FOOTBALL.

Otaki Mail, 5 June 1922, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

SHANNON FOOTBALL INCIDENT. SUSPENSION OF GROUNDS LUTED. JUNIOR SUSPENSION TO STAND. The incident that occurred on the Shannon ground recently received further ventilation at the weekly meeting 01 the Horowihenua Kugby Union on Tuesday on account oi a letter being- received from the shannon Clue slating that a deputation would wait upon the Union and press ihe club's claim ior the removal oi tlie suspension uom the shunuon ground, and aiso to place the position of tne Shannon public bemre Hit. Union. The president \Mv K. J. Nash, was in ihe chair, anil Fattier Vibeaud and Messrs M. Winiata, F. Wbibley, J,. Dixon, \\. Thomson, It. W. Perry, W. Bevan and L. S. Carniichael (secretary were also present. The Shannon deputation consisted oi the .Mayor (Mr W. Murdoch), and Messrs. W. and It. Moynihan, Hardie, Mason and J. curran. Mr Murdoch said he was appearing more oif behali' ol' the public 01 Shanlioti, although lie was aiso president oi me Shannon Club; but- the mattei that concerned turn most was the disqualification oi me ground. The public lookeu upon that as a stigma upon themselves and upon die borough Council, as eusiouiuiis 01 me grounds. He thought the unions uecisiou was a lreiuted one, iounuea upon reports that were exaggerated arm incorrect. It nad been said New zeaiandeis lacked imagination, but that could not now be ascribed to me paper which publisher an account oi the affair, lmtueuiutei) he baa iieard oi the mutter he bau investigate dit pet sonaily, and then Instructed Hie police to take action against those concerned in lite melee, and have them punished, li could uol be said alter ihat

tliat toul or rough play was condoned in Shannon, and it was unfair that a stigma was allowed to rest upon the town. It would have been unfair to have held an inquiry aim tried those concerned whilst the matter was sub judice. The Mayor said he did not think the Union would have arrived at the decision it bad il it had the correct information concerning the affair. "Me was concerned in the interests of the local public and Borough Council, which woukl not countenance the actions oi those responsible lor such conduct as took plac-e. The people of the town v.'ete good sports, and did not favour rowdiness. They took a keen iuteiist the sport, as evidenced I, '-■• d ii!{ ' returns at Uhe last rep. match at Shannon. He again asked the Union not to condemn the grounds, but to punish the guilty ones, and not let the public, of the town suffer and have this stigma rest upon them". He assured the Union that the public wished to see the players concerned deal! With and punished by the Court. Mr Outran supported the Mayor, and considered the public should not he deprived of their .-port because oi some junior players who had misbehaved themselves. Mr W. Moynihan, as an old player of the Shannon Club, said ins club did not hold any brief for people who made assaults on referees or anyone use. From the spectators" point oi | view, it was unfair to Shannon to I have such reports circulated as appeared m the papers. Shannon, he claimed, contained as good sports as . were to be found anywhere, and he referred to unsportsmanlike incidents on other grounds in finis I.mill, and Levin was one. Tiieie was hardly a paper m New Zealand to-day that had not had some reference lo the. Shannon football incident. The Union's action was not lair to the senior and third grade players, and in their interests, and in die interests of lire game, he asked that the suspension of the ground bo reconsidered. Mr Hardie said that they had the assurance ol tlhe four men concerned that they would not 'go on to the ground until they nad & eeD deall

