MATCH AGAINST OROUA.

Shannon News, 12 August 1927, Page 4

MATCH AGAINST OROUA.

AT LEVIN NEXT SATURDAY. FOXTON GROUNDS UNSUITABLE FOR REP. GAME. The Bebbington Shield match, Horowhenua v. Oroua, next Saturday, will be played in Levin instead of Foxton, iwing to tlie present uasuitability of the grounds there. This decision was reached after a lengthy discussion at th? meeting of the Horowhenua District Council Management Committee last evening. A letter was received from the N.Z. Referees' Association, in reply to the Council's application for a referee for the match, stating that Mr Calcinai would officiate.

Mr F. Robinson (Awahou) stated that No. 1 ground on the Foxton racecourse was not fit to play on. Each of the two clubs in Foxton had been granted £5 by the Racing Club to spend on the grounds. It was possible to have two splendid grounds there, but they would have to be fenced, and the fence would have to be of the' permanent type, although it had to be removed for the race meeting in January in order that it wouid not interfere -with the traffic then. If Foxton secured the rep. match. it would be necessary to put up a fence for Saturday and then pull it down, and the clubs would have to look after the material till next season. It would be better for the clubs to say what money Miey had to spend on the grounds after the' next meeting of the Racing. Club. Until that was done, he did not think there should be a rep. match played on those grounds. In regard to Easton Park, fencing wouid also be necessary and it would have to be removed in 24 hours. A iVnee to hold a rep. match crowd would need to be of as permanent a type as one that was meant to last the whole season.

Mr J. W. Procter (Hui Mai) said he thought They were morally bound to take this match to Foxton.

Mr. Robinson: Would it be possible to keep a crowd back in Easton Park without a fence? Mr M. Winiata (selector): No. Putting them in an open paddock only makes it look cheap. Mr M. Ryder (Wanderers) said it was reported by players who had visited the Foxton Racecourse recently that, the giouu.l was like a ploughed paddock.

Mr Robinson: We can get you the best ground in New Z?aland, but it will have to be after the next meeting. Mr Neville (Foxton) stated that on Saturday morning he had asked the assistance of about 30 young players to come with-him and put the ground in order, but he did not get any of them. Mr Ryder moved that the match b< plaved in Levin. The Chairman (Mr J. J. O'Connor): You will have to give very good reasons for breaking faith with the Foxton public Mr Ryder: It is because it will cost too much to put the ground in order, and the match will not warrant it. Mr Robinson remarked that the Racing Club grant was for the purpos."* of putting the Racecourse grounds in repair; nothing had been voted to put Easton Park in order. Messrs Austin and Neville and himself had done work on the Racecourse ground, but got no assistance. After the next meeting of the Racing Club it would be possible to put up a permanent fence. He did not feel prepared to take the risk of losing half of it by doinng it nqw. Mr J. W. Rimmer (treasurer" moved, that in view of the fact that the three Foxton delegates maintain that the grounds id Foxton are unplayable at present, and .recognising that it would cost a large amount of money to place the grounds temporarily in a playable condition and that the delegates cannot guarantee that Easton Park will be available, this Council does not feel justified in permitting the HorowhenuaOroua match to be played at Foxtov, and, as a result decides that it shall be played at" Levin. This was seconded by Mr Ryder, who withdrew his own motion.

Mr Robinson asked if the Union would find the material if the Foxton clubs gave their labour for erecting a fence Mr Casey (secretary) said he would be prepared to go to that length, to give the game to Foxton. Mr Robinson said that the match could be played on Easton Park if the Council would find the necessary material. He would see the goal-posts removed from the Racecourse and would c-roet the fence. Mr Neville said they were not certain of! getting Easton Park on Saturday, as the Soccer players had the right to'it if they wanted itMr A. Richards (Shannon) said he was quite in favour of Foxton having this game, provided that the clubs there put the ground in proper order for it. Shannon, earlier in the season, entered into the spirit of a rep. game and put its ground in order. The cost was about £lO for a fence, and the Borough Council paid something towards it. It was (,uly right that oilier- towns should do the same. He would like to see Foxton liave this match; but unless they could keep the public off Ihe grounds ho would be in favour of it being played in Levin.

Air Neville: You will have Ihe fence for all the season, but we will not. Mr Richards: We shall have to pull ours down, and put it up again nexr season.

Mr Ryder: We don't want to have a match on rough ground and knock our players about. Mr Austin: Easton Park is the only good ground. Mr Procter: There are a lot of bad holes there that want filling up. Mr W. Robson (Miranui) said he was against spending money on any of these grounds. Seeing that the Council could not accede to a request for lighting at Miranui, for training, then to be coni sistent it could not fall in with this proposal.

Mr W. S. Joyce (Weraroa): This is an outside ground, and we could probably sell the material again to the Foxton and Awahou Clubs.

Mr Robinson: If I can borrow the posts and wire for the clay, will the Council pay a man to put the fence up? I will put the posts there. The Racing Club has given us back its share of the

gate money, and we cannot spend it on Easton Park.

Mr J~ -*c: If we bought the material no™, would the clubs buy it again at a later date? No answers were forthcoming. Mr Eimmer remarked that it was very late to make any arrangements. The motion was carried without dissent.

After a further discussion it was decided not to entertain the visiting team at a formal dinner, but to provide them with, dinner tickets and to pay for a meal for the home players. Further arrangements wore left in the hands of the secretary. Mr. M. Ryder was unanimously appointed manager of the Horowhenua team, and he warmly thanked the Council for having conferred this honour upon him for the first time. CHANGE IN PULL-BACK. Owing to Dick Ryder not being able to take Iris place in the Horowhenua team, Met a Johnson has been selected as lull-back.