PLAINS RUGBY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5435, 14 June 1929, Page 3

PLAINS RUGBY.

MEETING OF UNION. TIGHTENING OF CONTROL. The disability of Rugby football on -the Hauraki Plains and the reason for its marked decline of recent years, and particularly during the present season, was stated by Mr C. S. Foster, a member of the management committee, at a meeting of that body on Tuesday evening, to be the constitution of the union. The: matter arose incidental to a discussion on the position in regard to refereeing, when Mr Fdster asserted that the union had not stood solidly behind the late referees’ association, and he contended that it was not right, and that justice would never be done while club delegates sat in judgment on matters affecting their own or othei’ clubs. A Rugby union should comprise five or seven men who were not bound to or associated in any way with any club or team. The weakness of the present system by which the Hauraki Plains Rugby Union comprised two delegates from each affiliated club with an independent president was demonstrated at every meeting, when members voted, not on the merits of a case as would impartial men, but according to how they had been instructed by their club or according to how the decision would affect their club. A man could not be a good delegate for a club and an impartial member of the union. Mr Foster quoted instances to illustrate his point, referring particularly to decisions made earlier in the evening, and stated that he had tried before and would try again to have the constitution of the union altered. The objection had been raised that if his proposal succeeded and a union of independent men was to be appointed at the annual general meeting the club in whose centre the annual meeting was held could pack the meeting and elect men who would favour that club. Mr Foster contended that this was unlikely, and that no body of men would give such unjust decisions as had been done by the Hauraki Plains Union in the past. Members agreed with Mr Foster, but .the matter was not pursued further. Refereeing. The position in regard to the refereeing of matches was discussed at length. It was explained that owing to lack of members the Hauraki Plains Referees’ Association had been unable to function. On the union being advised -accordingly, its executive had agreed that as it could not secure sufficient officials the only solution would be to put the onus on the clubs, as if any organisation would get men to officiate it would be the clubs. The system had worked satisfactorily at first, but it was now advisable to adopt some other scheme, as disagreements between clubs were occurring. Under the system of incidental referees, matches were not commenced until well ..after the stipulated time, and. the insurance scheme was not functioning properly. The district had not been represented at the last meeting of 'the Thames Valley Referees’ Association. The general view of clubs was expressed by the secretary of the Turua Club, who wrote asking the union to give the matter attention. He pointed out that it was difficult for the clubs to come to a mutual understanding in the selection of referees. The earnest endeavour of all was to improve the standard of play, and to definitely eliminate rough and unsportsmanlike behaviour. This object could not be achieved so long as the officers in control of the games had no official body at their back to uphold their rulings. It was not possible for a referee who had no official capacity to exercise the same control over players as would be exercised by a referee who would be supported by a referees’ association. Players were tempted to take liberties, and in many cases did take liberties which would not be tolerated by a referees’ association. Thus, instead of the standard of play being uplifted it was steadily being dragged down by the continual occurrence of some brutal and unsportsmanlike act. Mr Foster expressed agreement, and said that the position was very serious, as the whole future of the game was bound up in the question of re-forming the referees' association. He then made the statement that the union had not stood solidly behind the late association, and spoke on the constitution of the union, concluding by stating he understood that there were many ex-players who would become referees if, and only if, a referees’ association was formed. Mr H. Dent, president, said that he could not agree to let the statement that the union had not supported the referees’ association pass unchallenged. Much had been made out of little incidents, but he had inside knowledge of the matter and knew that the trouble was due to internal friction and dissention. After other delegates had mentioned that there were men in' their districts who would join a referees’ association if one was formed, it was decided to convene a meeting of all those interested, to be held at Ngatea next Tuesday evening. Some of the effects of the lack of rigid control in recent matches were then brought up and thoroughly discussed. Inciting a Fight. Mr J. Reed, the referee of the Nga-tea-Turua match on Saturday last, reported having warned E. Clark, of Tuma, for threatening behaviour towards an opposing player. After the match there appeared to be a breach taking place between Clark and Paich, and A. Elvin was iciting them to fight. He had separated the fighters and had then turned to find the man who had been inciting them. On being challenged G. Elvin had denied it was he and had called the referee a liar. The referee asked that the union deal with the players mentioned and demonstrate that it was necessary for • players to behave when off the field, as well as when on the field. The matter was referred to the judicial committee for its attention.