with by the Court. There was no reason, therelore, why the embargo on the ground should not be lilted. Mr U. Moynihan called attention to the tact that several members oi the Shannon senior team lived at a considerable distance from the town, so that'it was impossible to play away from Shannon every Saturday, which they would have to do if the suspension was continued. He had ) -en informed by the police that me case would not be heard for two months yet, and if 'the suspension continued till'then it would b* near the end oi the season. The Third Grade team was in a worse position Jhan the seniors, as many were not wage-earners and could not travel every Saturday as would be required if the suspension remained. father Vibeaud asked what was the conduct oi the other players whilst the episode was going on, also the attitude of the crowd. Mr Hardie said he saw the whole incident. There, was not a spectator who interfered with the referee. He appealed to the referee to stop the game, but the referee decided to go on. Mr Murdoch said the incident did not seem so bad if the referee could go on. He could, moreover, say that one of the Shannon players took the referee's part. Mr Mason stated a lot had been made of the action of the spectators. He was on the line, and could say Ihe spectators took no part in the episode at all. The referee was hooted and some of the hooting was done by Levin players. The chairman: Are you quite certain? Mr Mason: I am. speaking from what I know. It is an absolute fact. He considered it arbitrary for the Union'to suspend the Shannon ground on the word of one or two mem The Union had not got the whole fact, o the case. „„,.„ Mr Bevan, a member of the Union pslS. he was at the match, and dl< 1 ncrt agre» with Mr Hardia or Mr Ma

' son. "I can say the scene was the worst V have seen on a football ground in my hie," be said. "You say the spectators end not, urge on the players. That is not. a laci, aim tney used awful language." lie reported to tne Union at last, meetng what mm occurred. The crowd lonowed the reieree up ihe ground to .wbeie ue got, his coat, and then down to the gale. It would ifave taken little to have cuuscu a not. Mr Murdoch: The wrong-doers .will be punished. Mr Mason admitted the referee was followed, and that was why he weni with the referee. In the excitement of the moment no doubt two people would get different ideas of tlhe affair, i His: reason lor going with the refere'e was because the player who was \ first ordered off was following the referee, for what reason the speaker , did not kuw. Mr Thomson asked if a man who was warned on all grounds uy the Union was hue umpire on the UUy ol this occurience. i Mr iiaruie »aiu iie replied to that question at last meeting. It was a lact tne man was due umpire of the , junior match, 'ihe ground was a public one, and people could not be ; kept off. Mr Thomson considered it looked bad that a disqualified man was line i umpiring. He quite understood that j the Saaimon Domain was a puoiic ■ ground, and tne public could not M . slopped iroiii going on to it. Mr Hardie explained that Shannon ; was not ■■sulking" because the seal- j

ors and Lliirds did not fulfil their en-; gagemeuts last Saturday. The sent-; ors were snort oi players, and a vote • was taken us to wnether they should travel or not. They decided not to go owing to shortage of players. The thirds also decided not to play lor the same reason. Mr Wiiihley asked how long- the fracas lasted, and how long the play i continued otter thatMr Mason said .that the incident lasted six or seven minutes, and the play v.tiii on for about a quarter el an iiour alterwards. The Union then considc/ed the matter, and passed the following resolution : "After hearing the Shannon deputa- % lion and having the assurance of the Mayor of Shannon, and the shannon delegates that the Shannon Club's action in not playing on Saturday was not in defiance of the Union's decision, and provided their j letter to the Union of the motions car- ,. ilt their meeting be publicly withdrawn, Uus Union removes the wpeiiMOu of the KJiauuon feci nation ' i.roiu.J ii.ii.-j-- Saturday. June o, Hie suspension ol the junior team to I stand, and that a severe warning be given that ii there is any recurrence of the kind in future, more drastic action will be taken." •Mr Murdoch inquired if anything was being done in Levin for the assistance of the referee, Mr Claridge, owing to his being incapacitated for work. The chairman said the Union was assisting temporarily, arid there were two lists out in Levin. Mr Murdoch then said, to show the sporting spirit of the Shannon people, ho was prepared to open a list in shannon, anil he could assure the Union that it would be well sup- ■ ported. He had'not mentioned the matter before, because it might be

