A REPLY TO FOXTON.

Shannon News, 26 August 1927, Page 3

A REPLY TO FOXTON.

CONCERNING FOOTBALL GROUNDS. WHAT THE RUGBY COUNCIL HAS DONE IN LEVIN. NEXT MOVE AWAITED FROM THE PORT. The dissatisfaction of Foxton at the transfer of 'th.e ;recent HorowhenuaOroua Rugby match to a Levin ground was again before the Horowhenua District Council's management committee on Tuesday, when Mr J. W. Rimmer (treasurer) referred to remarks made in this connection at the special meeting of the committee of the Foxton Football Club last Thursday evening. A certain statement had been made by Mr. W. Neville, (a delegate to the Council's management commit-, tee, but not present at Tuesday's meeting, when there was no representation of Foxton) . Mr. Rimmer said he did not think that Mr Neville really meant to convey a wrong impression; still, as a result of his not saying quite as much as he ought to have done, he did not present the correct position. Mr. Rimmer thought that, as a result of the vague statement that Mr. Neville made, he enabled Foxton —and rightly—to have a "squeal" at this Council. Though not a member of Wanderers Club he (the speaker) was a supporter of that club, and-he thought it" his duty as a member of this Council to at least draw attention to anything that he might think detrimental to the associated bodies' feelings towards the Council. At the meeting at Foxton, Mr. J. K. Hornblow asked if the Council had ever spent &ny money en any other grounds .in the district, and Mr. Neville replied that the Council had spent money on the Levin Domain. Mr. Austin then said that there were three clubs using the Domain as a home ground and not one of them had put it in order for a rep. match; so that the union had to do the work itself. The secretary (Mr. R. Hornblow) said "Where is the difference between spending money on the Levin ground and Foxton? There are two clubs here and neither would spend money on the ground for the rep. match as it was considered this was the duty of the Union. Win* didn't the Union step in and do the' ground up, the same as they did in Levin?" "A GRAND TOTAL-."

"They have a right to a squeal," Mr. Rimmer commented, "but at the same time this member of our Council did not present the case in the way that he should have done for this Council in reference to that particular ground. The amount of money spent on the Levin Domain by this Council has been a grand total of £1 17s (3d. Why did this Council spend that? As a matter of fact, we had a fence put up at the expense of Wanderers, taken down and re-erected year after year; and that ground we could never really claim as our own. We are not squealing about that. The club have said nothing whatever to me about the question, but I am raising this purely from the standpoint that I think this Council has not been treated, right by cur delegates in Foxton. Wanderers have put the ground in order year after year. List year we had that fence broken down as a result of the crowd it had to hold back. Wanderers got tired of spending money. Money was not so plentiful last season; but that would not have worried them but for the- fact that the ground was being used by Weraioa and County. The expense of maintaining that ground was not based on the expenditure that would keep the ground for rep. games. Wanderers had a right to question the heavy expenditure that they were placed against with regard to that ground, and I don't think that Foxton, or any other part of the district, has a squeal. What Wanderers asked for was that the expenditure be borne equally by the three clubs. If the delegates at Foxton had explained that position clearly, I am satisfied that the Foxton people are sufficiently sane to recognise that the Wanderers had at least some grounds for a complaint. I don't think that any grounds in the district were placed in the same unfortunate circumstances as those used by Wanderers. " 'The Chairman: I think this was fully discussed in committee here, and it was resolved that the Union spend this money under the circumstances that th? ground was taxed and that it should :iot be made a precedent for other clubs claiming on it. It is a pity that those facts were not made known 1o the public at the Foxton meeting. Mr. Rimmer stated that the money was paid for the work on the Domain in June.

Mr. Robson (Miranui): I don't think any one could say but what this Council gave the delegates every opportunity to do something, but they seemed simply not to want the game there.

The Chairman (Mr. O'Connor): They wanted it after the motion was carried. I think this would be better left oa er until we have our meeting before the special meeting, when the Foxton delegates will be here.

RUMOURED DEPUTATION FROM

FOXTON

The Secretary (Mr. Casey): I think there will be a deputation from Foxton that night, to air their grievances. Mr Ryder (Wanderers): An . all-night-sitting. (Laughter.) Mr. Robson: I don't think they will be in order.

Mr. Wrigley (Kuku): No, it is a special -'general meeting to discuss a certain object. In the meantime the minutes of June 10th had been turned up, at Mr. Rimmer's request, an/d th£y showed that the following motions weie lost: — "That the Council pay for the fence," and ''That Wanderers be instructed to erect a fence."

