team for representative matches be submitted to the union for its approval beore the personnel is made public.” Mr Foster seconded pro forma. After Mr Foster had spoken at length on the trials, of selectors, and the fact tha.t no matter what team was submitted there would always be criticism, Mr Mahoney said that the first clause hhd lapsed, and should be discarded. He was fully in accord with the second clause. Delegates pointed out the impossibility of holding a meeting weekly merely for the purpose of formally approving of the team. Mr Wallis suggested the constitu-

tion of a small committee for the put pose.

Discussion ensued a<s to whether the union should interfere with the selection. Members were, adverse to doing so, and argued that the .adoption of the second clause would cast a. slur on the three selectors. Mr A. McClean, one of the selectors, objected to the casual way of passing over the first clause.

With the approval of the meeting Mr Mahoney withdrew the first clause. The. motion, consisting of th© second clause, was tlrn put and defeated.

It was decided tha,t the selectors be. instructed to notify the union secretary of the. team, and that he notify delegates, who would notify the players in their districts. As there was often a. doubt as to what players were available for selection in representative teams it was decided that club secretaries should keep the union secretary advised of the players who were, available. IMPROVEMENTS TO GROUND.

The secretary reported that so far nothing had been done in regard to the erection of a, fence to keep the spectators oft the playing field op account of the shortness of time and the difficulty of securing materials and it was decided that the matter be left in the hands of Mr W. J. Clare to attend to.

Mr Nicholson voiced the. complaints of spectators concerning the number of officials who .stood .near the line and; blocked ,the. view f of the public. He suggested that seats should be provided) for thejpfficials. After spme .discussion the.matter was left to Mr Costello to Arrange. THAMES yALLEY .SELECTOR. : Mr T. McClean was ( appointed the union’s selector to . confer with the Piako Union’s selector in the choosing of. players to play in the North v. South match at Paeroa on July 24, and as there was a doubt whether Mr McClean would be available Mr E. Ryan was appointed to a,ct should he be absent. NEXT SATURDAY’S MATCH. Arrangements were made for the match against Piako at Ngatea on Saturday. As a curtain-raiser a match between the Ngatea and Turua juniors, will’be played. The team to meet Piako is as follows :—

Full-back, E. Johnston ; three-quar-ters, J. Adlum, C. Molloy, G. Buchanan ; five-eighths, F. Nicol, D. MolesWorth; half-back, E. Sm^art; rover, K. Fox; forwards, T. Alderson, L» Berney, C. Clark, R, Hutchinson, 0. Cleave, P. Clark, E. Gill. Emergencies : W. Williams, S. Chapman, J Garry, and E. Booth. The Piako team is a,s follows :—

Thorn, MsQuarters,. Magill, Towers, Arkle, Stoupe’ Tai, F. Goldsbury, Young, Ford, McLaren, Burchell, Gricex Mulgrew, Samson. Emergencies : Ryan and McCarthy Stewart and Johnson (ba,cks).