HOROWHENUA REP. FIXTURES.

Shannon News, 14 July 1922, Page 2

HOROWHENUA REP. FIXTURES.

TO BE PLAYED IN DISTRICT

CENTRES

DECISION OF CLUB DELEGATES

A special general meeting of delegates of football clubs in the Horowhenua district was held m Leym on Tuesday, by requisition oi the Foxton and Shannon clubs, to consider the localities in which home representative matdhes shall .be played, also for the amending of a rule, and to pass a new by-law. There was h large attendance of delegates, the lotlowing clubs being represented: .Shannon, Foxton, Otaki, Otaki Old Boys, Paraparaumu, Te Horo, Hui Mai Kuku, Wanderers, Rovers, Weiaioa and the Boys’ Training Farm. Mi E J. Nash, president oi the 1-loro wheniia Rugby Union, presided.

THE REQUISITION. The meeting commenced by Mr Carmichael, the Union secretary, reading the requisition calling the meeting, which was as follows: . “We, the undersigned secretaries ot the foxton and Shannon Football Clubs respectively, request you to convene a special general meeting of the Horowhenua Rugby Union for the consideration 'of the following business: (1) To give directions to the Management Committee as to the localities in which home representative matches

shall be played; (2) To amend rule b by adding the lollowing words: No person shall hold a seat on the committee who -is an active player, and

no club shall be represented, on the committee by more than one ber; (3) To pass a new by-law. as lotlows: 17a: The management and control of the affairs of the Union shall

be in the hands of the Management Committee, subject to any direction given to them at any annual or special general meeting. The amendment to the rules and by-laws as ove will be proposed by Mr F. D. Whibley, of Foxton, and seconded by Mr 1. 13. J. Mason, of Shannon. (Signed) Rooie Rangiheuid, secretary Foxton rootball Club, and T. B. J. Mason, secretary Shannon Football Club.” The chairman said they would com-

mence by taking No. 1 proposal. Mr Whibley said the had been convened by Foxton and Shannon to decide what steps should be taken to combat the motion passed by the Union that all rep. matches shall be played in Levin. The clubs north and south considered the motion passed would kill football in the Horowhenua district, it was not a lan thin^ that people in the outside Se should have to come to Levin to see

a r ep. match. A rep. maien was a •mod thing for the town m which it was played, and they be distributed. We were not like Welling ton which could centralise its big matches. There were lour towns, levin shannon, l-oxton and Otaki, and ail ’were about the same swe, *be idea' that a bigger gate could be got in Levin than elsewhere was wrong, ns last, year Shannon provided a betrmte than was ever taken else-

where The speaker quoted larai and Rangitikei. They played in towns in their unions. WaiTOrapa'ilKl Hie some Hung. *'ie Horom Union' also proposed that e!! ijl'ivers had to assemble in Levin M expense prior 1. a game. Thai was not right. U miglnhe some lx, Sense t» me Onion to bring over Foxlon players, ns they were olf o line but why should they be pennfoV that, and have to pay their way to a match. However, that could

not be said of Shannon, which was convenient and on the line. Mr \yhibley then moved: "That it be a direction to the Management Committee that home rep. matches be played m the lour chief centres of the district Otaki, Shannon, Levin and in turn, and, further, that, as thye® matches have been played m L e vin this season, the Wairarapa match be played at Foxton, the

match at Shannon, and either mt ( South Canterbury or Taranaki match, whichever is played iirst, be placed

11 Mr Mason, in seconding, approved ■of what Mr Whibley had said. it I seemed the main idea oi playm b m , Levin was the gate, hut that \\as noi j everything. He took it that the ) agement committee was out, to lui- ( ther the interests of the game. He , had witnessed the rep. game in Leyi 1, , and considered the Uruon nf ' N j? Ipl< 1 p l< i tl ° er -. just as big a gate m any of He othei ; {hree centres. He referred to uw , benefit a rep. match would He to town from a business point oi view, | and remarked that the vice-pie 1- ■, dents m Shannon were business people, and entitled to consideration for their support of the game. He couth see no reason for the Managenient Committee passing the resolution that all rep. games snould be played in Levin .and bad pleasure in suppoit-

ini? the motion. ... Mr Carmichael did not agree with some of the statements made by Mi Wliiblev Only two Levin men weie inteU rel team The was the Union could not affoid to nay the expense o! all the outside men coming to Levin. 1,, l’ (al i | i J> 01 by players selected lor rep. bonouis would travel anywhere to repiesent their Union. He referred to ous grounds. Foxton, lor instance,

had no dead-ball-line. A voice: The best ground in the

Mr Carmichael said lie had no doubt the gates at Foxton, Shannon o elsewhere would be as good as Levin, but there would be more expense m

nlaving on those grounds as uouv were as central. They bad to co - sider, also, those who donated 10phies. Both the Bebbingon Shield and Championship Cup were given by Levin supporters.

LEVIN GATES NEGLECTED

Mr Williams (Foxton) sstated that when rep. matches were played away from Levin, the local gates were led unattended and nothing collected. That was bad management. Mr Carmichael explained that last Saturday week was very wet, and although arrangements were made lor attendance they were jiot carried out. As far as Weraroa was concerned, the ground was being improved, and was quite open to everyone. Mr Robinson (Foxtoil): It is not only Levin that gives trophies. Mr Coley of Foxton, gave a cup. He supported the statement of want of attention at the gates at the Levin grounds. Mr W. Hannan (Levin) rose to a point of order. They were not there to discuss gatekeeping.

