REFEREE AND PLAYER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2759, 17 July 1924, Page 3

REFEREE AND PLAYER.

MR. NEVILLE’S COMPLAINT RE-OPENED.

i (VM MUNICATION FROM N.Z. UNION.

The incident in which H. Jacob i, alleged to have threatened to pull the nose of the referee after the Foxton-Wanderers match in Foxton, some weeks ago, was re opened at the Horowheniia Rugby Union at Levin on Tuesday night, as ike result of a letter received from the New Zealand Rugby the referee in question, and a file of newspaper clippings bearing on Jim incident. They wrote that they had been appealed to by Air Neville who had supplied the clippings and given ids version of the incident, claiming that lie had not received far treatment by the Morowhenua Union which had refused to meet him in the matter of expenses of hiiuself and witnesses.' The N.Z.R.U. asked for an explanation of the incident. Mr Rummer moved that the letter be received. He, the speaker, was positive that no communication had been received from Mr Neville as to expenses. The only intimation of this was a remark made by the referee to the president of the Union (Air E. Nash) as he had been leaving the field. It was only a few weeks before this when Air Neville had cited a representative of the Rugby Union, on which occasion he had not asked for expenses. It seemed to the speaker, that Mr Neville had known that his case was unsound and had taken this way of getting out of the mess his hastiness had got him into. A referee was a man who above everything should he capable of controlling men, and not always be up against somebody,.cither a player or spectator.

Mr Hutchins stated that previous to this complaint, every time Mr Neville eanu- Lo Levin, he had come tree in Mr Austin’s car, so that it laid not cost him anything. He, the speaker, had known Jacob for a long time and bud also known Mr Newbie, who bad gone out of his way considerably Lo referee in matches, lie had been informed in Poxtou lint! three credible witnesses bad ottered to come over at their own expense and give testimony for Mr Neville in this case, it was not right lo decry him too much, in consideration of this fact.

Mr Biiuiuer asked leave Lo withdraw his previous motion, which had been made under the impression that the communication had come from .Mr Neville and to substitute I lie following: •‘That this Union lias considered the verbal staiement of the referee made to the president regarding bringing over witnesses and expenses therefor, and ins ielLer forwarded to the Union, also the letter received from the N.Z. Kugby Union, and considers lhal it is impossible to proceed with the matter further as Mr Neville’s statements are inconsistent, and that a copy of his loiter Lo the Union be forwarded to tiie A.A. Kugby Union. —Carried.