FOOTBALL IN FOXTON.

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 3991, 31 August 1929, Page 3

FOOTBALL IN FOXTON.

DIFFICULTIES IN KEEPING TRAVELLING ENGAGEMENTS

DELEGATES EXPLAIN THE

REASONS

Oranges and chewing-gum fov.the Foxton senior football team were bought to no purpose on Saturday, Mr. F. Robinson told the Horowheuua Rugby Council on Tuesday evening. Seven of the playelrs work at the wharves, and they were unexpectedly called upon to do duty at the new steamer on Saturday afternoon, thus preventing the team going away to meet Otaki in the Nash Cup contest. The weather was really to blame for this; it had looked like being wet, which would have meant no work, and therefore an opportunity to play the match, but after the arrival of the vessel, at half-past one, it suddenly cleaved up, and so the hatches were opened. This was the reason why Otaki won the match on a default.

Another failure on the part of Foxton players was referred to by Mr. S. Hooper (junior selector), who said he would like an explanation as to why Foxton juniors nominated for the North v. South trial match at Levin on August 10th did not turn up. Mr. Robinson said he had not had any explanation of their nonappearance, but he had understood that the fixture was a practice match.

Mr. Hooper: No; it was to select a rep. team. Mr. Robinson: When this Council has been to a certain amount of expense to get a selector to go round, leaving it to his judgment to select them in club contests, don’t you think that is quite sufficient, instead of bringing them in from a dead-end Ike ours? I think it is wrong if, for failing to turn up, they are thrown out of rep. football for the season. If a selector cannot tell a player from watching club matches, he should not select football.

Mr. Hooper: There are two divisions in this junior, competition. Do you expect a selector to travel to Paraparaumu without a team? It might cost him a pound. How can one selector pick a team when they are scattered from Foxton to Waikanaefi Mr. Robinson: How do Messrs Winiata and Ryan pick a senior team?

Mr. Hooper: They have a trial match.

Mr. W. 'S. Heyes (Foxton) said that when players were picked for A and B matches, they got a certain amount of travelling expenses. The Foxton men were anxious to play and approached him albout transport. He rang up the secretary of the Council, who said, “They have to get over the best way they can.” 'The speaker did not think it was a fair proposition that they should not have their travelling expenses allowed. Mr. Robinson: It is not, either.

Continuing, M|r. Heyes said it would have cost the Foxton players 25/- to hire a car. It was not fair, when seniors had travelling expenses allowed them. He was not saying anything against the secretary of the Council for haring stated that they would have to make their own arrangements; the secretary was .•only conforming to the rules. At the same time, the speaker thought that an injustice was done to junior players. Mr. F. Meyers (Wailkanae) said ir had been understood that it was not the practice of the Council to pay the expenses of juniors in the trials.

Mr. Heyes: It does not alter the fact that it is an injustice to juniors to expect them to pay their expenses. Mr. A. Richards (Shannon). I think that, if the Council had been financial enough, it would have paid the expenses of the juniors for trial games. If we paid the expenses of the juniors, we would be expected to pay those of the thirds. The secretary ('Mr. J. Casey) stated that the seniors were not the only players who received expenses. Junior rep. teams got their expenses, and so did the thirds. It had cost the Council £l2 for the juniors to go to Palmerston last Saturday. On September 14th there would be expenses for them „to go to Otaki. There was no trial

game among the seniors. The alternative to the present position would be to have no trial game whatever. The thirds last year had a trial match in Levin, and there was no question of paying their ex-

penses. Mr. Robinson said that Foxton players were not complaining about not being; picked in rep. matches. It was mentioned that Croon was the only Foxton junior selected for the match against Wellington at Levin next Saturday. The chairman ("Mr. W. Hannan): There is only one trial match that we pay for; that is the Maori - Pakeha game. It is impossible for us to pay for all trial games. With regard to the Foxton players not coining, thb other teams all came at their own expense. There is no complaint from Foxton juniors about not being picked; if those boys did not come, the selectors had no alternative but to leave them out. As far as the selectors are concerned, we have every confidence, and I think we have done the right thing. The Foxton boys not coming over let their selector down. If other teams took up the same attitude, we would have no selectors at all. Mir. Heyes: I was not trying to shield the Foxton boys. The chairman: You cannot compel a player to come, and I think that that is the end of it.

Mr. Heves referred to the Foxton 'Club having been fined 5/- at the last meeting of the Council, for their senior team not having been in attendance at Shannon on August 17th for a Nash Cup fixture. He thought this was rather rough on the Foxton Club. Mr. Robinson was away that day; the ’bus was waiting, but a number of the men were absent owing to sickness, and some others were working the boats. When he found what the position was, lie notified ,Shannon that Foxton could not get a team; it was a little late, but that could not be helped. He asked if the Council felt disposed to remit the fine.

The Chairman read the rule setting- out that any club unable to keep an engagement must notify the secretary of the Council, the secretary of the Referees’ Association, and the other club, in time to avoid expenses being incurred; also that' the fine may be remitted in the case of a reasonable explanation. Mr. Heyes said he had kept the transport waiting till the last minute, in the hope of being able to get a team away.

The chairman: I don’t sec any reason why we should remit the fine. The referee wont to Shannon, and we were out of pocket in paying his expenses. J know it is hard, but it is to protect us from unnecessary expense.