FOOTBALL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2131, 22 May 1920, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

Last night Messrs F. D. Mhibley, F. Williams, and E. McEwen attended a meeting of the Horowhenua Bugby Union, at Levin, to appeal against live Foxton juniors (W. Baker, Moses, 11. Taylor, A. Thompson and M. Kobinson) being classltied as seniors. Mr V\ hibley said that (ho Eoxton juniors ('(intended that the proposed elassitiealion was not fair, and pointed out that all the players concerned, with the exception of one, were not more than 21 years of age, and one. of theiu was (,nly 18, and another 1!). He contended that to take these players out of the junior team would result in the team being broken up, as they did not have other players to replace them. There was the probability also that these players would not ihen be gble to play football, as the senior team was already, full. H the Union adhered U> their previous decision the Foxton Club intended to appeal to the Now Zealand Rugby Union, the speaker contending thataccording to the Horowhenua Union’s own rules they had not the power to classify junior players as seniors after the commencement of the competitions. "Whilst live Foxton plavers were classified, the Levin juniors and the Hui Mai juniors were not interfered with at all, and although on paper five Shannon men had apparently been classified, in realilv no such classification bad taken place, as the players concerned had all played senior this year, and there appeared to he no intention of attempting to play them as juniors. Another thing, the members of the Classification Committee had not even seen the Foxton juniors [day, and the men had apparently been classified on reputation. This was absolutely unfair. Whilst the Foxton footbaiiers were anxious Vo assist the Union in every way possible, they expected fair treatment, and in this particular instance they did.not consider they had received it. It looked to them that the Levin and Hui Mai teams were getting far more consideration than Foxton w;as getting. He asked that the decision arrived at at the last meeting be reconsidered, and failing that the Foxton Club would appeal to the New Zealand Union.

. The Waikanae Club also appealed against C. Porter being classified as a senior.

After the Foxton deputation had withdrawn the Union considered the matter, and the members of the deputation were later informed that it had been decided to refer the question to the New Zealand Rugby Union for their decision, and in the meantime the players concerned can continue to play as juniors.