FOOTBALL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5432, 5 June 1929, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

THAMES VALLEY RUGBY UNION. ORDINARY MEETING. At an ordinary meeting of the Thames Valley Rugby Union management' committee on Thursday evening last Mr J. W. Silcock, president, presided over the following : Messrs R. T. W. Aitken, 0. H. Jones, Piako ; C. Burt, J- McDermott, Waihi; W. Neil, E. L. Shaw, J. Walmsley, Paeroa ; H. M. Shand, Referees’ Association ; and W. D. Nicholas, secretary. x Wing-forward Ruling. Prior to the executive of the Thames Valley Referees’ Association holding a meeting they were present while the chairman of the union explained the wing-forward ruling which he and the secretary as delegates to the N.Z. Rugby Union had been instructed to put into operation, namely, “The wing-forward must stand on an imaginary line behind the back line of the scrum.” Mr Silcock said that a motion to eliminate the wing-forward altogether was only lost by a few votes at the meeting. The southern delgates were very much in favour of abolishing the player.

The secretary read a letter recently received from the N.Z. Rugby Union asking that referees attention be drawn to rules 178 and 19 in the rule book of 1923. This was agreed to accordingly. Considerable discussion took place on the wing-forward ruling, it being apparent that a loop-hole had been left whereby unions could do as they liked in the matter. Definite instructions at Wellington were to enforce the imaginary line rule, but the letter referring to rules 17B' and 19 had made matters somewhat involved. The -chairman remarked that the sooner all unions throughout New Zealand were playing the same game the better it would be for the game'altogether.

Kicking into Touch.

Mr Silcock said that, with reference to the international rule concerning kicking into touch, considerable discussion had arisen at Wellington, and it was finally decided not to bring this rule into force until the trial matches. The chairman also mentioned that the practice of some referees in putting the ball into the scrum was criticised. By doing so the referee took part in the game. Only under special circumstances, such as when a scrum was on the line and it was doubtful whose ball it was, should the referee so act.

Delegates’ Report.

On' the reading of the report of Messrs J. W. Silcock and W. D. Nicholas, the delegates to the N.Z. Rugby Union meeting at Wellington, a vote of thanks was passed to them for the work they had accomplished on behalf of the union. Vancouver Cup. Mr Silcock said that this cup had been presented by the Mayor of Vancouver, 8.C., for competition among primary schools in New Zealand. It would be brought to Paeroa and played for, and was open to any primary school team in the Dominion. It was decided to meet the Schools Union and go fully into the subject.

Boundary Agreement.

Notification was received from the Paeroa Rugby Union that it and the Thames Rugby Union had agreed to a tentative adjustment of their boundary for the 1929 season, so that a number of Paeroa players on the Thames side of the boundary could be included in a neutral zone. The area in question comprised about 200 acres, bounded by Townshend’s Road, a blind jMatLffnd the Waihou River. The Paefor approval of the The chairman said that so far as the Thames Valley Union .was concerned it could not act in the matter/ until it was finalised at the annual meetings of the two sub-unicqis. At the present moment they could agree to the arrangement. ? It was decided to agree rangement made by the two unions for the neutral ground. ,1 Player’s Domicile. The chairman said that the dcision reached at Wellington in regard to a Waihi schoolmaster, J. Dobson, playing for Thames, was that he was entitled to do so as his home was there and he went home every week-end. With reference to T. C. J. Vangioni and A. Buchan, both of whom resided at Paeroa but were playing at Thames, it was decided to write to the Auckland Union drawing attention to the circumstances and asking them to take action in the matter. ** Gate Percentages.

The chairman said that in view of it being necessary to send a team away next year an increase should be made in gate percentages. The secretary added that to get representative fixtures here it was absolutely necessary to travel.

Mr McDermott remarked that he would like to see the matter gone into by a full meeting, as the Plains delegates were absent. It was decided to adjourn the question until the next meeting, and that all sub-unions be notified in. the meantime. Poland Cup Matches. Following is the draw, and the referes, for the first round of the Poland Cup matches June 29 : Paeroa v. Hauraki Plains at Paeroa, Mr W. Dunstan ; Waihi v. Piako, at Te Arbha, Mr W. Jones. July 13 : Paeroa v. Waihi, at Waihi, Mr W. Bryden; Hauraki Plains v. Piako, at Ngatea, Mr F. T. V. Johnson. July 27 : Paeroa v. Piako, at Te Aroha, Mr R. Walsh; Waihi v. Hauraki Plains, at Waihi, Mr E. L. Shaw. Sharebrokers Cup. The draw for the junior inter-union matches for the Sharebrokers Cup resulted as follows :— June 29 : Paeroa v. Hauraki Pla.ms, 'aT Ngatea ; Waihi v. Piako, at Waihi. July 13 : Paeroa v. Waihi, at Paeroa , Hauraki Plains v. Piako, at Te Aroha.

July 27 : Paeroa v. Piako, at Paeroa ; Waihi v. Hauraki Plains, at Ngatea. The referees for these matches are to be supplied by the home teams. First-grade Referees. The following referees have been recommended by the Thames Valley Referees’ Association as being capable of controlling inter-provincial matches :— Messrs W. J. Brydon, Te Aroha ; A. W. Dunstan, Waihi ; T. W. Jonas, Paeroa ; and R. Walsh, Waihi. T.V. REFEREES ASSOCIATION. CONSTITUTION PROPOSED. On Thursday evening Mr E. Smith, chairman, presided over a meeting of the Thames Valley Referees’ Association’s committee, consisting of the following : Messrs W. J. Brydon (Te Aroha), A. W. Dunstan (Waihi), T. W. Jonas (Paeroa), B. Neil (Paeroa), R. WaJsh (Waihi), and J. Mannix (Waihi), secretary. Constitution. The meeting decided to formulate a constitution for adoption by the association, and it was left in the hands of Messrs Bru don and Smith to draw one up and report at the next meeting of the association.

In view of the foregoing decision, the question of arrears owing to the association by affiliated unions was held over until the next meeting. The wing-forward rule, as mentioned by the Thames Valley Rugy Union, was discussed, as well as several laws in the new hand-book. Three questions were sent on to the N.Z. Referees’ Association for answers. Referees were appointed for the first round of the Poland Gup games as enumerated in the report of the Thames Valley Rugby Union meeting.