Taranaki Referees' Association.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 780, 24 March 1905, Page 2

Taranaki Referees' Association.

The annual meeting of the lara> Taranaki Referees' Association wus held at the Council Chauroera on Thursday caning-. Mr W. I'roctor occupied the chair. Messrs Spurdlo and H. Kivoll wrote regretting their inability to bo present. and stating their willingness to attend the proposed qonforence at Stratford. The secretary (Mr ti. lirifflths) read the balance-sheet, showing n credit in hand of £1 12s 7d. This was considered very crcditafole, and was duly adopted. Mr F. T. IJcllringcr was elected to the position of president, and in returning thanks congratulated members on the fact that the Association had held its position so wcU. The Association had done very good service to football in this country, raising the status of referees, putting them on a recognised official looting, andi obviating the wrangling the clubs used to indulge in previously regarding the selection of re•"•rces, und in regard to protests and disputes. Since the Association hud been formed the working of the Union had been nnic'i more pleasant. The presidents of all the affiliated Football Clubs in the Northern district were elected vice-presidents of the Association ; Air Griffiths w«s re-elected decretory and treasurer, and thanked lor his services last year, and Mr A. It. Stamdish was appointed auditor. The secretary was instructed to write to all the clubs in the Northern division, asking them to nominal** likely referees. In vibw of thi Mjrvice to clubs in ensuring that good qualified referees were always available, the opinion was expressed that it should be supported to the extent of two guineas from each club. Mr Dcllringcr mentioned Hint the mat* tr would come up at the meeting or the Hugjby Union. On the motion of Mr G. Hopkins it. was resolved : "That the Taramiki Rugby Union be respectfully requested to refer all matters in connection with the appointments of referees for matches to the Association." The chairman brought under notice the discourteous treatment with which he and Mr Spurdle had hem subjected to in Wellington on the occasion of the British, match. They, expecting the usual privilege of bona fide referees from accredited jutsido associations, applied to the secretary of the Union for passes of admission, but were ruddy refused, with the intimation that there was no free list whatever, nor could they buy tickets from the secretary. The papers afterwards stated that over 500 free passos had been ii+sued. He wished to .make a protest, apart altogether from the monetary point of view, aga!nst such scant treatment being accorded to a member of an outsfele association. The Association decided to lay the complaint before the New Zealand Referees' Association, nnd express the hopo that its representatives would be more courteously treated in the future, and their pri» vlleges duly recognised. Mr Ilellringer : They met with better treatment here when the big match was on'. Wo not only admitted them to the ground, but gave them seats on the 10s stand. It was decided that the secretary rhould arrange a conference with the Southern Referees' Association, and that it should be held at Strata ford on the same night as the Ituglby Union meeting. Mr Franß Julian was elected a member, subject to the usual examination ; and it was mentioned that Mr A. Humphries would probably consent to join.