Disputing a Decision. Mr C. C. Clark, referee of the Wai-takaruru-Kerepeehi junior match on Saturday reported having suspended C. Callander, a Kerepeehi junior, for disputing his decision after having been previously warned. Mr Clark, who was present as a substitute delegate, explained the position and advocated leniency under the circumstances. It was therefore decided to suspend the player for one Saturday. Unregistered Player. A protest was received from the Ngatea Club concerning the playing on Saturday by the Turua Club of an unregistered player, B. Moore. Mr G. T. Davidson, Ngatea Club, said he had recommended the entering of the protest for the reason that it was known that unregistered players were being included in many teams. It was desired'that the position should be cleared up and a thorough understanding on the matter reached. Mr A. Tynam, Turua Club, asked when players could be registered, and explained that in this instance an effort had been made to register Moore on the day of the match, but neither the secretary of the union nor any official could be found before the game commenced. The Turua Club was pleased a protest had been entered, as it would result in cleaning up the whole question. In the discussion that ensued it was explained that all players had to be registered annually, and. that clearances between clubs were necessary even at the beginning of a season. The only reason a club could decline to grant a clearance to a player who had left its district was the fact that he was owing subscriptions dr dues to the club. On the motion of Mr Tynam it was laid down that players must be registered 48 hours before a match in which they play, and that a clearance from a player’s former club must be produced to‘the secretary of the union for the union’s sanction of transfer before it becomes effective. A motion to uphold the Ngatea Club’s protest was lost, it being considered by delegates as being unfair to penalise a team in view of the lax methods of all teams in the past. Incidentally, this motion was moved and seconded by the Ngatea delegates, and was quoted by Mr Foster later in the meeting as an example of how a delegate had to act against his better judgment when instructed by his club. Suspension of Player. The judicial committee reported having considered the report of Mr J. Kidd, the. referee of the WaitakaruruNgatea match played on May 18, and had decided to suspend C. Stretton, of Waitakaruru, for three playing Saturdays for striking an opponent with his fist. The referee had urged the committee to take a serious view of the offence. The committee’s report stated that its decision was to have been communicated to C. Stretton by Mr A. H. McClean, one of its members. However, Stretton had played for his club on June 1, and the report stated that if this met with the approval of the union Stretton’s suspension should take effect from the date of the report, June 4. in a supplementary report the committee drew attention to the fact that Stretton had played for his club on June 4, and expressed the opinion that his team should forfeit the match, for whether the committee’s decision was conveyed to him or not his club should not have allowed him to play while his case was sub judice. Any conduct other than this was subversive of discipline in the individual and in clubs. Stretton had played on the previous Saturday, May 25, and, in the committee’s opinion, he might then have been unaware that he had been reported, but the fact that he had admitted the offence would have brought the knowledge of the report to his notice. The committee suggested that some action should be taken by the union. The Kerepeehi Club entered a protest concerning the WaitakaruruKerepeehi senior match on Saturday last on the grounds that C. Stretton had played whilst being suspended. The secretary reported that Mr Kidd’s report of the match on May 18 had been posted to him, but as he was in bed with influenza his letterbox had not been cleared until the following Thursday. The report was forwarded to the judicial committee by the next morning’s mail, and the decision was received back on the evening of June 5. On the following day the Waitakaruru Club, and also C. Stretton, had been written to, and on Saturday, June 8, the president of the Waitakaruru Club had been acquainted with the decision. It had not been possible to advise Stretton by telephone, but prior to the match at Kerepeehi the decision had been communicated verbally to Stretton, who had ignored it and had taken part in the match.

