REFEREES MEET.

Shannon News, 21 June 1921, Page 3

REFEREES MEET.

The weekly meeting of the Florowhenua Referees’ Association was held on Saturday evening. In the absence of the president, Mr Thomson presided. The chairman reported that the special meeting had drawn up rules for guidance of the Association and these rules were to be printed. Arising out of the Referees’ reports on matches taken were noted two cases of rough play, which brought about much comment on the deplorable attitude of some defeated players..

The referee of the match at Manakau reported .that there was a difficuliy in discerning the lines of the field of play. It was decided to bring this and the shortness of the goal posts in Levin before the Rugby Union.

It- was stated that owing to the Rep. match on Saturday, 25th, there, was a difficulty in obtaining referees for the lower grade matches, and so it was recommended that all matches be postponed for that date. Tile following case was-stated and decided at the recent referees’ conference in Wellington: “A player is standing with one foot over the touch tine and the other in the field of play. At a kick-off he takes the ball on the full. Has he carried the hall out, or does the fact of one foot being in touch constitute tne hall a§ having landed in touch?” Decision: The ball to be considered as landed in touch.

NOTES AND COMMENT

Several members of the Rugby Referees’ Association are doing very good service to football by meeting the players in the different centres land discussing the new rules and other points affecting the game. Tonight Messrs. W. Thomson, J. Procter and V. Higgins visit Shannon and hope to see as many players and referees as possible. At last meeting of the Referees’ Association the secretary reported that the referees were not as considerate as they might be in replying to the notice of appointment. In some cases the reply that the referee was unavailable comes as late as Friday. This speaks for itself.

The attention of all referees is drawn to the fallacy of thinking that any referee might do for ihe lower grades. These teams should be supplied by -the very best men available, and it should not be thought infra dig. to control such games. It is reported that there is some disinclination on the part of certain referees to take the lower grade matches, and even the juniors. For the sportsmanship of ihe whistle-holders concerned, it is to be hoped that it is not a matter of offended dignity that has raised itriiculties in the way of securing referees for other than senior matches.