SILENT WHISTLE

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 76, 21 June 1927, Page 1

SILENT WHISTLE

REFEREE REBELS PROTEST AGAINST POLICY MOTION OF NO-CONFIDENCE TTINTS of a no-confidenca mo - IT tion accounted for an especially large attendance at the meeting of the Auckland Rugby Referees’ Association last night. At the outset Mr. G. Cliffe was asked if he would make a statement he had promised to make at the meeting. In reply he asked that he be allowed to withhold the statement until the close of the meeting. The request was granted. Mr. E. Dixon proposed, and Mr. G. Cliffe seconded, a motion of no-con-fldence in Mr. G. Grigg, the association’s nominee on the appointment board. The chairman, Mr. F. E. Sutherland, ruled the motion out of order at that stage. Being a contentious matter, he said, it would have to go before the executive. Mr. Cliffe asked if the subject had been discussed by the executive. The chairman: The executive has discussed the affairs of the association generally. Mr. Dixon: Does this mean that my notion must lapse. The chairman No. It must go before the executive. I will call the executive together at the earliest possible moment. . MR. CLIFFE’S STATEMENT Later Mr. Cliffe, making his statement, said he had tried to consider the matter in the broadest light, but had been forced to the conclusion that, until there was a change on the apopintment board he must retire on to the inactive list. There were two factors operating. If a referee went on the park and blew his whistle according to the wishes of the Auckland Rugby Union he was not pleasing the powers that be on the appointment board, and if he pleased the appointment board he was offending the Rugby Union. On the examining tribunal was only one man, Mr. P. Mackie, who held a higher certificate than he himself. He did not think that was right. He took it in the light of a hardship that he should have been passed over, after only one trial, when referees for interprovincial matches were appointed. Ho contended that a principle was at stake, and lie had to stand by that principle. The association should have better and stronger representation on the appointment board. When that came about he would be prepared to become active once more. The chairman: Is there any motion? After a long silence a member asked what an inactive member was. The chairman: Officially there is no such position, but custom has already allowed some to take part in the association’s transactions, without actually refereeing matches. Mr. Cliffe: I don’t want any indulgence from the members. If there is any doubt I will tender my resignation. A member: There is no suggestion of that. Mr. E. Rule moved and Mr. G. Hancock seconded a motion that Mr. Cliffe be granted a month’s leave of absence. The motion was carried.