RUGBY FOOTBALL.

Shannon News, 10 August 1928, Page 4

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

HOROWHENUA DISTRICT COUNCIL. The management committee of the Horowhenua Rugby District Council 'met in the Wistaria Rooms last evening, there being present: Messrs W. Hannan (president), A. Richards (Shannon), G. Mitchell (Shannon), E. M. Rvd'er (Wanderers), S. Hooper (Wera'roa), W. Phillips (Referees), J. W. Procter (Hui Mai), Les. McDonald (Wanderers), H. Hutchins (Foxton), M. Winiata (senior selector), J. W. Rimmer (treasurer), and J. . Casey (soeretary). An apology for absence Was received from Mr H. McDonald (Schools). GAME REQUIRED FOR THIRD GRADE REPS.

Advice was received from the Rangitikei Sub-Union that it could not see its way clear to return the third grade rep. match this season, as the Union. were very short of funds. It was decided, on the.motion of MiRichards, seconded by Mr-Hooper, to communicate with the Bush Sub-Un-ion,' and alternatively with the Dannevirke Sub-Union, to endeavour to arrange a gamje for .the Horowhenua thirds. - . TRAVELLING ARRANGEMENTS FOR REPS. FROM FOXTON.

Consideration was given to a letter, held over from a previous meeting,, in which the Foxton Club, stated that, at a meeting of its committee, it had been decided to ask the Council "to" make any future arrangements for players of the club, or matters connected with the club, through some official of the body in preference to an outsider."

This referred to arrangements for players travelling. In the Foxton "Herald's" report of the .committee meeting it was stated that on one occasion two Foxton members of a team which played in Levin were left there stranded and had to walk home. Or. other occasions arrangements had been made without the knowledge of the Foxton committee by the Union, for local players to attend at Levin for practice purposes, and they had been left to get over as best they could. Two players selected for the Manawhenua team were left stranded in Foxton, and when a Union official had been communicated with on the matter he said that a promise had been made by a member of another club that the Foxton players would be attended to.

In explanation, Mr Hutchins said that there had been a good deal of dissatisfaction among the Foxton committee and supporters in regard to players' travelling arrangements. The club felt that it had been ignored in this connection, and that it seemed to be "right out of it" when its men, were travelling. Mr Ro'binson had taken charge of them when they were going to Shannon, and the speaker was asked: why he was not in charge. The club, in its communication to the Council, did not intend any reflection on Mr S. .Austin, who had conveyed Foxton rep. plaj'ers in his ear during the season..

The chairman stated that, as the Council: had decided this season not to assemble the. reps, at its own expense, Mr Winiata, the senior selector, was allowed to make the arrangements, provided: that he could get volunteers to convey the players. If anybody was at f for the two Foxton players having had to walk home on one occasion, it was the players themselves. Mr Austin had brought them over for the selector. If the club had been willing to offering them on the same conditions as Mr Austin had done — at no cost to the Council —he thought the Council would not object. Mr Winiata stated that it had only been possible to bring the Foxton players to Levin to practise through his approaching certain gentlemen. With regard to the Maori-Pakeha match, he had#asked Mr Austin if it was possible to bring any Foxton rep. players over, and Mr Austin said that he would be only too pleased to bring such players any time they were Wanted for practices. He (Mr Winiata) also got in touch with Shannon gentlemen—Messrs Moynihan Bros., Dalzell, Richards' and Mitchell —and they were quite agreeable to convey their reps. There were a lot of volunteers from Shannon for this service, but only one from Foxton —Mr Austin. Various players were also brought in from the south, and the Wanderers came in'with the assistance of their club. It happened one night that Mr Austin had to go to a Hacing Club meeting when there was a practice in Levin, and the Foxton players, could not come. It appeared that no one else would bring them, and their.club would not stand for the trip. In such a case it seemed very wrong if.the club refused to send their reps, to "Levin to practise. If a player did not receive the support of his own town, how was he going to be trained as a representative? The speaker was in Foxton the other day and pointed out that apart from Mr Austin, the place was not supporting the interests of the game as it should. Mr Hutchings said that the Foxton Club had never, been approached and did not know that the men had to be brought over, on the occasion when Mr Austin was unable to convey them. Otic night the club sent the players over by the service car.

Mr Eimmer stated • that, avS far as the Council was concerned, it had decided not to convey the rep. players to practices this season. * The Council had not approached any club in the matter, and no club could expect to veccive any special treatment. Mr Winiata had taken the onus on himself' of making arrangements to bring the players over, so as to have them fit for the rep. matches; he had done the best he possibly eould under the circumstances. Mr Rimmer did not think that Foxton had anything to complain about at all. Mr Hutchins said he was sorry that Mr Robinson wa s not present, because he (the speaker) had a lot to say which he would not say in Mr Robinson's ab-

senec. The club did not cast any reflection on Mr Austin or the Council. Mr Casey explained that the walk home to Foxton took place after the Maori-Pakeha match. The-. Foxton club now realised that they had been misinformed. There was a conveyance at Levin for the men in question, but they apparently found something better. Arrangements were also made later for Mr Rout's service car to carry them, but they apparently preferred to walk home at midnight after their evening's enjoyment.

Mr Procter stated thai Mr Austin had been up and down the road looking for these players. Mr Winiata said thai.- the boys were quite satisfied and walked home with a good will. There was no complaint from them; the. matter was only taken up by outsiders. Mr Hutchings said he could bring witnesses to state that the boys had made a complaint. The chairman asked Mr Hutchings to convey the Council's explanation to the Foxton Club.

