CORRESPONDENCE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2186, 7 October 1920, Page 1

CORRESPONDENCE.

(To the Editor.)

Sir. —I trust you will insert this letter in the columns of your newspaper, so that a false impression regarding the Third Grade football competition may be removed. The secretary of the Foxton Football Club read in the local paper about the Rovers winning the championship, and accordingly wrote asking for an explanation. Since the receipt of his letter the Union officials have not met, and 1 was intending to put the matter before them. However, I have been asked to write you on the mailer and explain what appears to many the seemingly unfair attitude taken by the Rugby Union Committee. When the question of a Third Grade competition was raised, the Committee decided to carry on under the conditions laid down by them, failing which nothing would be done. The age limit was specially commented upon, and that was this: No one must be more than sixteen years of; age when the season began: that: is lo say, if a boy was turning seventeen during the month of June or July he could play, but if his seventeenth birthday was in January or February, then he was debarred from playing. Such conditions do not appear in the Rule hook, but the Committee has power to add rules which that body thinks suitable. Each club was sent a copy of (lie rules laid down. AVhen the coach of the Foxton team was approached regarding the age of his players he frankly admitted that some of them were over seventeen, This sporting attitude was much appreciated, but he gave us to understand that no question of age. limit was given him by the secretary. W'e regretted having to inform him that all previous matches played by his team would have to be forfeited, and the keenness displayed in looking after and coaching his boys certainly deserved a better fate. A deputation from Foxton wailed on (he Union at its following meeting, and protested against the action of (he Committee. They were informed that the decision could not be altered, because if matches were not played according to the rules laid down the competition would have ben abandoned. The other teams conformed to the rules well enough excepting the Manakau boys, who put in anyone who came along. Their chances were, of course, nil, so that there was no need to bother about them. That is the explanation wanted, and I trust it will be sufficient to clear up the atmosphere of reports detrimental to the good old game.— Yours, etc., W. WEHII’EIIIAXA, Secretary Ilorowhenua Rugby Union, levin, October 4th, 1020.