FOOTBALL GRIEVANCES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2460, 29 July 1922, Page 3

FOOTBALL GRIEVANCES.

VENTILATED AT PUBLIC MEETING. UNION’S - ADMINISTRATION CONDEMNED. •yA FOXTON slighted. A well-attended public meeting of local footballers and others interested in the game convened by the local club, was held in the Town Hall supper-room on Thursday evening for thb purpose of discussing the Horowhenua Rugby Union Management Committee’s action re the allocation of grounds for the playing of representative matches. The Mayor (John Chrystall Esq.) occupied the chair.

- Mr Wliibley, the local club's delegate on the Union's Management . Committee, in outlining the position said that last year the distribution of rep. matches had been quite satisfactory. ' This year they expected the same treatment but Foxton had nob received one rep. match. The Union had decided that all rep. - matches be played in Levin. Mr Whibley said that he had moved an amendment that the rep. matches be distributed among the four cen- , tres, namely Otaki, Levin, Shannon, - and Foxton. This was rejected, a - special meeting of club delegates was then convened. At this meeting a motion was moved recommending that rep, matches be distributed among the four centres. This was carried by 17 votes to 13. It was then decided by the Management Committee that Foxton should have the Wairarapa rep. game. Those who voted against the motion were the Levin delegates. He then gave notice of motion at the Union meeting to rescind the motion that all games bo played in Levin. Mr Thomson, of Levin, said that the club delegates had no power to dictate to the Management Committee where rep. matches should be played. The motion, however, was rescinded and after a lot of fighting, it was decided that the Taranaki rep. match be played at Shannon _ on the second of August and also that the Wairarapa rep. match should be played at Foxton._Now, the Wairarapa match being played at Foxton would mean 25 players being lodged in Foxton from Monday night to Thursday morning, approximately £3O worth of board. When Levin realised this, they wanted the game played in Levin. Mr Whibley then moved that the . Wairarapa match be played at Foxton but could get no seconder for

his motion. Eventually Mr Thom—son, of Levin, seconded the motion i pro forma. When it came to voting Mr Whibley was the only one who voted for the motion. It was also said that the Foxton ground was not suitable as there was fern sit growing on it. The Foxton ground aj . he contended was the best ground in the Horowhenua Rugby Union District. The caretaker of the Racecourse (Air Procter) had informed him that there was no fern on the ground. Then the question of gate money had cropped up. Last year Shannon had the best - gate return for a rep. match. Foxton could do equally as well, if not better. He considered Foxton had been slighted right through. The endeavour had been to centralise at Levin, and he was of the opinion that this meeting should enter an emphatic protest against the attitude taken up by the Horowhenua Rugby Union committee. Mr Freeman, Secretary of the Foxton Racing Club, said that the use of the Racecourse ground had been granted the club free of cbar- ' ge. The ground was in good condi- ' tion.

" Mr Procter, caretaker of the Racecourse, said that the ground was in good order and that fact was known to the Union. There was 9 no fern on the ground. NO-CONFIDENCE IN MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE. Mr Roore Rangiheuea then moved “that this public meeting of citizens of Foxton and district enter an emphatic protest against the unfair attitude adopted by the Management Committee of the Horowhenua Rugby Union in refusing to allow the Wairarapa-Horo-whenua representative match to be played at Foxton, after it had received direction to play the match at Foxton from a general meeting of delegates representing the whole of the Clubs in the Horowhenua Union’s district. This meeting is of • opinion that if the mismanagement of football in this district by the

.Horowhenua Management Committee this year is allowed to continue > a *-it will have a very detrimental effect on the game of Rugby and urges the Clubs concerned to take such steps as will tend to put the management on a proper and fair basis.” - Mr Procter seconded the motion. GATE MONEY. Mr E. G. Martin: What becomes of the gate money? The Horowhenua Rugby Union takes the biggest per centage and we get nothing fr for it in retnm. Mr Whibley: The Union takes all the money, except what is paid to ihe gate-keepers, as no charge is made locally for the use of the ground. The money is used to foster football in the district (he would ncvfc say that it had) and to pay expenses, etc. Foxton was the only place where no charge was made for the ground and hence all the money goes to the Union. Mr E. G. Martin: Is the Union indebted in any way to the Beautifying Society for using Easton Park? Mr Whibley: There was only one - match played there. If there is anything owing it is ony a few shilling®* - -

WITHDRAW FROM THE UNION,

Mr Smith: "What is the position if the Union committee refuse to allow Foxton a rep. match? Is there no action in protest the Foxton Club can take, backed by tbe business peple of the town? He considered Levin's action very selfish. He asked if there was no other Union Foxton could join. A voice: Manawatu. The Mayor said that Foxton could withdraw from the Horowhenua Union. Air Whibley said that a sub. union was about to be formed. The best thing they could do would be to get into touch with other clubs and unite and get fairer representation. At present the Horowhenua Rugby Union Committee was under the control of a few Levin people. It was anything but fair. If they got fairer representation they would get better treatment. Out of the nine members of the Union, seven were Levin representatives or re]>resentatives from near Levin. Father Vibaud and he were the only outsiders.

The motion was then put and carried unanimously. ALLEGED BETTING. Mr E. G. Afartin said he would like to say something in connection with the recent betting charge. There was no match played without “parasites” being in prominence and betting going oil. The meeting had all the evidence of the recent allegations before it through the paper. He himself had seen money changing hands at practically every match he had witnessed. He had been a witness to this sort of thing concerning one man connected with the recent, charge. The game must be kept clean. He was of the opinion that the meeting should congratulate Air Whibley on the stand which he had taken. Air Alar tin alleged that the majority of the Horowhenua Alanagement Committee also bet. Tbe Mayor said that Air Martin was hardly in order in making such references but be agreed that the sport must he kept clean. If betting were allowed to creep in. it would kill football. AIR WHIBLEY’S ACTION ENDORSED. Mr McDowell moved, seconded by Air Hutchinson “that this meeting heartily congratulates Air Whibley on th.e stand which he has taken in connection with the betting charge in which the name of one of the members of the Horowhenua Rugby Union Alanagement Committee was involved.” Air Freeman said that the motion was not in order. He would not vote against the motion, however.

The motion was carried unanimously. The usual voles of thanks concluded the meeting.