DIVISION PROPOSALS REJECTED.

Shannon News, 1 October 1926, Page 1

DIVISION PROPOSALS REJECTED.

UNION! UNITY. AN ALTERNATIVE SCHEME. Mr J. J. O’Connor, chairman of tile Horowhenua Riugby District Council, presided over a representative mating of delegates last night called for the (purpose of deciding whether or not tile Union should be split up into northern and southern divisions. The chairman stated that the Council had fully -discussed the question, had met the southern clubs in order to find out how football might be improved, more particularly in the southern area. it was recommended at that meeting that the Council should support the movement for division. This recommendation was approved by the Management Committee. He would nowmove as follows: “(1) That a southern division of H.R.D.C. be formed. “(2) That the boundary be a line south of Levin to. be decided upon by H.R.D.C. with the suggestion that the line be such as to take in Kuku Club in th© southern , division. “(3) That players residing in the southern division must play in the, competition in that district, provided that teams of their grade are playing in the southern division competition. “(4) That a player’s place of residence be decided upon by HR.D.C. “(5) That a committee be formed, composed of two members from each club in the southern division - and public schools in S.D., have the right to elect one member for all the schools. The powers ,of the committee will be the drawing-up of fixtures in the southern division and assisting the management committee of H.R.D.C. in supervision of games and gates.” . Mr Anderson said he would like to ask what the chairman -meant by “residing in the southern division.” The County Club was made up of bona fide County workmen who lived in all parts of th© Horowhenua County. The chairman defined “domicile” as the place where a man’s home was located. Mr Anderson: Well, w© hav© a man whose home is on Kapiti Island. (Laughter). Other men*are living at Longburn, while there are also men living in camp in different places. Mr Hutchens outlined the curious position of County players working, in, say, Otaki, and being suddenly transferred to the other end -of the union. The motion was put to th© meeting, and lost, Mr H. Lynch being the sole supporter. BURDEN OF TRAVELLING EXPENSES. Mr Riimner said that, having been connected with the finance of the Union for th© past few seasons, he was quite certain something better was needed to be instituted if football was to be improved. Hie had alluded in the past to the many forfeitures, but his sympathies were with those outside clubs who- had to trav-el long distances away from home. He contended that if Foxton cam© to Levin then that should be the limit of Foxton’s expenditure and the limit of -each player’s expenses should be as far as Levin. He maintained that the cost of travelling beyond Levin should not be borne by the Management Committee. It would have to he recognised that if football was maintained as at present it would be necessary to keep faith with the public by preventing a recurrence of forfeitures. Df course, at times, there might be a valid reason for such forfeiture, but if vsuch were not the case then some drastic action must be taken. As with Foxton so with Otaki and Paraparaumu, and the Management Committee would-refund to the club any excess cost of travelling beyond Levin. Mr Lynch drew attention to the disparity in distance between Foxton and Levin and Paraparaumu and Levin, the expenses of the Paraparaumu Club being much more than that of Foxton. Mr L. Dixon said that in the Taupo Union teams used to travel 50 -miles, in fact the extreme lends of the union wer© situated 100 miles apart. Mr Hannan observed that there would be one handicap only. If Paraparaumu went to Foxton the Union would not lose by it as their gate would be more than the cost to the union. But it was not so with the matches of Paraparaumu. where gates were small. It was suggested that these matches between Foxton and Paraparaumu might )be flayed at Manakau. Mr O’Connor said the suggestion of making a definite grant to clubs would be the most equitable basis upon which to work. Mr Casey moved that it be a recommendation for a fixed subsidy to be paid Otaki, Foxton, Shannon, Paraparaumu to assist in their travelling expenses, the amount to be determined by the Finance Committee, and submitted to the annual general meeting. Mr O’Connor seconded the motion, which was carried without dissent.