A WORD FOR SHANNON. Mr W. Moynihan (Shannon) asked who was responsible for the laying out of the different grounds. . The chairman said lie had seen to that personally. . Mr Moynihan considered the main point was the unequal distribution ol rep. games. In the old days of the Union there used to be home and home matches at Manakau and Levin and occasionally at Otaki. He had asked last year for a rep. game m Shannon, and it was a financial success. Levin was a very nice place, but not the metropolis of New Zealand. Finance was not everything, and in any case if another rep. game was played at Shannon lie was sure it would not be a financial loss. Mr W. Bevan (Hui Mai) asked why a rep. gqme was not put- on for Manakau. For years Hui Mai had been the backbone of this district. He considered, however, that the rep. matches should be played in the centre, which was Levin, and he was prepared to support Levin.

THE FINANCIAL VIEWPOINT

' Mr W. Hannan considered a lot had been made oi the gate at shannon. A rep. game had been played at Foxton, but nothing was said about that. He would like to know. Mr Carmichael: £lO 13/ was the gate. .

Mr Whibley: It was the most unimportant match that has been played in this district for years. Mr Hannan said it seemed to him that Mr Whibley was wanting to get the rep. matches played in Foxton and

Shannon. Why leave Manakau out. He thought the "Management Committee quite justified in looking at matters from a financial point oi view, and as lor players having to pay their way to Levin, teams had gone away as far as Taranaki in past

years and paid their own expenses. Levin was the natural centre, and it was better and more convenient to play rep matches here. As iar as the grounds were concerned, the Shannon ground was not a good one on a wet day. Foxton was a good wet-day ground, but. had not the conveniences that were in Levin. He referred to a statement by Mr Whibley at a Union meeting that if Foxton was not given a rep. game it would withdraw from

the Union. Thai was hardly the right spirit, and he characterised Mi Whibley\s statement as bluff. Mr Crystal!, Levin (Wanderers) considered none of the speakers toi the motion had considered the mteiests of the public. (Hear, heai.) They coulcl not expect people to travel great distances to see rep. games.

Levin was the centre and the games should be played here lor the convenience of players and spectators. The Paraparaumu delegate said the people in his district would appreciate a game near to them, but did not know how it would affect the Union "financially. J Mr J. Bebbington (Wandereis) said the representatives on the Management Committee expressed the opinions of the clubs they represented. It seemed to him that the ihought be-

hind Mr Whibley's motion was against, Levin and nothing more. Mr Whibley raised the point of the Shannon grounds topping the poll as regards me takings. Did they really eclipse Levin? Another speaker said the Levin grounds were badly managed. Wliy was that not raised at the Union meetings? In any case Levin must he bel-

ter than Shannon when it could nearly touch Shannon and yet lose money by

bad management at the gates. A Foxton delegate objected to the word “bluff” and said their delegates were not there to bluff, but to repiesent their public and players^

STABILISING THE FINANCES. Mr W. Thomson (Levin.) said Mr

Whibley was wrong m saying me resolution was to play all matches m ' Levin in the future and asked that the I resolution be read. 1 The resolution was “that all rep. 1 matches_be played in Levin.” : Mr Thomson contended that the mo-

• tion only referred to the present sea--1 son. He reminded the meeting that I last year the Union came out very ■ badly financially and it was decided to 1 do all possible this season to improve

the finances. When Mr Whibley raised the question first he did not ask for a match for Shannon, but Foxton only. Now it was Shannon and Foxton. Mr Whibley questioned the stateMr Thomson said Mr Whibley could

’ not get away from the iact and his acI tion in saying Foxton would pull out ! if it did not get a game was not the I action they would expect from supporters of the Union and game. The moi tion was a bogey raised by Mr WhibI ley. The Union was doing a wise l thing in stabilising its finances inis ! year and playing the rep. matches m .Levin for this season. . Mr Mason raised a point of order that the previous speaker had spoken

before. The Chairman: He was not speaking; to the motion. ' , „

Mr Grimstone (Shannon) drew atterrI tion-to the fact that all clubs were not represented in the Union as stated. He ! asked , what were the receipts oi the I Wednesday rep. matey 1 with Rangiti-

Kei in Levin. Mr Carmichael: £l4 2//. The Chairman said the speakers were a little astray in one respect in \ that when the big gate was taken ai Shannon the boom was on. 1 here was

not the same, money about mJ J the same the Levin gates had impiu\ul since then. . n „| t The Chairman explained that oin\ ~ne rep. match had been played so Mi jn Levin this season. The Bebbmgion Shield matches were played neie y. cause of the conditions under whim the Shield was given. Mr W. Moynihan said it was undii stood the match with the Maori tee n was practice, also that accoidmg to t - rules under which the Bebbwgtou Shield was donated the toi , ies '\cie <> be played here so long as the.bhieui was held by Horowhenua. That ended the discussion on .h

MR 1 WHIBLEY’S MOTION CARWED. Mr Whibley having replied the motion was put and the voting was even —ls votes lor and against. An Otaki delegate then stated a re Horo representative had not voted a» he had arrived late and had not put

in his proxy. . nllt thflt Levin delegates pointed out that ac cording to the rules the proxy should have been in before the meeting commenced otherwise the delegate was. barred from voting. They asked that, the rule be adhered to. Mr Wilson (Otaki) explained that-■ * break-down in the car had caused di - late arrival of the delegate. It n< VtaChlman'S he would accept the proxy anil allow the delegate to '°Oll a division the motion was car-

‘OTHm'VnOTOSALS WITHDRAWN . in introducing the second P lO P 0S „ Mr Whibley said it was P as sed at meeting! oi the Union last y there was no record oi it. Mr Carmichael, on referring 0 • minutes, found that the motion was 01 Mr 1 Whibley thereupon withdrew the second and third motions. Mr Thomson raised the pom the motion was really cutting into a rule of the Union and would require a two-thirds majority before it could b Pd Mr d Whibley said no jole aifected He moved a vote oi thanks to me chair which closed the meeting.