mistaken as an attempt to curry favour with the Union.. The chairman thanked Mr Murdoch for Ibis kind offer, which was much appreciated, and was accepted in the sporting spirit in "which it was made. Mr Murdoch, Mr W. Moynihan and Mr Mason thanked the Union for the consideration given to their representations, Mr Mason stating that the resolution would be placed before the Shannon Club on Thursday evening. The Uorowhenua Rugby Union met on Tuesday, members present being Messrs. E. J. Nash (president, in the chair;, R. VV. Percy, L. Dixon, F. Whibley, M. Winiata," W. Thomson, W. Bevan, Father Vibeaud, and L. S. - Carinichael (secretary). •Mr F. Williams, of Foxton, and Mr S. Parker, Otaki, were appointed junior rep. se'leeters for the northern and southern districts respectively. It was decided that any clubs wish ing to enter teams in the Manawati seven-a-side tournament be permlttei to do so. The Otaki Old Boys Club applied fo the transfer of A. Hakarala from seni or to junior, and A. Wallace Iron junior to third grade.—The transfer were refused. The Tokomaru juniors were grante permission to play in the Manawati seven-a-side tournament on June 3. ihe Foxton Club applied for tin j transfer of two players, S. McGregoi and C. Green from junior to thirt grade.—Granted. The clearance of 11. Williams, of the Kuku juniors, was approved, provided he wishes to play for any other club. It was decided that Kuku be informed that a player cannot play lor any two clubs in one season, as per rule C. The New Zealand Rugby Union wrote stating that arrangements in connection with the North y. match had to be altered, and the match would now be played at Auckland on Saturday, July 1. Nomination of players close on June 1 instead of June 26 as previously announced. New Zealand representatives leave for Sydney on July 20, and were expected to return on August 21 or 28. When nominating players for the North v. SoHth 1 districts. He thought there was s chance of sending a strong Maori team from Horowbenua, and if occasion demanded it they were willing to pay their own expenses. Mr Percy said if the Maori tearr. , went under the jurisdiction of tke Horowbenua Union that would be al j that was wanted. There should be nc 1 objection to that—an opinion tha e members agreed with. 5 f Mr Winiata said he was not quit* certain as to the conditions undeo tt> which the shield was held, and it wa: [<j decided that the secr«tary write anc o, obtain full particulars.

Mr Winiata stated that a shield competition for rep. Maori teams only was I held in the. Wanganui and adjoining match, unions wore specially asked to j indicate which of the men could leave j for tlhe N.S.W. tour should they be I selected. It was decided to hand the . letter on to the rep. selectors. I Mr E. Claridgo, the referee who was injured in a football fracas at Shannon has been discharged from the Palrnerston North Hospital, where he was sent for treatment. The disgraceful scene which occurred at Shannon, when Mr Claridge was so '. severely mauled about by players and spectators has caused football officials throughout the Dominion to devoto more attention to rough play and to misbehaviour by spectators. Football is one of the grandest of games, and has played an important part in the building up of our sturdy young maruhood in tins and other lands, but it is a game that gives opportunities for roughness that, if allowed, robs the pastime of much of its attraction and usefulness. One of the most commend-' able features of the game is the fact that it taeehes players to exercise due constraint under aggravating circumstances —to take a few knocks and bumps in a good spirit, without seeking to "get even" with the offender, and, generally, to become hardy, athletic and vigorous, without being rough or ungentleniauly. Once a footballer loses sight of these' ideals, the game degenerates; therefore wc think the time is opportune to draw attention to this' fact. Those mainly responsible for the

conduct of players are tho'referecs, the management, and the spectators—the latter more so than is generally supposed. White much responsibility lies with the referees, spectators are- frequently responsible for much of the rough play seen. In the best interests of the game, wc would urge the referees—and we arc fortunate in having the services of a line lot of men in this capacity here —to do their utmost to stamp out any semblance of roughness, or exhibition of coarseness on the playing fields, and also counsel the public, when witnessing games, to refrain from inciting players to indulge in reprehensible tactics, or applaud questionable behaviour, as is too commonly done. In the heat and excitement of a closely contested match, spectators may easily spoil the game by inciting players to exhibitions of roughness. It is generally the light offence, allowed to go unchecked, thai causes serious trouble on a football field, and therefore we urge that all concerned do their Tory best to see that the grand old game is kept clean and free from any semblance of coarseness and roughness.