RUGBY FOOTBALL

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 213, 3 May 1932, Page 6

RUGBY FOOTBALL

secession from bay WAIKATO SUPPORTS ROTORUA'S APPLICATION FOR AFFILIATION DIFFICULTY ABOUT TAUPO At last night's meeting of the Management Committee of the Rotorua Rugby Sub-Union the committee appointed to finalise matters in connec^ tion with the proposal to affiliate with the Waikato reported that it had at- ' tended a meeting of the Waikato Rugby Union atv Hamilton last Friday. The committee comprised Mesfers T. S. Robertson, A'. G. Cottrell and L. Clarke. Mr. Robertson said that Rotorua's application for affiliation was very sympathetically received, a motion approving it and recommending its acceptance to a special general meeting to be called by the Waikato Union was carried unanimously. Traversing the business at the Waikato meeting, Mr. Robertson said that correspondence from the Rotorua and Taupo Sub-Unions was placed before the meeting pointing out that for some years past Rugby had been on the decline so far as Rotorua was concerned, and urgent action was required if this state of affairs was to be arrested.- If affiliation with Waikato was approved many difficulties would be overcome, and the Rotorua body would be enabled to participate in matches in adjoining districts with the minimum of expense. The Bay of Plenty Union had forwarded their formal sanction of the action of the Rotorua and Taupo sub^ Unions in applying for affiliation with Waikato. Desirability Recognised Mr. A. S. Cliffe (Waikato) had stated that Rugby certainly had suffered in Rotorua of recent years, and through various causes the code was virtually threatened with extinetion in that centre. Speaking Taupo, he said that there were only two teams in this sub-Union, Taupo and Tokaanu. Last season the Bay of Plenty was opposed to the request of Rotorua to secede, but they now realised the desirability of the sfirp. Mr. Robertson said he had expressed Rotorua's sincere wish that the application should be approved. Tlu-re had been some delay in proceeding with the arrangements, but everything had now been cleared up. His union was quite prepared to do its share of travelling. The general opinion in Rotorua was that if they joined up with Waikato they would get better football. Immediately the deeision had become known he had pointed out, there was a revival of interest in Rugby in Rotorua with the result that there were now five senior and ten junior teams entered in ihe competitions. Mr. Clarke had also pointed out that the question of boundaries had a considerable bearing on the matter. The smallest distance that ihe Rotorua teams had to travel in play a representative game was 50 railes, and there were in addition other diffi„ culties to be surmounted. By affiliating with Waikato they wculd be brought into close touch with Putaruru, Morrinsville, and other centres which were within easy reach by rail. The players would also be given an opportunity of proving themselvxs and with the new train arrangements a Rotorua team would be abie to travel to Hamilton and back in the same day. Mr. A. G. Cottrell had supported Mr. Clarke's remarks. Position of Taupo Mr. B. Chapman (Waikato) had asked whether Taupo and Rotorua would combine in the event of one of the unions being accepted by Waikato and he had replied that thev would welcome a move in this direetion on the part of Taupo. Mr. Y'ardley (Waikato) had asked whether it was one of the aims of the Rotorua sub-Union to have the major Waikato Union games played in Rotorua, and Mr. Cottrell had stated that this had not been discussed and was not contemplated, although they would expect a share of representative fixtures. Matches played in the past at Rotorua with ovorseas teams had really been staged as Bay of Plenty representative fix^, tures. They had no intention of at-

tempting to take the big games from the natural centre of the Waikato Union, Hamilton. Mr Chapman had stated that he would move the acceptance of the Rotorua application if they would amalgamate with Taupo, but the latter Union could not be taken as a separate sub-Union in view of its distance away from Hamilton, and the difficulty of access. Affiliation Suggested Mr. Clarke however, had pointed out that there was some agreemnet with the Taupo Domain Board which precluded the merging of the Taupo sub-Union with Rotorua. It was then suggested that Taupo affiliate, and the resulting body be known as the Rotorua-Taupo subUnion. This would overcome the difficulty without Taupo losing its idently. The rnain point of issue was, however, the possibility of the New Zeland Union deciding to arrange Waikato matches with overseas and representative teams to be played at . Rotorua. Finally Mr. Chapman had moved: "That this committee approves the application of Rotorua, but suggests that the Taupo sub-Union affiiliate with Rotorua. This committee recommends to the special general meeting of the Waikato Union that the application of Rotorua be accepted." This was seconed by Mr. E. J. L. Whiting and was carried lyMr. Robertson said he had thanked the meeting for its sympathetic hearing, and had said that it could rest assured that his union would do its utmost in the interests of the game in the Waikato. The meeting expressed its thanks and appreciation to the delegates for their good work.