AT CROSS PURPOSES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2892, 11 August 1909, Page 62

AT CROSS PURPOSES.

OTAGO FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION. A LIVELY MEETING. Ihe usual weekly meeting of the Otago Football Assocation, held in the Trades Hall on Monday night, was well attended by delegates. From the very start it was evident that trouble was brewing, and from 7 o'clock till 11 o'clock, with the exception of an interval during which a general meeting was held, the wonted calm of the O.F.A. was rudely disturbed with points of order, charges, counter-charges, protests, recriminations more or less openly expressed, and resignations. Mr A. M'Hutcheon was voted to the chair. The minutes having been confirmed, Mr A. E. Gardner presented the report of the sub-committee eet up to take evidence from the Kaitangata Club to show cause why its ground should not be penalised. The report stated that at the inquiry on "Saturday Mr G. Middlemas3 was the first witness called. In answer to -the chairman's question he said he saw a disturbance at the lower end of the ground, but he didn't see missiles thrown. The only time that the game was stopped was towards the end. He didn't see the game stopped through encroachment. In his opinion the referee lost control of the game towards the end. In answer to a question from Mr Sinclair had he read the Free Press reports, he said that he had, and thought that the main part of the report was correct, but there were things in the reports that he did not agree with. Mr T. MiddLemass was the next witness called. He 6tated that his position was just behind the goal defended by the City. He heard Elliot appeal for off-side, and it was at this time that the disturbance arose. He stated that when Mr Crawley was surrounded by the spectators he backed off tho field of play. He saw Laing go up to Mr Crawley and threaten him, buc this was not on the field of play. He specially requested this to be recorded — not on the field of play. He (Mr Middlemass) went up to ths referee and told him quietly that his decision was wrong. He stated that there was no disturbance before this incident, which took place almost at he end of the game. He didn't see anything thrown by anyone during the match. The next witness, Mr M'Gee, said that he didn't ccc the players get out of control. In answer to a question by Mr Haig — Would he be surprised to hear that Mr Olliver had admitted to him (Mr Haig) that he had di*cov<>red the youth that had thrown the missiles, — ho said that he would not deny that missiles had been thrown, but that ho did not tee them. The committee found that the Kaitangata Club had not proved its czez, and suggested that the association lequire the ground to bo controlled by officials of that club in future. The reporr -^-.9 severely criticised on account of its b/evity, .and by Messrs Braithwaite because i^ did not contain a. •wru'-on fu lu\%. A letter v.,5 lead fiom th-e rr^ident ot the Kaitanc-<ita Olub, who. while admitting that some disturbance lv.d occurred, 6t,iUjJ that if had bi en confined to a small si»c t'.cn of tho spctlatois atwl that it i:ad been much Psa^geial-rd in the i.ew-papprs. Mr O'iwi-. t' ■" K.;ita. y. !a delegate, a<=sencd that the t'oub'e v.;<^ niuhiU caused by the sjjeflstor who ii;.J 1 oeii tL=>ii'ahM<Hl. It wvs finally d^-citlr-il .o a=k t':-c Kajiangata Clab t<> jfivc &v. a^ura'-ico that spectators on then ground would be X\el& in hand while visiting tc-jms- were rirtx-ent. Maxwell wrote appealing against his disqualification, and alleging that he had prevented the referee from beTng struck. Mr Crawley emphatically denied a statement attributed to him 111 the letter. The association declined to give Ma\svell a rehearing, but instructed him to appeal to the New Zealand Association, and to forward his evidence through the O F.A. John Lang wrote apologising for his mis-beha-wour towards the referee in the match at Kaitangata. Having a " little bet " 0:1 the match, he was greatly excited, and might h-ave hit the leferee if the captain of tne Kaitangala team (Maxwell) had not held him back. He expressed great sorrow, and, promising that nothing would evar be brcught him <igain, asked tbat the disqualification be raised. After an animated di c cu« ci "on, it was deffid.e<i to uphold the previous decision of

the committee to suspend Lang during the committee's pleasure. The Secretary of the Kaitangata Club wrote stating that at a special meeting held last Wednesday, certain resolutions were ! carried- One of these stated that there was I evidence to show tfrat one of the City i players had made a bet fcba 4 , his team would I win. For this and other reasons he ap- ! pealed against the decision +0 have the Kaitangafca-City match replayed. It was pointed out that the appeal had been lodged too late, according to the rules, and could not be dealt with. . Mr P. Braithwaite sought to get an explanation, of how iiue sub-committee had come to send a telephone message instructing the City player against whom the accu- ■ cation was made to stand down last Saturday, but Mr Sinclair etatea that no such instruction had ever been given to this , player, and the chairman refused to allow the matter to proceed further Mr Gardner then stated that it had come under his notice that a member of the City team had made a bet on the Kaita-ngata match. He had evidence to prove that this bet took place. j Mr Cameron protested that Mr Gardner ! had no right to bring forward any evidence i received at the meeting of the sub-com-mittee appointed for another purpose. The Chairman said the charge could be laid, and the O.F.A. committee could take , the evidence. j Mr J. Braithwaite regarded the charge , made as a protest, and accordingly the ' time at whicn it should have been lodged had passed, and the matter could not be dealt with. I The Chairman ruled that the charge could be kid. (Mr Gardner, after detailing evidence, moved — " That the player's name be put on the cautioned list." I Mr P. Braithwaite moved as an amendment — " That no further action be taken in , the matter." He again brought up^jihe . question of the telephonic message aslcing the player to stand down. i Mr J. Braithwaite seconded the aniendi menfc, and said that Mr Gardner was ask- '• ing them to condemn a man without giving him a hearing. He went on again to assert that the charge was not in order, as it had not been. laid within uhe specified time, and the chairman had once more to repeat bis ruling on the point. Mr Crawley said he favoured neither motion nor amendment, and said the evidence about the bet came from a very doubtful source. After further foeafced discussion as to the j doings of the sub-committee on Saturday, j both motion and amendment were withdrawn, and Mr J. Braithwaite moved that the matter be allowed to drop. I Mr P. Braithwaite seconded the motion. I If a bet had been made, he said, it was only what most of them would have done, and the player had already been made to , feel sufficiently over it.. The motion was carried by 10 votes to foiu*. The referee in the City v. Kaitangata j match, played last Saturday, reported nay- ! ing .cautioned one player, and ordered j Stephenson off the ground for repeated illegal collaring. J. The first player's name was placed on the , cautioned list, and it was decided to susp end Stephenson for four playing Saturdays of 1910. Mr Olliver notified that" the Kaitangata Club would lodge a protest against the replaying of the' match, Mid would forward evidence. i * r It was decided that none of the O.F.A. • grounds should be hired out next Saturday, but that Corinthian Park be granted to Bing Harris's employees on a future Saturday.