RUGBY FOOTBALL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3011, 16 March 1926, Page 3

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

COMBINED UNIONS MEET.

The “wash-up” meeting of the newly-formed Manawhenua Rugby Union was held over the week-end, when Mr. T. Collins (Feilding) occupied the chair. Other members present were Messrs K. Eglington, H. Crawford, J. R. Hardie, W. Carruthers, W. Dustin (Manawatu), J. Procter, L. Carmichael, J. Rimmer (Levin), F. Robinson (Foxton) and J. B. Proud (hon. secretary). The New South Wales Rugby Union wrote thanking the combined union for its courteous treatment and hospitality, extended to the members of the N.S.Wt teams when visiting Palmerston North last season.

The Ashburton County Rugby sub-Union wrote asking the support at the annual general meeting of the New Zealand Union to the proposal of making the writers a separate union instead of being affiliated to the Canterbury Union. —The matter did not meet with favour because of its encouragement of small

unions.” The Horowhenua Referees’ Association, asked whether it could reinstate a League referee to a Rugby referee.—Held over pending report from New Zealand Union. The question of fixing the scale of players’ expenses was left to the incoming 'committee. It was decided to make an application to the New Zealand Union that the schools’ grant be increased.

The* incoming committee was recommended to make the boundary of the councils from Longburn bridge down to the Manawatu river to a line from Sorenson’s store at Himatangi thence to the sea. A further recommendation was that the union consider the question of dividing the District Councils’ football into divisions. COMBINED UNIONS ANNUAL REPORT. The annual report of the Horo-whenua-Manawatu Rugby Union to be presented at the general meeting on Sunday, April 18, reads as follows: In submitting the report for the 1925 season the committee desires to thank all who worked so hard in the interests of Rugby (in the Union area) that brought about the amalgamation of the two Unions. It considers that in the near future, if foofball is thoroughly fostered, that thlc Manawatu-Horof whenua Union will hold its own with the larger unions in the Dominion. The Union has affiliated about 1500 players in grade football under the jurisdiction of the four districts. The main work carried on by the committee during the season was attending to representative matches and drafting the Union and District Council rules. Although the selected teams did not show up as expected, they certainly played some goo_d football and the committee considers, if careful selection is made during the ensuing year, that a first-class representative side can be placed on the field. Five matches were played, including . the combined match with Wellington against the New South Wales team, resulting in one win and four losses. The Union commenced its career without a single shilling and after heavy outlay to commence with, which will not occur again for some considerable time, finished with a handsome credit balance. The committee considers that the funds require very careful handling for the ensuing year as all representative matches have to be replayed, and costs will be heavy, and suggests that a scale of players’ expenses should be organised for the ensuing year. The committee desires to thank the Manawatu and Horowhenua Referees’ Associations for appointing referees for the matches and

also desires to sincerely thank Drs. Hunter Will, Mackay and Twhigg for their valuable services rendered to injured players during the season;. Special thanks are also due to the Police and Railway Departments and the press.