RUGBY CONTROL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 30502, 24 June 1926, Page 3

RUGBY CONTROL.

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEETING. The usual weekly meeting of the Horowhenua District Rugby Council tookf plaice last Thursday night. Mr. J. J. O’Connor was in the chair, Messrs M. Winiata, J. Rimmer, B. Brann, F. Robinson, S. Austin, W. Hannan, J. W. Procter, N. Emmett and W. Neville also being present. Messrs H. Lynch, J. McDonald and J. Robinson forwarded apologies for non-attendance. The Hawkes Bay Union stated, in connection with a proposed visit of a team to Levin, that they were committed to so many matches that one with Horowhenua could not eventuate till next season. —Received. 1 UNMARKED GROUNDS. The Horowhenua Referees Association forwarded a letter stating that the Ofeaki ground was not in any way marked out, and it had not been in a fit condition, insofar as concerned marking out, for the past month. As the Referees Association had reported this matter on two previous occasions, it now considered the ground to be unfit for play. Mr. Emmettl said the referee at Otaki on Saturday reported having to go along the touch lines and mark them with a stick. The referees asked) that the regulations applying to this question be enforced, i.e., referees have power to cause clubs to forfeit matches if their grounds are not correctly marked. Mr. O’Connor said that he was in sympathy with the) Referees Association, and he felt that referees should be upheld in their decision not to referee matches played on incorrectly or illegibly marked grounds. Mr. Hannan moved that if the club in question did not perform; the necessary work by Thursday, evening, the match to be 1 played there on Saturday (Shannon v. Otaki, at Otaki) should he transferred to Shannon. Mr. Austin seconded the motion, which was carried.

A vote of sinccfei sympathy was extended to Mr. J. W. .Procter, whose mother passed away on Friday week last. The vote of condolence was carried, (all members standing).

GRANT FOR REFEREES’ ASSO--1 CIATION.

The Horowhenua Referees’ Association appealed for a grant of. £lO.

Mr. Emmett said that although, at the beginning of, the season the Association had owed over £2O, this was now reduced to £O. lie produced a statement to this effect.

Messrs Hannan and Austin spoke in favour of the grant being made in view of the work 1 they had done to assist themselves.

Mr. Brann nioved, as an amendment, that the matter should; be held over until the end of the financial year, when the books bad been audited, the' request having been introduced in a most unbusinesslike way* The chairman seconded the amendment, and, in) so doing, remarked that the production of a statement at the last moment had come somewhat as a bombshell, and he objected to such statements, unsigned, appearing at short notice before the Committee. The figures should have been tabled before. Mr. Emmett said the' reason why the statement had been unsigned was that he had brought the figures with him just to show how the money had been disbursed, and for no other reason.

Mr. Casey said that already the referees’ expenses • amounted to something like £6 a month ,which, at the end of the season, meant a not inconsiderable sum, and he though some consideration should be giving before making the grant.

Mi’. Emmett stated that of the £6 odd debit standing in the Association books, approximately £3 was due him for expenses paid out of his own pocket atl the time when the Union had practically no money, and the Referees Association were also in debt. For the sake of the Referees’ Association lie would like to have the matter cleared up, so that they would have a little money in hand for current expenses.

On being put Lo| the vote the amendment was lost. Mr. C'asey then moved that the letter be referred to the( Finance Committee. Mr. Austin pointed out that this meant a direct motion of, no-confi-denee in the management committee. The chairman said that was understood. Mr. Neville said that while he had every confidence in the Finance Committee, lie would hesitate to '"vote for the amendment, as.it might mean disagreement between members! of the Committee. Mr. Hannan agreed with the opinion expressed by Messrs Austin and Neville, as, if passed, it would probably mean a split in. the Finance Committee. Mr. Casey said the original motion was a direct instruction to the Finance Committee, and, therefore, showed a lack of confidence in it. Mr. Hannan remarked that the finance committee, in deciding to grant the amount, apparently would show a lack of confidence in the Management Committee’s judgment. It was eventually resolved, after many motions 1 and amendments, that the financial committee shall consider the granting of £lO to the Referees’ Association.