REFEREES’ ASSOCIATION MEETS.

Shannon News, 2 August 1921, Page 3

REFEREES’ ASSOCIATION MEETS.

SPECTATORS REpM^W: The regular meeting of the Hoi owhenua Referees’ Association was held on Saturday evening. Present: Messrs. Percy (chairman), Thomson/ Karauti, Procter, Winiata, O’Connor, Sciascia, Nash, Rhodes and the secretary (Mr Higgins). PLAYERS ON MANAGEMENT COM. MITTEE. The Horowhenua Rugby Union wrote, stating that the’ question ol: playing ( members on the Management Committed of the Union had been discussed, and the members, of that body had expressed themselves in sympathy with the suggestion from the Associa-i tion that, the practice should be discontinued. The Union had decided that nothing could be done this season .unless playing members on the Management Committee offered to resign, but that in future such an ano : malous position should not recur. The%Jnion also expressed its appreciation of the work being carried, out by.t x the Association.

SPECTATORS REPORTED FOR MISBEHAVIOUR. Mr Sciascia reported ob the match, Wanderers v. Foxton, on July 23, and that he had cautioned Moffit .and Dunn of the Foxton team for rough play and bad language. Mr Burrows, referee in the match Weraroa v. Wanderers 11., on Saturday, reported , four ' spectators—Pio, Buku, .McKenzie and Southwood—for hooting his decisions. Mr Rhodes .reported warning J.' Martin, of Hui Mai, .in the match against Shannon/' on Saturday. He also reported McDonald, a spectator, for impertinent and abusive language, also for hooting the referee’s decisions. This was supported by Mr Percy. . , Mr Thomson ■ (Wanderers-Kuku match) stated that the/game was satisfactory, but that 'he reported one spectator who refused his name for abusive language towards the referee. He had drawn the ’ attention of Mr Procter and Constable G'reggari to the matter. t Mr Percy said that Mr Burrows bed stated that the spectators at Weraroa had acted in a very menacing attitude towards him f Messrs. Karauti and Percy then moved that, the names of ail the spectators who had caused the trouble should be. forwarded to the Horowhenua Rugby Union, with the suggestion that that body should take very stringent action in the matter, and that the officials of that body should' endeavour to attend all matches to assist in putting a stop to this sort of trouble. The motion was carried. Mr Percy considered thalMhe Union should ask the Shannon constable to attend matches in future. Mr Sciascia put forward the suggestion that the Union might ask club delegates to assist in the control ol the crowd. Mr Karauti thought that that plan would scarcely work, but that it was the duty of the Union to make its own , arrangements, although it might be advisable for the Referees' Association to assist. Mr Procter stated he was pleased to see that the Association ;had name'a some of the unruly spectators, ana there was no doubt that* the Union ftvoiild do its duty in regard to the matter at Tuesday’s meeting. A PROTEST REVIVED. Mr Rhodes introduced the subject ol the appeal by the Wanderers againsi a referee (Mr Thomson) for their match on Saturday. The secretary stated that the matter had been dealt with at the meel-. ing on July 28, and that if Mr Rhodes had wished to know all about it lie should have been present. The /meeting decided that the protest be read,^.and- the secretary complied as follows: “On behalf of. my club, I hereby object to the appoint- ' ment of SVIr Thomson to control the AVanderers-Kuku match. The grounds ofiobjection are: 0) That this club team is not satisfied with Mr Thomson’s refereeing" in the past; (2) that we prefer an outside referee to control the match, it being practically a final match. Should you require any future representation, I shall -he pleased to attend or have a representative present,” This was signed by T. Winiata, hon. secretary Levin Wanderers Football Club. • ' Mr Rhodes asked that the secre-. tary’s reply to that appeal be read. The secretary said he dfd not have the reply, but informed the nieetin£ that had all the members been present on the previous occasion they would have heard the letter read. Mr M,- Winiata then referred to flic secretary’s reply, which referred to the Wanderers “grousing” about referees. Mr Winiata stated that the club had a clean'sheet as io appeals against referees. ? The secretary took exception 1o these remarks, as Mr Winiata had

been permitted. to have his /say on Thursday. .. / : s Mr Thomson considered the secretary’s remarks justified, as- players Were continually complaining. He also referred ,to the. charge made against himself of not giving and was of opinion, that the protest emanated from one player only, and not froni the club’s management committee. If the Association was prepared to go on: with the matter he was willing to go. before the Union and sift the matter to fhe bottom. Mr Thomson wrote to the Referees’ Association after the Wanderers’ protest was, put in declining to referee on Saturday unless the allegations were withdrawn. As a result a lette rwas received signed by the secretary and president of tile' Wanderers’ Club stating a meeting .of the -Managenierlt Committee had expressed regret for the accusations made against Mr Thomson’s refereeing, in the' Levin-Hui ~ Mai match, and: the letter do the Referees’ Association;\and withdrawing all the statements made therein . ; On receipt of this letter Mr Thomson agreed -to referee on Satur-, day. ■ Mr Rhodes objected to the secretary writing letters without first calling the Association together. The secretary offered his resignation as he objected to the matter being brought up again when the business had been finally dealt with. The position was of no use to him if given no latitude in his correspondence. A "secretary must have certain powers. Mr Rhodes did not consider the sec retary’s methods, businesslike. Messrs. Percy, Karauti, Sciascia and Nash spoke in defence of the secretary’s action. Mr O’Connor then moved a vote of confidence in the secretary, and considered a secretary must be given latitude regarding correspondence, otherwise ilie affairs of the Association would be placed in a very cpieer* condition; algo that the secretary v be asked to withdraw his resignation. The motion was seconded by Mr , Procter,, and carried-. The secretary-" stated he was prepared to continue, provided he was thirty "treated by the. members. This closed the matter. V OTHER BUSINESS. ‘ Mr- Karapti referred to the warning of Jacob by Mr Burrows in the Wanderers—Hui Mai match, and thought that the Association should do its duty by letting the public know when *an .error had been made. , It. was decided, on the motion of Messrs. Karauti and Nash, that, in respect, to Mr Burrows’ report on the above match,/the referee had reported that he had made an error fin warning Jacob. 1 This was )done to clear the players in the minds of the public. • - Mr Karauti also asked whether the referee, on an appeal., by players for instruction as to rules, should act'as instructor. , --It was decided that the players •tiould be ordered to proceed with the game and consult with the referee after the match, for players should make themselves conversant with the rules before going on to the ground and not hold up the game. The ,question was ; also asked whether the line umpires could report roughness, and should the referee take heed of their reports. It was decided that this could only be accented when asked for by the referee, and not on the umpire’s volition. Mr Percy welcomed Mr Sciascia to the meeting, his remarks being suitI ably acknowledged. A vote of thanks to Mr Nash for the use of his room terminated the meeting. ' V