FOXTON’S CHIMERICAL REP MATCH.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3679, 18 August 1927, Page 3

FOXTON’S CHIMERICAL REP MATCH.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PROTEST DISCUSSED. BY HOROWHENUA RUGBY UNION The Fox ton Chamber of Commerce protest about the change of venue of the rep. match was discussed at Tuesday’s meeting of the liorowhenua Rugby Union. Mr. Wrigley moved, seconded by Mr Anderson,, that the letter be received. The chairman (Mr J. O’Connor) said he did not think the Foxton delegates should shoulder the blame for the shifting of the rep. match. The Council were quite in accord with the delegates. Mr Neville had mentioned at the previous meeting that he asked for assistance from the players and they absolutely refused to give it.. Mr Richards considered the Union should answer the letter. We don’t want to fall out with the Foxton public, he said. Mi- Rimmer: The reason was clear enough as to why they did not get the match. The delegates felt that it was impossible for them to give the time and money to put the grounds in order. They had approached different people in Foxton, I understand, and they could not get any assistance whatever. There has been no part of the Union previously but what has been prepared to give what assistance it possibly could in order to get a game. I don’t know that the Chamber have a grievance at all. Had that game been played in Foxton the cost of preparing that ground would have been borne by the delegates, and I don’t think that, the Chamber are a sportsmanlike body. They may want to get the benefit of any sports held in Foxton but they want them at the expense of the sporting bodies. The Chamber have shown that they are not .prepared at any time to get the games there. We should have liked to fufil our pledge. It was on the recommendation of the delegates from Foxton and on that only, that we decided to take that game x from Foxton to Levin. It was very much against the grain of the Foxton de-. legates and of the Council, and I do not think that if there is any blame it is attributable to the delegates, but to the busisess people of Foxton. Mr Wrigley: I think that if the letter is received it will be quite sufficient, seeing that the Chamber was so late in bringing the matter up. Mr Neville: We had the offer of two matches, and they knew why we lost the first one. If they were i so anxious to get a second match it was their business to come forward and not ours to beg and pray of them if they wanted this, sport. Mr Joyce endorsed Mr Rimmer’s remarks: ' Jill’ Neville: The public of Foxton do blame the delegates for the match being shifted to Levin. They think we came here with the inten : tion of shifting the match. They 'don’t know the ins and outs of it. Mr Richards: The Chamber think that the ground, is in good order to play on. They don’t seem to understand the position about the fence and goal-posts being wanted. Mr Rimmer: They think if they had a crowd in Foxton, everybody would be anxious to spend a bob or two. The Chairman: I am quite in agreement with Mr Rimmer, and I think the rest of the Council are. Mr Richards considered it only courtesy to answer the letter and moved that a letter of explanation be forwarded the Chamber. Mr Wrigley: Why did they not move when they had their opportunity They could have carried the match out if they had eared to go into it. Mr' Richards: I think the Chamber of Commerce do not understand the position. The public of Foxton may think the same as the Chamber, thus putting the Council in a false position. The Chairman: No doubt the public of Foxton have been led to a wrong opinion in regard to the shifting of the match. Mr Neville seconded Mr Richard’s amendment that an answer be sent to the Chamber, and in doing so, stated that a meeting was going to be called to consider the question of Foxton’s reverting to the Manawatu Union. If this Council’s position were explained, it should settle the movement. The people in Foxton seemed to have hold of the wrong end of the stick and the action which he suggested would clean the matter right up. Feeling was running very high there, but he thought that what he urged would put a stop to it. Mr Neville further stated that he was strongly against Foxton going into Manawatu and that he thought this action would strengthen the Union’s hands at the meeting. / The amendment was carried without dissent) the motion being withdrawn. Levin is the geogrophical centre of the Horowhenua Rugby Union. It does not follow, however, by reason of that fact that it is entitled to be the centre for all classic or representative fixtures. A majority of the Union delegates are reasonable on that point and distributed representative fixtures in different centres. Before settling that point, however, it was the duty of the Union to satisfy itself that the grounds and appointments were suitable and if not to take the necessary steps and incur such expenditure to meet the requirements, as the Union control the grounds* and take the revenue. But to ask local clubs and players who pro-

vide the games without fee or reward to' give their services in erecting necessary conveniences and safeguards which should be attended to by the controlling body, is going too far. To promote the best interests of the game the Union must fulfil financial and other obligations and the local delegates have failed to impress these points upon the Union.