THE FOOTBALL SEASON.

Shannon News, 4 March 1924, Page 4

THE FOOTBALL SEASON.

TIME CLUBS WERE MOVING.

With the- approach of the football, sfeason cliib meeting are now being held in many parts to arrange preliminaries and appoint delegates to attend «he Rugby Union's meetings to be held shortly. So far no meetings of the Levin and district • clubs have eventuated and these would be well advised to make a move in this direction, so' that they may not be surprised by the, opening of the season. The question of the appointment of representatives to the Management Committee is one which will* naturally have to.be considered. On ilhese officers depends the success of football in the union;, for the year and the different -clubs would. do. well to oonsijfler carefully their representatives to the annual meeting. It is not difficult to get men who will be active partisans of their own clubs, but what is needed if the Union is to take the place which it should occupy is to. elect men- who (have, the interests of football at heart primarily and only secondly those of their cluibs.

In the annual report of the Manawatu Rugby Union the following clause, is inserted as an appeal for reinforcements for the referees: "The committee would impress on ;the clubs the necessity of inducing their old players to join the Referees' Association, for the success of the game. As the first essential is to have good Tcferecs, and old players, with the knowledge of the code, who are most qualified properly to control the game." . Exceptionally heavy casualties in football matches during last season had a severe effect on the coffers of the Manawatu Rugby ' Union, and the members of that body have decided that the present system of insurance of players cannot' bo sustained, for the fund is, in the words of one member, "clca'ncd right out." After considering the various phases of the question the Union decided to recommend to the annual meeting that the insurances fund be abolished and that in future the Union provide a surgeon and first attendant for the players free of charge. It was. intimated that, individual players could secure very attractive insurance polices to cover the season. ' ■■