AUCKLAND RUGBY UNION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 92, 20 April 1893, Page 6

AUCKLAND RUGBY UNION.

Tho annual meeting of the Auckland Rugby Union was held in tha British Hotel on April 14, when there was a good attendance of players and others who take an interest in tho game. Mr A. E. Devore, the presidenb, occupied the chair. Mr T. Henderson,, the Chairman oE the Management Committee, stated that since the last general meeting ot the Union, the Committee had arranged for a renewal of the lease of tho Epsom ground for a term of five years. The sum of £500 had been placed in the hands of three trustees, Messrs T. Henderson, G. H. Dixon and J. C. Webster, towards purchasing a suitable ground. The Committee approved of the action of tho New Zealand Rugby Union, in arranging for a team from this colony to visit New South Wales and Queensland. The team will leavo for the Australian colonies early in Juno, and will be composed of twenty players, chosen from the different centre*. The Committee still had under their consideration the renting of a club room.

Tho following officers for the ensuing year were elected :—President, Mr A. E. Devore; vice presidents, Messrs .1. M. Brigham, C. Hesketh and G. S. Kissling ; secretary, Mr G. H. Dixon; treasurer, Mr J. C. Webster ; management committee, Messrs W. Gardiner, If. Donald, F. W. Edwards, T. B. O'Connor and T. Henderson ; auditors, Messrs T. Macky, junr., and J. Bancroft.

Before the elocbion of the committee was proceeded with, Messrs W. M. Chapman, G. S. Kissling and obhci*3 urged on the delegates to elect one member from each club, so that each club would be represented or, the Committee. Messrs G. H. Dixon, O. Wells, T. Henderson, T. B. O'Connor and others spoke againsb club representation, on the grounds bhat the system had proved a failure in all athlotic bodies in Auckland, as the delegates elected were ns a rule strong partisans for their respective clubs. They asked tho delegates to voto for those whom thoy thought to be tho besb mon to acb on tho tho Committeo.

It was decided to send a letter of condolence to Mr J. M. Brigham, one of the Union's vice-Presidents.

Dr. Erson, who is a lifo member of tho Auckland Rugby Union, stated that during lila visit to Australia, he attended a meeting held in Melbourne of over one hundred old New Zealanders, who had assembled chiefly for the object of establishing a Rugby Union, which was to blossom forth as tho "Rugby Union of old New Zealand." That meeting asked him to convey its best wishes for success to the Now Zealand footballers, and although many miles away, they wished ib known thab they had not forgotten the good old game, and tho many pleasant afternoons it had afforded thorn on this sido of the water.

Mr G. IT. Dixon gave the following notico of motion :—" All disputes arising out of cup matches bo adjudicated upon by a Committee composed of one delegate from each district club not interested in the dispute." Mr W. M. Chapman proposed, on behalf of the Ponsonby Club, "Thab all president?, vice-presidents and honorary members of affiliated Clubs who donate the sum of ono guinea to thoir respective clubs' funds shall he provided wibh a pa;>s entitling bhem Vo admission to the ground and stand freo ol charge on all occasions of inter-Club matches with visiting teams from outsido tho Auckland Rugby Union boundaries. Tho maximum number of such passes to be issuod to any one Club to bo twenty-five (25)."—This was carried. An application for affiliation from tho Dargaville-Hokianga Union was granted. Tho application of the graduates and undergraduates of the Auckland University Collego to be allowed to play as a senior team, was deferred till tho next general meeting. The sums of £25 and £10 wero voters to the Secretary and Treasurer for bheir services during bho pasb year.