RUGBY UNION MEETS.

Shannon News, 18 May 1923, Page 2

RUGBY UNION MEETS.

VARIOUS MATTERS DISCUSSED. The weekly meeting of the Horowheuua Rugby Union management committee wag held on Tuesday evening, Mr J. Procter presiding. There wer© also present, Messis McMillan, Seiaiscia, Casey, Hutchings, Austin, Bevan, Grimstone, and the secretary, Mr L. Carmichael. | ROVERS IN SOUTHERN DIVISION. ; Mr Casey brought forward the ques-; tion of the transference of the Rovers to the Southern Division in the jun- , ior competition. The team wished to j know if it would be necessary to t rav- j el to Parnparaumu for the match with j that team. Most of the Rovers play-j ers, he explained, were in Government j positions and it was difficult for them ; to get. away in time to travel this j distance. He wished to know if this match could be played at, Otaki, which would h© half-way. He moved that the secretary write to the Parnpar'aumu team asking if that team would he prepared to play this match at Otaki. Mr Bevan protested that, this, if allowed, would .start other teams asking for similar treatment. The secretary said that one great trouble would he to fit the fixtures in. There had been great trouble geßing grounds, and Ibis would considerably upset the present arrangements. Also a,s Mr Bevan bad said, it would ’probably start other teams asking lor dmila r concessions. A general discussion took place as to the possibility of working in the matches and it was finally decided to bold the matter over until next, meeting, Mr Casey stating that ns there was a question of policy involved, he would in the meantime fully explain the position to the Rovers Club. GENERAL. The Mangahao Club wrote re the transference of two players from Shannon to Mangahao, explaining that theise men wer e not financial members of the Shannon Club. —Granted. The New Zealand; Rughv Union wrote about, the suggested amalgamation with the Manawatu Union. It was decided to hold this question over until the Union’s delegate (Mr T. O’Connor) could attend. A further communication was received from the N.Z. Rugby Union asking the Horowhenua Union to forward ’he name of a suitable selector for the New Zealand Rep. team, and attaching a list of hin qualiflctions.—lt was decided to hold the matter over for a week. In the meantime the names of Messrs M. Winiata, .7. O’Connor and W. Bevan were submitted, the committee to approach these gentlemen in regard to their accepting the position. PLAYERS REPORTED. Mr Neville, referee of the TokomaruFoxton junior match, wrote regarding the unsatisfactory conduct of certain players in that game a,s the result of which he had been compelled to order two players, Carter and Rowlands, off the field. He also mentioned that during the match there had been a lot. of had language from certain of ihe spectators. Regarding the two players mentioned, if was decided 1o hold the matter over until these men attended the meeting of the Committee, the men to ho notified that they were suspended until such lime as they attended.

In regard to the language complained of, ihe secretary said that this was a matter for the police, and should he referred to them to be dealt with.

Mr McMillan moved that a letter be written to the Foxton police from the Union, asking them to suppress any bad language on the football field.— Carried. Mr McMillan said that it would be a good thing if referees were empowered to notify players that, when stood on the lino for anv reason, they must appear before the Union on the following Tuesday. Mr Grimstone supported this, saying that in the case of an innocent man, it gave him an opportunity nf clearing himself straight away, and saved him losing a game. The secretary said that the difficulty would be that some men would claim that they had not been so notified. Mr McMillan said that his recom- . mendation applied particularly to | r lubs which were short of men. If . for some rea-on some o-f these clubs’ . men were put off, the club might not : have enough men to play next Satur- j day. He moved that clubs he notified , that any man stood on the line must • appear hefnre the management com- ! mittec on the following Tuesday, j otherwise he would be suspended until , -mch time ns he does appear.—Carried. OTAKI GATES. ! A letter was received from Mr Nor- - grove, gatekeeper at Otaki, enclosing statement of gate-money received at last Saturday’s match.— Received. Favourable comment was made hv members on the keenness of this offle- , iaj and the excellence of the reports , submitted by him. * SHANNON’S FAILURE. Mr R. Rangihuia, referee- appointed for the Shannon-Moutoa junior ftx-

ture, wrote explaining that owing to the non-appearance of the Shannon team he had awarded the game to Moutoa. He explained that as the Tokomaru team had got through to Foxton, there was no reason why Shannon could not have got through to Moutoa. over the same road. ihe game was not scheduled to start until 3.30 which gave them: ample time to have made arrangements. Mr Grimstone explained lhat the only means of getting across the flooded portion of the road was one dray. There was about 4 miles of road under water and it had been found impossible to get both teams over. There would not have been lime to get the Tokomaru team to Foxton if both teams had insisted on going, and the Shannon team had stood down in favour of Tokomaru, which had already travelled some distance.

Mr Austin, asked for his opinion, said it, was hard on Shannon to be penalised if they could not get across. At, the same time it, wag not fair to Moutoa to do anything else. There did not seem to he any reason why Shannon could not have got across as Tokomaru had do. r . and ordered a lorry from Foxton to meet them on the other side.

Tlie secretary said that there seemed lo have boon great, difficulty in getting across, and it seemed hard to penalise Shannon. Tokomaru had really displayed exceptional keenness in crossing as they did.

Mr Grimstone said that only one drav had been procurable in Shannon. This had had to make two trips with the Tokomaru team, taking eight men each trip, which left it too late to get the Shannon team across as they also would have had to go across in two batches. He had rung up the secretary of the Moutoa Club explaining the circumstance's as soon as it was found impossible to proceed.

The secretary said that the matter was one for the management committee to deal with and not the clubs. If the Shannon team could give a legitimate excuse for not playing, the matter could he arranged. It was decided to let the matter stand over until next meeting to enable it to be ascertained if the secretary of the Moutoa Club had received Shannon’s explanation. CLASSIFICATION MATTERS.

The secretary of the Weraroa Club wrote asking for an amended decision of the Hui Mai—Weraroa junior match on Saturday, as Hui Mai had played a man who had played as a senior at Wanganui last season. It, was decided that as this player had played junior for the Horowhenua Union last year, he was entitled lo play junior until classified, the protest fee to be refunded. The classification of junior players was left over until next meeting to enable all teams to submit names of men for classification. REFEREES’ ASSOCIATION.

The secretary stated that he had

been in communication with the secretary of the Referees’ Association inregard to that body functioning again, and that the secretary- had informed him that the Association would not operate again unless the whole business of appointing referees were left in its hands. Mr Bevan entered a strong protest against giving up all control of the appointment of referees, explaining that men, who were prejudiced against certain teams might he appointed io referee games in which such teams played, it the matter were not controlled by the management committee. The secretary said that these things Were always a difficulty, but that the Referees’ Association should be asked to, where possible, put outside referees in charge of games. If the Association was not kept going, the Union was in danger of losing some of its best referees, as these men could not get. good games unless affiliated with the N.Z. Referees’ Association. He thought. thal as there was this danger of losing good men it was better to concede this point to the Association. In answer io a question he explained that in Rep. matches the Association submitted the names of three referees to the committee for selection, so that there was no danger of an unsuitable man being picked for these fixtures. A long discussion followed, it being finally decided to leave the matter over in the meantime, members of the commitlee to attend the Referees’ Association’s meting on Saturday next. A vote of thanks to the chair and to Mr Nash for the use of his room concluded the mooting.