Mr C. C. Clark, Waitakaruru, questioned the legality of a referee’s report being dealt with when it had not been received by the secretary of the union within 48 hours, as required, he contended, by the rules of the N.Z. Rugby Union. He mentioned that Stretton had not been notified of the fact of his having been reported to the union, and that in a previous match a player had been suspended but not reported. As no notification had been received by Stretton or his club, it was felt that he was justified in playing.

Mr Dent said there was no doubt that there had been irregularities, chiefly due to sickness or absence from the district of the persons concerned, but there was also no doubt that Stretton had committed an offence; his own admission showed that. In the long discussion that followed it was pointed out that it was the duty of a referee to report every suspension, but a player was not debarred from playing in future matches if his suspension was not reported or his case was not dealt with by the union. It was agreed that as the report was not dealt with and the decision communicated to the offender or his club until after Stretton had played no action could be taken. To obviate similar occurrences in future, in the event of a referees’ association not

being formed it was decided that when a player was suspended by a referee it was the duty of the player or his club to ascertain whether the referee had reported the matter by 5 p.m. on the Tuesday following the match. Suspensions by referees must be inquired into in the week following the match, and a player suspended was not eligible to play until his case had been disposed of. Thames Valley. Fixtures. The programme of Thames Valley Rugby Union fixtures and of the Poland Cup and Sharebrokers Cup competitions was received from the Thames Valley Union. The interunion competitions would commence on June 29, and would continue fortnightly until July 27. Thames Valley representative matches would be played fortnightly during August, and the second round of the Poland Cup competition would probably be played during September and October. Matches with Thames. A letter was received from the Thames Rugby Union asking that the match at Thames which was postpon-, ed from the previous season be played at an early date. It was agreed to submit July 20, or to agree to any other date that did not clash with a Thames Valley Union fixture. Maramarua Juniors. Mr D. Steede, president of the Maramarua Club, waited on the union and explained that a club had been formed rather late in the season. The club, did not know in what union’s territory it was situated, and the delay had meant that some of its senior players had linked up with the Waitakaruru Club. - However, other players desired that the club should join up with the Hauraki Plains Rugby Union. Mr C. Hayward, a member of the Plains Union, had attended a meeting and had stated that he saw nO objection to a junior team taking part in the competition. The Maramarua Club had a good junior team, and the players were r very loyal and very keen. Mr C. Clark (Waitakaruru) said he had also attended the meeting at Maramarua-i. with Mr Hayward. It had been suggested that the Maramarua team enter the competition, and if the matches then missed had a bearing on the result of the competition they could be played later on. This arrangement had not been communicated to the union, and though matches had been arranged it was thought by the Plains clubs that these were only friendly matches. Members pointed out that six of the ten club Saturdays had passed, but only four junior games had been missed. Mr Davidson moved, and .Mr N. Clay seconded, that the Maramarua junior team be admitted to the competition, and that the two matches already played should count, and that -the two matches missed be played at the end of the season if the result of the competition depended on the result. Mr B. Tynam (Turua) supported the motion, but Mr P. Williams (Waitakaruru) opposed counting the matches already played as competi • tion games. Mr Steede said that if given the opportunity his team would be prepared to replay those games. The motion was carried, and it was arranged that Maramarua play Turua juniors at Turua on Saturday. (On the question of lack of referees on the Plains, those who are referees, and also those who wish to be and are held back through not being able to get the necessary instruction, are more than welcome at the fortnightly meetings of the Paeroa Referees’ Association. Here anything they may wish to know will be only too willingly explained to them, and every assistance given to aid them to control a game. Anyone desiring this help need have no hesitation in asking for it, for the body mentioned is out to do everything it can to assist the game. Not only actual referees, but players and all interested are cordially invited to attend the meetings, the next one of which is scheduled to take place on Saturday, the 22 inst., at 8 p.m. A ringt o Mr ,E. Smith, Paeroa, phone 30 D, will bring any further information that may be desired.)