Mr. Rimmer: If that had bem pressed on Wanderers, it would have been

put up. The Secrelary: It was decided that

the Council erect a fence at the Domain, on Mr. Robinson's motion. Mr Rimmer: That is a Foxton dele gate. The Chairman: Awahou.

Mr. Ryder: I think that the County and Weraroa representatives . were agreeable to come in with us, but the Chairman ruled that it Avas out of order to put up that fence. Mr. Anderson: If it had come to the point we were quite prepared. We did not put up that fence only for a rep. match —I never considered it in. that way. The Chairman: There were special circumstances. t Mr. Anderson: It was not just for a day's match. It is a ground that we have year after year. Mr. Richards (Shannon): If we make a grant to one club we shall have to"grant the lot and that will run into a great deal of money before the bit* ish.

Mr. Rimmer stated that fencing material was donated by Messrs T. Hobson, W. Haniian and Jas. Hannan. Mr. Wilkinson erected the fence year after year.

The*Chairman: I thought the Cricket Club provide 1 the fence. (Laughter.) Mr. Rimmer: No; they took it down. STATUS OF SPECIAL MEETING. The Chairman suggested that Mr. Rimmer hand the report of the Foxton meeting to the secretary, to be answered at the special meeting. He would be in favour of giving Foxlon every chance of asking for an explanation at that meeting. He did not think this. Council aliould tell the Foxton deputation that it could not be receded. If there was any grievance, place to receive it was at tv» spe i:tl meeting. Mr Wrigley: That meeting is not convened to take grievances. The Chairman: I think the notice calling the meeting a "so contains tie item '' General. " Mr Anderson: Isn't that going over this Council's head —going to the general meeting before coming before this Council. A deputation has no right to go to a general meeting before coming here. The Chairman: AVe can decide at the preliminary-meeting, whether to ice.-ive them or not.

Mr. Joyce (Weraroa): We should have some notice from the Foxton club that a deputation is coming. The secretary: It is only hearsay at the present time. Mr. Proctor (Hui Mai): I think it is a matter for this Council, and not for a general meeting to discuss at all.

The Chairman: It can be brought, up hi the meeting without a deputation. Mr. Wrigley: Ts it not a mattter for this Council to deal with? The Chairman: No; we have no notice from them.

Mr. Wrigley: It is this Council they are having the pick at. Mr Procter: I think it is a mater for this Council only. The Chairman: If this Council gets no notice, their delegates have every light to bring it up at the special meeting. Mr. Joyce: They should be ruled out of order. | , The Chairman: No; stlie order paper includes "General."

In answer to a; question by Mr. Wrigley, the Chairman stated that the notice for the special meeting set out the following business: —"Consideration of our relations with Manawatu and general. " It had been sent out. Mr Procter asked for the reading of the motion on the subject; passed at the last meeting. This stated thai: the special general meeting was to be for the consideration of the Council \< position in the combined Union. Mr. Procter pointed out that there was no mention of general business in the resolution.

The Chairman: It was put in after wards.

Mr. • Rimmer: We considered the changing of the status of the seniors in the southern portion of the district into juniors, and agreed that it be discussed at the general meeting. That was one matter, and that was why 'general" was put in. Mr Procter: If a deputation is coming from Foxton, it should come before us before it goes to the general meeting. Their grievance is against the Council.' We have a right to hear und discuss it in committee before it goes to the meeting. I move that if this deputation comes to anything, they be notified that they must conic to this Council before the matter goes to the general meeting. The Chairman: I could not put that. We have nothing to go on, having no notice frjm them.

Mr. Anderson: We should have an idea wha: they are at, so as to prepare '.is for the general meeting. A PASSAGE AT ARMS.

Mr. Wrigley asked where the addition to the meeting-notice came from. The Chairman: From this meeting. Mr. Wrigley; You have no authority to add it.

Tlie Chairman: It was added by this meeting, Mr. Wrigley: I want you to show me an authority for it. The Chairman: That is only pinpricking. I did not put it there —the meeting put it there. Mr. Joyce: It was just after the motion was put through, and it was decided that "general" should be added on account of that southern business.

The Chairman: It is a mistake on the secretary's part, and also on the members' part for not questioning the minutes when read.

Mr. Joyce: If it is brought up by the delegates Avhen you call for general business, you will have to go on with it; but we could not receive a deputation at that meeting. The Chairman: There is no need for a deputation. Mr. Anderson: They might discuss it as delegates from the club. * Mr Procter: And delegates only can snea to it.

The Chairman: Tha meeting is only for delegates. The matter then dropped.