HOROWHENUA RUGBY UNION

Shannon News, 13 April 1923, Page 3

HOROWHENUA RUGBY UNION

MEETS IN LEVIN. / IMPORTANT MATTERS DISCUSSED. Tlie annual general meeting of the Horowhenua Rugby Union was held in Levin on Tuesday evening, there being an attendance of about 60, including delegates lrom the following Clubs: Shannon, Tokomaru, Mangahao, Moutoa, Fox ton, Wanderers, Weraroa, Rovers, Kuku, Hui Mai, Otaki, Te Horo, Koputarou, and Paraparauinu. Mr E. Nash, President of the Union, occupied the chair. MOTIONS OF CONDOLENCE. Tn opening the meeting the Chairman said that they should first pass a vote of sympathy -with Mrs Thomas and family in the death of the late Mr G. Thomas. He had reported the meetings of thei Rugby Union for a number of years and had besides done a considerable amount for football by his unfailing interest in the game. The motion was carried in silence. Mr Bebbington said that, before proceeding with the business he would suggest that a vote of condolence be passed with the relatives of the late Mr Mclntyre. A letter had already been sent to Mrs Mclntyre from the Management Committee, hut he would like to see a notice of the nature suggested in the minute book. The motion was carried in silence. The Chairman said the, main business was the election of officers. On •this election depended the succe& of the Union for the coming year and he would only say that he trusted that the new office-bearers would .-be as keen in the interests of football as those of the past year had (applause). The. balance sheet, the main items of which are given below, was read and adopted. The receipts totalled £3BO 14/10, the chief items being Balance brought forward £ls 14/9, gate money £250 13/7, school grant £l9 19/6, insurance £66 7/.

The expenditure included Referees’ expenses £ls 14/3, travelling £B9 18/, ground expenses £ll 17/11, Goveri> ment tax £2l 8/4, school grant £l9 19/6, printing and advertising £32, jerseys £l2, secretary’s honorarium £2O, refreshments £27 12/6, insurance £53 15/. The total was £369 6/, leaving a credit balance of £ll 8/10 ONE OR THREE SELECTORS? • Notice of motion was received from the Hui Mai Club that Rule 7 of the Rule Book be altered to allow of one selector for s'enior teams instead of three as at present. The Chairman explained that the notice had not been received in time and it would be for the meeting to decide whether they should proceed with the business. On the motion of Mr, Percy, seconded by Mr Casey, it was decided to deal with the matter. Mr W. Bevan, speaking to the motion, said that three selectors were an absolute farce. The selectors were scattered over a large district and it had been found impossible to get them together at matches. Further, the Union was short of funds and it was necessary to pay the expenses of several selectors when one could do the work equally well.

Mr Bebbington, speaking in support of the last speaker, said that if they could get a man of ability—and he was sure that such 'a man could be got —he could watcli the game and pick out the men to play in the most suitable position, without being embarrassed by the conflicting opinions of other selectors. Such a man would he fully responsible, which would ensure careful selection as there would be no chance of one man putting the blame for a bad selection on to the others as at present. Mr W. Moynihan opposed the motion. The method of selection as carried out at present was that adopted by the New Zealand Rugby Union, and had been found to give better results than any other. The present system might be found expensive in a country club, but in the best interests of football that should no' be the chief consideration.

Mr Bowden said that it was hard for three men to give satisfaction—how then would one man manage to do so He considered that it was better to have the ability and experience of three in this matter.

Mr Casey, speaking in favour of the motion, said that one advantage of a single selector would be that tt would give more finality to decisions in selecting teams. Sometimes players got the idea that certain selectors were biassed in favour of one man, to the disadvantage of others, which left a certain amount of dissatisfaction. With one selector they would know that there was no appeal. Mr Kearney said that as there had been so much trouble about three selectors he considered it would he a good thing to try one for a year. If it was not found satisfactory they could then revert to.three. After a lengthy discussion the motion, which received considerable support, that Rule 7 be altered, was moved by Hui Mai and seconded by Wanderers* but was lost on tbe two-thirds

majority required to alter a rule. It was moved by Mr Peters and seconded by'Mr Jackson that there be a recommendation from the Union that selectors attend different matches alternately.— Carried. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. The following officers were elected: Patron, Mr W. H. Field, M.P.; President, Mr E. Nash, re-elected; secretary, Mr L. S, Carmichael, re-elected;, treasurer, Mr Casey; management committee, Messrs Sciascia, McMillan, Grimstone, Procter, Austin, Hutchings 'and Bevan; vice-president to the New Zealand Rugby Union, Mr J. Procter; delegate to the N.Z. Rugby Union, Mr J. O’Connor; senior selectors, Messrs R. Wehipeihana, S. Parker and T. Rowlands; junior selectors, Messrs J. Put! and Grimstone; auditor, Mr W. Bull, re-elected. COUNTRY UNIONS’ CLAIMS. Mr W. Moynihan said that when delegates (attended meetings of the N.Z. Union, they should do all in their power to obtain fair representation formouniry unions in representative teams, which it was notorious they did not get at present. The selectors stated they had no time to go through country teams. A thing that had been proposed was that a team be picked from the country unions” to play the four centres in order to give selectors an opportunity of picking good men.

It was decided to circularise country unions asking them to support a claim for better representation in the N.Z. rep. teams, and also on. questions of finance.

QUESTION OF CLASSIFICATION. Mr M. McLean brought up the question of the recent decision of the Rugby Union that Paraparaumu be compelled to play senior next -season. He would like the Union to reconsider its decision in this respect. Paraparaumu had lost several men since last season and would not be able to put in a -satisfactory senior team It was a small district and they did not ;mve a large selection of players to pick from He doubted if they could get a good junior team together and to'compel them to< play senior would not be in the best interests of football The Chairman said this wa.s a mat ter for the Management Committee. Mr W. Moynihan said be would like to know who was responsible for ti e sending out of the notices oompel'mg certain teams to play senior. Ie seemto him that this was a matter that -should have been left io the iimmn'ig committee.

The Secretary said that the qu : ti m of classification was one that was always cropping up. The late Management Committee:, when considering this question had decided to spiJ outthese notices to the two leading teams in the Junior Competition, which were Tokomaru and Paraparaumu, and leave it to them to protest against ibis to tne incoming Committee if they had a grievance.

Mr G. Clnny said that it was always the desire of every club to promote niejy to senior rank where possible and the matter of classification should be left to the Club. •Mr Carmichael said that the sv’fetors were in the best position to judge and the matter was best left in fiteir hands.

Mr Bebbington said that he had a recommendation from the Wanderers Club that no player who had once played as a senior should be allowed to revert to junior rank. He thought himself that classification should he done at the end of the season. In 'he case of clubs where a big selection was not available,- this would give time to look around for players for the com ing season. This also applied to the Clubs which played junior teams only as otherwise after the first couple of games, a classification might take some of their men and spoil the team for the season.

Mr W. Moynihan said that he would recommend that the new committee inform Tokomaru and Paraparaumu that, they would not he compelled to play senior teams. Tokomaru was in very much the same position as Paraparaumu in regard to players, and it was doubtful if a senior team could be got together. Mr W. Be van said that his reason for voting that these teams be compelled to play senior was that they were so much better than other junior teams that the games were a farce. Mr Moynihan said that he had nothing against individual members of teams being put up to senior, all he asked was that the whole team should not, be put up.

Mr Moynihan’s motion that only individual members of the Token lam and Paraparaumu learns he compelled to play senior, was put and carried unanimously.

A hearty vote of thanks to the ‘ hair concluded the meeting.