RUGBY FOOTBALL.

Shannon News, 31 May 1929, Page 4

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

HOROWHENUA DISTRICT COUNCIL.

, The management e -mmittee of the Horowhenua fjstrict; Council met in the Wistaria Eooms on Tuesday, there being present: Messrs W. U. Hannan (president), A. Richards (Shannon), F. Meyers , (Waikanae), J. W.. Procter (Hui Mai), J. MeGill (Otaki), F. Robinson (Foxton), 'S. Hooper (Weraroa), W. S. Heyes (Foxton), W. G. Mcjuean (Paraparaumn), G. MitcheH (Shannon), W. Phillip-i granted ..to Messrs ,H. McDonald (Schools). aid J. W. 'Rimmor (treasurer). WANDERERS' &3NIOR ORDERED CFF. W.'ih regard." to the Wanderers-Shan-non senior match at Levin on Saturday, the i.eferee, Mr P. A. McLeavey, wrote repoi ting that he had had occasion' to order off E. Ropata, a Wanlerers' player, for deliberately striking an opjponent. The referee also nieiiioned that the ground was iiot proper ly marked out. It was pointed out that Ropata was not in attendance at the meeting. The. said it was the duty of ' a club to see that a member so charged was present at the x first meeting of the management committee, after the match.

Mr Richards moved that the case be held over until the appearance of Ropata. .'/,.'

The Chairman: I don't think it is necessary to do that. Once, he is ordered off tlie field, he is suspended till he appears before the Council. Mr MeGill: He may not be; aware of that. I think it. would bo advisable to let him know. ;

Mr Casey: All those players know it is necessary to attend.

THIRDS OR JUNIORS?

Mr C. Coyle, referee in the third grade match, Foxton v. Tokomaru, played at Tokomaru on May 4th,•wrote stating that the Foxton coach' had protested against two Tokomaru players, Jim and Jack Young, on the ground that they played as juniors for Te Kawai Sub-Union in 1927 and 1928. \

A letter 'had been before the committee at its previous meeting, from the • Foxton club, protesting against the playing of the Youngs by Tokomaru thirds on the ground that they had played as juniors for the Iluia club.

Mr 11. R. Parr, secretary of the> Tokomaru Fjotball CJub, wrote stating that his club played the -two Youngs in Saturday's game, on the information which he had received from Te Kawau and Rangiotu. The telegram which he received from Te Kawau ■was: "Strictest investigation. Both Youngs genuine thirds. Brother a junior.—Tostevin, Te Kawau." From Rangiotu he received a telegram which stated: "Jim Young two junior matches 1927, one .match 1928. John nil. Have notified your , Union. —R. Cjtrkeek." Mr Parr stated that his club had thought this information /satis-' 'factory enough to play the two boys, and as the Foxton team played under protest, Tokomaru hoped that the matter would now be .cleared up by the Council. He also mentioned that a Tokomaru player, Matthews, together with, a Foxton player, had to be ordered off the field by the referee last Saturday.. The club regretted this very much as it was only through a little squabble, and as neither player had been warned beforehand, the club hoped that the matter would be treated as trivial. The writer added that his club had not managed to get the lines, on their ground filled, in for Saturday's'game, but 'he would see that it waj done before the next home game. The advices from Te Kawau and the Rangiotu club were confirmed by a letter from the Sub-Union to the Council. /

The Chpirman mentioned that a protost agairst Matthews had previously been received from the Foxton club." Mr Robinson: I think we will have to withdraw the protest, in view of the advice from the two bodies. If these mep .only played two games as junior before, it did not make them juniors, as the present rule was not in force then.

The Chairman remarked fihat they would have had to play three times as juniors to-be .classified as such, according to the new rule. Mr McGill: If the Te.Kawau SubClnum arc satisfied, we cannot go against them, as they are the controlling body in this case. PROTEST WITHDRAWN.

It was decided, on the motion of Mr Robinson, seconded by Mr McGill, that the Foxton club be allowed to Withdraw their protest • against the playing of the ,two Youngs by Tokomaru," and that the protest fee be refunded.

CHARGES OF FIGHTING AND SWEARING.

A report was received from Mr Coyle, arising from the above match, that he had had to stand on the line McCarthy, of Foxton, and Matthews, of Tokomaru, for fighting and bad language. Matthews appeared': to him to ' be the aggressor, and he had had to warn him earlier in the match. Mr Robinson said that McCarthy was not able to attend the meeting, but had asked him to explain that the pair had had "a bit of a dust-up.'' McCarthy stated that when 'he was 'down on the ground, one of the Tokomaru men was mauling him about,' and .'McCarthy struck at him and hit the ball, at which the others started to laugh, and the two were then ordered off the field of play. Mr Heyes: He says it was not a fight, but a scuffle to get possession of ' the ball. .1 should say they both should be punished. $ The chairmwn said, that although "* Matthews wag unable to be present, the duty of the committee was to stand

both lad 3 down until they appeared before the, committee.

On the motion of Mr Heyes, it was resolved.that the case be held over until the players concerned appear before the committee, -and that in the meantime they be suspended. A CAPTAIN'S ABSENCE.

Mr C. Coyle, who refereed the Shannon v. Fox,ton u third grade match on May 11th, wrote stating that the coach of the Shannon team had asked him to report that the captain of that team walked off the field while the game was in progress, for what, reason the writer did not know.