FOXTON DELEGATE'S ATTEND

ANCE,

The next matter was'one affecting Mr Hutchins' attendance. The chairman stated that the Foxton delegate had missed three meetings in succession. The rules provided that any member of the management committee, having absented himself from three consecutive meetings without reasonable excuse, should be deemed to have vacated his position. The chairman asked Mr Hutchins if he hfd a reasonable excuse.

Mr Hutchins stated that, with regard to the first meeting from which he was absent, the club secretary (Mr R. Hornblow) had rung Mr Casey and asked if any importanf* business was. forthcoming." As there was not, Mr Hutchins had not thought it necessary to come over. He had understood that an arrangement was made at the beginning of the season whereby it would not be necessary for Foxton to send a delegate to a meeting if- there was no important business to be dealt with. Last season it cost the club £l9 for delegates' expenses. With reference to the second meeting that he did not attend, Mr Hutchins said that he was in the middle of shifting and he had asked the club secretary to ring up Mr Casey. On the occasion of the third meeting,* he had received word that his brother had died, and he had thought that ho would have to go to Taranaki. Mr Hutchins added that he had served on the Council and the Union a good many times, and one year he had a record for attendance, not missing a .meeting. The chairman stated that he had spoken to Mr O'Connor, the past president of the Council, who informed him that the proposal was made that Foxton should not send a delegate to any meeting where, there was no important business to be dealt with, but that it was only a recommendation and did not give the delegate power to stay away. The management committee, therefore, could not take that as an excuse in the future. Mr Hutchins stated that the delegate's expenses were costing the club 25s for each meeting. The club, which was financially strong at the beginning of the season,, had spent all its money in trying to put the game on a good footing again in Foxton. Mr Casey said that, in most cases where the delegate was unable to attend, the club secretary had rung up and apologised for the delegate's absence. "■•■'/ The chairman stated that such an apology did not make any difference unless there was a reasonable excuse. Mr Casey said he had been under the impression that an agreement was made, at the beginning of the year, that unless there was important business the delegate need not come across. The Chairman: We have no power to contract out of the by-laws, but that excuse will hold this year. No reasonable man would have asked Mr Hutchins to come" when he had Ms furniture on the road, nor when he had a bereavement. On the motion of Mr Ryder, second-" ed by Mr Mitchell, it was unanimously resolved that Mr Hutchins' explanation be accepted as a reasonable excuse. HELPERS-OF THE GAME. Mr Casey remarked that it had been very gratifying to see the help rendered by the committee at the Bush rep. game. The expenses had been kept at a minimum. ; The chairman said he thought that' the officials had all shown the right .spirit on -that occasion. The current financial year had at one time looked Anything but promising, but he thought that the Council would come out on the right side, even if it sent the thirdgrade reps. away. A great deal of thanks was due to the gentlemen who had brought the players in for practice, and to those who had provided them with supper; also to the geiitlefnen who had helped at the matches. ': Mr Winiata took the opportunity of expressing appreciation of those who had given their services to bring the players in to rep. practices. At the beginning of the season it was intimated to him that the Council would have no chance .of assembling the teams for practice. He maintained that without practice it Avas impossible to produce a perfect team. Early in the season the team was ftar .from promising, judged on club play. The Council having foUnd it impossible, in the condition of its finances, to assonible the team for practices, he approached one or two gentlemen, with the result that the team was brought together for training. He now asked the Council to send letters of appreciation to the gentlemen who had helped it in this way; also to those who had provided suppers. Last-year,, when things were going well, the Council was able to supply the men with suppers after practices. This year it had not been able to do so, but there were those who came forward to relieve the Council of the responsibility. Mr Winiata added that team play was everything, and if they had not got their

team, in to practices this season they would probably not : have won any rep. match. He had no-doubt that the successful record put up by.Horowhenua reps, since 1926, when lie become their selector, was due to the support he had had from the Council and from people in the district who had the intercstsof the game at-heart. Any man • could pick a team,' but without the little final effort, of bringing them together, if only for a talk, their success would not.be assured. : The chairman said that the Council heartily appreciated ..the efforts of its supporters. He wished to mention the names'-of those to whom the Council was indebted: Mr S. Austin, of Foxton, Messrs Moynihan Bros;, Dalzell, Mitchell and Richards, of Shannon, Mr O'Eourke, of Manakau, and Mr E. M. Kyder, of Levin,' Mr Les. McDonald, of Levin, and the Foxton Club, for conveyance of. players and others; members of the Wanderers Club who had brought the boys up from. Waikanae; and Messrs Lin. McDonald, McLecnan, Jones, B-immer, and F. Robinson, for suppers. These efforts showed that when the Council was faced with a difficulty it had only to look around to find real good workers. • Mr Winiata mentioned the chairman also as one of those who had provided suppers. It was decided to send letters of thanks to the gentlemen named by the chairman. " COMING EVENTS. m The final match in the junior competition, North v. South, was fixed for Saturday next, on the Park Domain, Levin. There will probably be a secondary schools game as a curtainraiser. ; -- It was decided that a junior knockout competition be played-, for the Licensed Victuallers' Cup. Entries are to be accompanied by "£l each, which will be returned if the engagement is fulfilled. Nominations close on Mon« day next.