A SUSPENDED MEMBER.

Otaki Mail, 4 August 1922, Page 3

A SUSPENDED MEMBER.

ATTENDS A MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE. OTHER MEMBERS REFUSE TO SIT WITH HIM. A climax in the betting charges that have been before the Horowhenua Rugby Union during the last three meetings was reached on Tuesday evening. At last week’s meeting Mr F. D. Whiblev, who brought tlio charge of betting against Mr IV. Bevan, was suspended for refusing to apologise or withdraw his charge when it was declared to be not proven. Air Whibley attended Tuesday night's meeting as usual, the other members being present being R. IV. Percy, M. Winiata, L. Dixon, L. ff. Carmichael, W. Bevan uml Father Vile aud.

The minutes of the previous meeting were read in which the suspension of Mr Whibley was referred to. The chairman stated that although Mr Whibley was suspended at the last meeting he was present that evening. Mr Whibley: The Union has no power to suspend me for good. The chairman: Well, I have a legal opinion on the point, which says we have. The opinion was read as follows: ‘‘The rules and by-laws

make no provision for the suspension of a committeeman by the management committee, and under the circumstances I am of the opinion that the suspension of a committeeman for misconduct would be in order if carried by a majority vote of the committee.” Continuing. the Chairman said from that it, would appear tlic Committee had power to suspend if the matter was put to the vote. It was for the Committee to say j if Mr Whibley was to leave the room j or otherwise. Mr Whibley questioned the right of ; the Committee to suspend him for more than one meeting. He quoted the practice followed by Parliament in the case of a suspended member. Ho was sus-! pended for one sitting only. Mr Whibley said he was willing to put up £1 against a similar amount by the Chairman and lie was prepared to forfeit his money if the case as he had stated it was wrong, the money to go to the Rug- j by- Union. The Chairman: But that would l>e bet t ilig. Mr Bevan: t move that Mr IVliibley be suspended till lie apologises. The motion was second' ■d by M r Dixon. Mr Percy said lie agreed with tin- motion. Mr Whibley: But what should I apologise for) Mr Percy: For not withdrawing your charge when it was not proved. Mr Winiata said lie would repeal what he-had said before and ask Mr Whibley to be sport enough to apologise and let the Commit lee go on as before. The Chairman: I would like to sec Mr Whibley withdraw and apologise. He is not the lirst man who had made a mistake, and he will lose nothing bydoing the light thing now. Mr Dixon: What is Mr Whibley’s rea>-*n lor not apologising? The Chairman: lie considers he lias 'lot failed to prove his charge. Mr Whibley pointed out that in the legal opinion it was stated that a member could only be .--uspctitled for misconduct. He did not consider his action

misconduct. The Chairman: The President order- | ed you to withdraw or apologise and j you refused. Mr Whibley: That’s not misconduct. . That legal opinion has been very carefully worded. There is no misconduct about the charge I made. The Chuitman: Well, the only thing is for the Committee to refuse to sit with you. i Mr Whibley: Here's the position—j you can't suspend me under the eircutn- i stances —there is no misconduct. Ihe Chaiimafi: If you do not do what the President tells you. you are guilty of misconduct. Mr Whibley: Oh. come off. Ton should get an opinion from another solicitor. The Chairman stated they had got to do something, so lie would put the motion to the meeting. Mr Whibley said he would decline to

withdraw. The-Chairman: You refqse? Mr Whibley: I can’t withdraw the charge made. The Chairman: You won’t withdraw? Mr Whibley: Xo, certainly not. The Chairman then put the motion, which was carried. Tiie Chairman: The motion is carried and I ask Mr Whibley to leave the meeting. Mr Whibley: I decline to do so. The Chairman: There is only one thing, gentlemen. I take it that a,man who makes a charge and fails to prove it and then refuses to withdraw —well. I will nor sit on a committee with him. Mr Whibley: You can only suspend me for one meeting. The Chairman: Are we going on with the business or npt? Mr Bcvau: Not till Mr Whibley

leaves the room. I think the best thing for us is to “get.” The Chairman: Are we going to sit or not. Mr Dixon: What’s to be done with the business? The Chairman: The President and Secretary will have to carry on and call on another management committee. Messrs Revan and Wipiata said they would refuse to sit with Mr Whibley. At this stage Father Vibaud entered the controversy, and asked Mr Whib ley. in the interests of football to with draw and apologise. "Be sport enough to do the right thing and bun-' you:

feelings. ” Mr Whibley: The position is this The charge was made to the committei ■o that th.y could deal with it. The? brought down & report that it wa* no proved. He did not agree with that and bid nothing to rsgxet i»

the charge. The only thing against him according to the legal opinion was misconduct. Last woek he was suspended illegally, and ho considered the Committee was still acting illegally. The Chairman reminded Mr Whibley in the first instance he said he would withdraw if he could not prove it. It would only be a fair thing to stick to what he said. Mr Whibley denied that what he said was ho would withdraw if he found ho was wrong. Father Vibnud supported the Chair-

man’s version of what was said. Unless Mr Whibley complied there could be no order in the Committee. Authority must bo respected. Air Whibley: I refuse to withdraw. The Chairman: Whatever your feelings are now, Mr Whibley, wou should stick to what you said and withdraw. Air Dixon: Why don’t you apologise for the accusations you made? Mr Whibley: Because they were made in tho interests of the game. There should not be any apology wanted for that.

Father Vibaud: Will you withdraw en the ground that there was not sufficient evidence to support your charge?

Air Whibley: I won’t withdraw anything under any consideration. At this stage Air Bevan rose and approached Mr Wlribley’s chair and with the words ‘‘l’ll shift him,” seized Air Whibley by the shoulder.

Air Whibley appealed to the chair for protection. The Chairman hastily rose to his feet, and called Air Bevan to order. He would not allow that conduct, us there was a constitutional way of conducting business. Mr Bevan then left the meeting, remarking as lie went that Air Whibley Mould see him at any time he wanted to. Mr Whibley: I don’t want to see you. The less I see of you the better I like you. Father Vibaud then moved: ‘‘That the management committee go on with the affairs of the Union, completely ignoring Mr Whibley.’’ There being no seconder, the motion lapsed. Alessrs Winiata. Dixon and IVrcy then withdrew from the meeting. The Chairman stated as there was not a. quorum present, the meeting could not go on, and he declared it closed. The Chairman added that the president and secretrirv would hav to rouduc' the affairs of the Union in the lueun-