RUGBY UNION UNITY.

Shannon News, 24 September 1926, Page 4

RUGBY UNION UNITY.

FOXTON’S CESSATION MOVEMENT OPPOSED BY DISTRICT COUNCIL. On Monday evening a deputation consisting o! Messrs I>. R. Barron, H. I Hutchins, A Stevenson and G. Alexander, from the Foxton Football 1 Club, waited upon the Horowlienua I Rugby District Management Commit- | rnittee to put their case for seces- ! sion from Horowlienua. In the opin- ] ion of certain supporters of the Footton Club the, boundary .between the j Manawatu and Horowlienua Rugby i Districts, should be that of the ManaI watu River, and which would enable Foxton'to play under the Manawatu, branch of the Union. Mr J. J. O’Connor presided. •Mr Hutchins said that for many years Foxton players had agitated to have this matter brought before the Horowlienua Union, but nothing had been done because up to now Horowlienua was a separate Union. Now that the union was a combined ione tflie (matter of going over to Manawatu had been re-opened and in making this request Mr Hutchins said they did not consider they were cutting adrift, as., both unions were one. In a sense, Foxton was isolated, and it became hard for* players to travel on account of having to hire taxis. The lower grades, es»pe)cially, felt the disadvantage of their geographical position and it had cost £3 to send a fourth grade team over to Shannon—a distance of 12 miles. There was a flood nearly every year. Most of the players were from, the flaxmills, and when . the floods came the men were prevented from working, as well as playing football, and it came as a hardship for them to pay 10s to go to Otaki. It was, therefore, very difficult to keep the teams together. Under the Manawatu banner it would be much easier to get on the train, the fare for which was but 4s to Palmerston North, whereas' at present they had to depend upon motor Cars. In previous years it,had .been possible to hire motor lorries, but not one of these was now available, and with I’four or five teams travelling from I the town the question of' conveyance | would be somewhat difficult. Mr Alexaiyier added, that a number of players had, been out of work for six weeks as a result of the last flood, and they had insufficient money with which to clo.the themselves, let alone pay 10s or 12s to go all over the district. Foxton was a scat-, tered club whose players became disheartened if they lost two or three playing Saturdays. They could al- » ways get through to the Manawatu Clubs, and if that could be done as freely in the Horowlienua, Foxton would have carried on as they were. The railway fare would be greatly reduced—less than 4s—and the Government. would run the train to suit the team, as had been done for the hockey girls. FOXTON’S COMMUNITY INTEREST Mr Barron said the train left Foxtoii a't 1.5 >p.m'. and would be speeded up in order to get at Palmerston North by 2.30 p.rn., leaving Palmerston North' at 5.35 and permitting players to have a cup o ( f tea before starting for home. It was only natural that the Manawatu river should he the boundary. Foxton was the main town in the 'M a n aw a tin—t he home of the returning officer—and no doubt its community interest was, purely and simply, with Palmerston North. They had no such feeling with Levin because they, Foxton, were decidedly “Manawatu.” The expenses of travelling had been absolutely prohibitive. Mr Hannan: I'would like to ask the deputation where Foxton would play Woodville and Feilding? Mr Hutchins: I understand those teams would meet in Palmerston N. Mr O’Connor said that the playing of .matches outside of Foxton would deprive the public of football. Mr Barron: Not so much as now. Besides, with floods and teams, forfeiting, it doesn’t take much to make up five or six weeks. A PERTINENT QUESTION. Mr Anderson One of the deputation said he had the assurance that games with Feilding and Woodville would be played in Palmerston N. Now, I would like to know where he got that. assurance? Mr Barron (cautiously): I won’t say, but it is fairly definite. Mr Anderson (pressing the point): By whom? Mr Barron: I won’t say. Mr Robinson: I would like to ask if they have been promised support from the Combined Council, if the matter is taken before, them? Mr Barron: No, we have not, but I believe you said we hadn’t a thousand to one chance! Mr Casey said thal a feeling of amity had existed between the Council and Foxton right throughout the year. Wanderers, the. senior champions, had played 11 games and Foxton 8, so the latter should not break up on account of the number of matches played. If Wanderers could keep together on 11 games surely Foxton could do so with 8? Mr Hutchins: We weren’t trying to bring up the number of games, Mr Chairman! Mr O’Connor: No, hut Mr Casey was pointing out to you that you, and the football public of Foxton, would be considerably worse off by joining Manawatu. Mr Casey: There must have been more football this year in Foxton, because the gate receipts there have showed a considerable Increase. It is a good centre for this council, and, naturally, we don’t want to lose them. ' This year the council has gone on considerably different lines, members of the council have spent a considerable amount of time and money in the supervising of gates in the less fortunately situated towns. In future years the Council would arrange for representative games to be played in centres—not as a sop but as a matter of right—and I think Foxton would be well advised to at least give this district another year’s trial. They would be on a really good wicket and have little to complain of. This year there has

been a schools compclikm, and, for the first time in the history of the Union a grant has been made towards the furtherance of football in schools. .U'>\ “Mr Hannan: I mast' point out to the deputation that when the two unions combined, there was a stipm latiori that the boundaries should remain unaltered, hut that teams playing under the Horowhenua Union would remain as such, and vice versa. This request is just the thin edge ,of the wedge, and if one club is allowed to go it will mean the beginning of the end. When amalgamation took place it was thoroughly understood that the boundaries should remain intact. Mr. Hutchens: I have been given to believe that the boundaries were altered. The chairman: Oh, no. Mr Hutchens: We have no quarrel with, or anything against, the Horbwhenua Union. Mr Casey said he would remand them' that the possibility of there being a northern and southern divisions might get . over the present difficulty.' Mr O’Connor thanked the deputation for having stated its views in such a good spirit, and assured them that when the, application came before Hhe combined union it would receive the same fair treatment at his hands as had been meted out that night. The matter had previ■ously been discussed and it was felt the movement was a blow at Horowlienua’s birthright. This year the Council had devoted special attention to Foxton and helped it in every \Vay. It was hoped to render still further assistance in future years, and possibly, help it and other, outside clubs in the matter of travelling costs. (Hear, hear). Anyway, he tb ought it a case of “The devil you know,” and tl\ey would be wise tb stay as they were—for another year, at least. • . Mir Hutchins thanked the Committee for tbe reception given the deputation, which then withdrew. ■ Mir Winiata: So far as I can see it isn’t going to do them much good. Mr Austin: It. would.spoil football there, all right. Mr Casey moved that the matter be referred to the Combined Council, with the recommendation that there be no alteration an the boundaries. Mr,. Procter seconded the .motion, whi ch was carried.