RUGBY MATTERS,

Otaki Mail, 5 March 1923, Page 4

RUGBY MATTERS,

V WEEJJNGTOX, Feb. 38. Wliat may be the last meeting' of the present Council of the New Zealand Rugby ITiion was held to-night The Chairman said the Olympic Council was taking- over the Empire Exhibition sports and Olympic games. A letter from the New South i Wales Rugby I'liion emphasised the 1 positive necessity of a visit by a leant from Now Zealand to them early in the coining season. Without such a visit their union would be unable to hold tlie showgrounds, which was the only ground in Sydney suitable, for im- ■ porlant fixtures. The show authorities were pressing for a list of such matches. The position was so serious that they were prepared to send a representative of Uieir committee to New Zealand to meet the union. The chairman reported that a. letter was sent, on February 1(1. asking the New South Wales Cnion if they would accept a visit from a Maori team of 23 players and a manager this season, the team to play three or four matches but not more. A letter find ■ also been sent to Mr 'l'. Parata. saying that the playing- of the “Te | .Mori" rose howl match would present an excellent opportunity of selecting , a team for New South Wales, and that on the return of the team to New Zealad a serics_of seven matches I should lie arranged covering the ; South Island. ! The balance-sheet of the New Zea- ; land tour in New South Wales was rei ceived and showed a profit of £458 6/2. ? The Ashburton county sub-union wrote asking for a loan to enable it to purchase 12 acres of land for football grounds, ft was decided to reply that the application must be , made through tiie Canterbury Unions The question of granting a loan to Poverty Bay was deferred to next , i meeting. The New South Wales Rugby Union i wrote in reference to the proposed i visit of the New South Wales team to New Zealand during the coming season, and suggested that the New ! South Wales team should sail on j August 20, in time to play the first 1 test match on August 25. It was decided that the chairman should draw up an itinerary, to be considered at j the next meeting, and later to be sub- | mitted to the annual meeting on| April 2 6th.