The secretary explained that the delay in this matter coming before the committee was due to the referee's report having been mislaid. ■ ■ Mr Mitchell stated that the captain in question was no' longer with the Shannon thirds; it was understood that he had had a difference with the team. The Chairman: If he has not had an argument with the referee, I don't think there is anything to stop a man leaving the field. Mr Mitchell: He had an argument with the team at half-time, and did not come on in the second rpell. The Chairman: The referee did not see him walk off the field. It was decided chat the letter be received.

PROTEST BY OTAKI JUNIORS. The Otaki x Junior Football Club, through the secretary, Mr W. C. Childs, forwarded a protest and asked to be awarded a win or granted a' replay of the match against Hui Mai, played on Saturday at Otaki, the club' alleging that H. Wehipeihana, who was in the- Hui Mai team, was a senior playerl, Ihaving played .for Oriental (Wellington) senior team for a season.

The Chairman: If that is the Wehipeihana who played in Wellington, he played quite a few games there. If he has played three games, he is a senior. !

On the motion of Mr Robinson, seconded, by Mr Phillips, it was decided to write'to the Wellington Rugby Union to ascertain if H. Wehipeihana was a senior player. REEEREE AND UMPIRE AT , VARIANCE. • Mr H. K. Tahiwi, a referee, wrote with reference to the Hui Mai v. Otaki junior match, played at Manakau last Saturday, complaining of having been put off as a'line umpire by the controlling referee, Mr Hemi. The writer staled, that on two occasions the ball was played out. It was picked up and thrown in again two or three yard.s away from; where it went out. He was standing with the flag up where the, ball went out, and when play was resumed he blew his whistle to draw the referee's attention. " Consequently he was ordered off the line, and another umpire was put in his place. Mr Phillips- stated that the Referees' Association had also had a report on the matter, and proposed to' deal with, it. He had not known that a complaint was coming to this committee. • ■•■.-■■

In answer- to a suggestion that the Council should be satisfied as to the qualifications of referees, Mr Phillips intimated that the Association was considering the.question of having a test.

Mr MeGill stated that he had been a spectator of the match refereed to. Mr Tahiwi had taken the line at the request of the referee. , Mr Tahiwi put the up, and the ball was thrown in by a player .'five or six feet out of its place; the umpire maintained that it was wrong, and stopped the game. The second throw-in was the same, but the referee took exception to Mr Tahiwi blowing his Avhistlc to stop the game, and sent him off. Mr MeGill moved that tlie committee hear Mr Tahiwi, who, he istat;e-d was. in town. ''''

Mr McLean seconded the motion

Mr Phillips asked that the letter be referred to the Referees' Association to be dealt with. . The Chairman: I think that that is the best procedure we can take. Mr Tahiwi can still lodge a complaint to the Council, but:he is under the referee. Mr McGill: The Otaki team are satisfied they were beaten. Tins is a private matter between Mr Tahiwi and the referee.

It was decided, on the motion of the chairman, seconded by Mr Casey, that the letter be referred to the Referees' Association.

Mr Robinson: Will the Referees' Association report to the Council on the finding of that inquiry? The Chairman: They are not compelled to.

TEAM'S CAR HIRE,

When an account from Messrs Franks and Christie for £3 for hire of cars to take the Hui Mai seniors to Foxton, on Saturday, was brought up, Mr Froeter moved that it be referred to the Hui Mai Club.

A letter was read, from Mr R. Sands, referee in the above match, stating that the game did not start tilt 3>30 p.m., on account of Hui Mai having had trouble in reaching their destination.

The Chairman stated that, owing to the recent floods on the Foxton Road, the Council had decided to subsidise the team's travelling expenses via Shannon to the extent of 30s for a bus. The account referred io two cars. (Mr Procter stated that he was still holding a cheque for 30s given to him on Saturday night for this purpose by the secretary of the Council. The bus had suffered a breakdown when nearing Shannon, and the trip was continued in cars. If the team had remained in the bus, they would not have reached Foxton till about five o'clock. Mr McGill: I don't think that this Council should pay for teams to be taken anywhere. The motion, which was seconded by Mr Heyes, was carried. LEVIN PARK DOMAIN. Intimation was received from the Levin Borough Council that the Committee's request, that the use of ths Park /Domain for football in futun seasons should be from the middle of

April till the middle of October, had been- granted. !• . SEVEN-A-SIDE TOURNEY. An application was received from the -Waikanac Club for permission to •s-"nd a team to compete in the seven-a-;ide tournament to be held at Palmers-*' ton North on King's Birthday. Mr Mitchell asked that permission be given the Shannon Club to enter a senior, a junior and a third-grade team in the same competition. A resolution passed enabling all clubs under the Council's control to send teams 'to the tournament, with fhe condition that the players must ha members of the respective clubs. WRONG COLOURS. On the information of Mr Procter, the Hui Mai Club were fined 2s 6d owing to one of their senior, players being attired in wrong colours on Saturday. LATE. STARTS. A discussion took place at the instance of Mr McGill, who called attention .to Sthe (slackness of various teams in regard to the starting time of matches; and it was resolved to instruct clubs to endeavour to have their teams on the playing fields punctually to the- time set down by the Council for competition matches—2.so p.m., unless otherwise notified. The chairman said that if there was not a favourable response, the rule as to penalties would have to be enforced. MARKING OF LEVIN GROUND.

With reference to the referee's complaint about the marking of the Levin Park Domain, the chairman stated that he> had already marked the ground. The next' meeting of the committee was fixed for Tuesday evening, June 11th.