FOOTBALL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2270, 30 April 1921, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

lIOROWHENUA RUGBY UNION.

A special general meeting of the Horowhenua Rugby Union was held on Thursday night, the main business being the alterations to the rules. The chair was taken by F. Whibley. The rule referring to the Management Committee was altered to exclude more than one member of any team sitting on that body. _ It was decided to have three selectors for the senior rep. team, and two for the junior. The contentious rule, referring to classification was keenly debated, and the Rules Committee’s proposed amendment that the Management Committee have the right to classify a man after six games was altered to “not more than three games.” It was decided Jhat there be no age limit for third-class players, but that fourth-class be under 16 years on May Ist. Among the recommendations made to the Management Committee was that the senior competitions he carried on when rep. matches are being played; that rep. matches be played in other townsJ-han Levin. Several alterations were made in the rules relating to the insurance scheme, the most important being that each senior team contribute £2 2s to the fund, and teams from other grades £1 Is; that the fee for senior, junior and third-class players be ss, and for fourth class 2s (id; that the Union give £lO 10s annually to the fund, and the annual meeting have tho right to make a further grant.

Messrs It. George and T. Rowland were added to the Management Committee.

There were five nominations for the three senior rep. selectors, and Messrs Moynihan (Shannon), Desmond (Foxton) and Parata (Waikanae) were elected. Messrs J.■O’Connor and T. Vfehipeihana were elected junior selectors.

At the close of the general meeting a meeting of the Management Committee was held.

A request was received from the Ilui Mai Club for the reinstatement of Waka Ileperi, who was suspended last season for using objectionable language to the referee. Mr Iloro Karati (the referee) was ('ailed in, and stated that the player in question had used language that compelled him to take drastic action. but. the player admitted being under the influence of liquor at the lime, and the referee considered that the punishment already meted out was sufficient. The Committee considered the matter, and decided that, in the interests of clean, sport, it was necessary to give strong support to the referees in the matter of bad language on the field. It was recognised that unless players who defied the referees were drastically deal! with there would soon be no referees left to control the game. Ileperi was then called in, and at the request of the committee he. tendered a fitting apology to Mr Kaurati, and after being admonished by the chairman, it was decided that the suspension be lifted.

A Finance Committee, consisting of Messrs Procter, W. Wehipeiknua, Billons and Whibley was set up to organise the Union’s finances..