THE FOOTBALL STRIKE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 141, 13 June 1912, Page 7

THE FOOTBALL STRIKE.

. ... _— —- ■ — . OKSOIfBTT OFFICIALS __X__A_VLgrt ; 'jHßT BEEDSED TO PLAY. ~, '•' AN OLD WOUND. iictfmaittee of the Auck__td Bugby tiL sat-toll, just on eleven o'clock last •_■ hearin" 1 explanations and dis_gS?'fla refusal of the Ponsonby dab f fidll"their engagement against City . t Saturday. Messrs G. Nicholson y dU W' Cunningham and F_. Whaley '__. appeared on lbßhalf of Ponsonby. 'Mr Shea-ail, the chairman, in opening .-eeediiigs, said the union would like of the occurrence and 2,v the /team failed to turn out. They S effi tood it was alleged that they had \ne&nce against -the referee, but they *_a_! l&e Mr Nicholson to make a statepon. •jlr Nieholson: It js not neeessaj-y.. Tjie iiicts- of the case were -well known, (jixoo-dhe had" on-referring to the re/es' HC _B_te-book. The committee of rtg' 1 association were advised of the iranWe- months ago, and I appeared before ihem to •strbstantiate the facts. No , e pW iwas received, but the assoti__tk>n hie. perfectly well the Ponsonby team xouli wt play under Mr Williams. si_ OUsoi" Which associatioii3Jr .33c3i_so_i: The ora association, bot'tbe-tOT association have the minute-. loa_.' ■'. j_rO_sohr But there was nothing before 1 the maw association. _tr Sieholson: We tuuieistooi fhey ineiraD a&oui it. The association trere notified in writing that Ponsonby would t jot ptey intder _r Williams. jjfr langsford. Who was secretary? gfr.Jßc&olsott: _j Oram. The assooaijoß knew of their grievances, and the players _we as much dignify to nplold as the referee. I consider the referee, besides his duty to the public, Jjs also 1 a duty-to the players. •'Mr Ohlson: I think wj_en the referee .as appointed, the better course would jjve been, ia view of the feet that there fas. nothing before the union, to have srriiten the appointment committee, and probably some alteration -would have ken made. It is news to mc that Ponsonby vould npt play trader Mr WilE_-, ■ 'Mr Mcbolson: Oh, you all knew individnally, if not officially. Member.: No. Only what "the m;. in the street" said. -frOi-soo: Mr NJeholson asked mv id vice-on the matter some time ago, a.. I advised him to see Mr Williams liasajf. ca- hring the matter before the union. I did not know what had actually «!c_rred, and that Ponsonbv would not flay under Mr Williams, and all this -.perfectly new. to mc. .Mr .i-holson: The facts are as you state. - J Mr Somerfield: I only heard of it from an outside source. Jr _ialey: I went to Mr Lamrfbrd's office and asked him why Mr Williams 5« put on. 1 also spoke to Mr StichW7 on the Tuesday before -the appomto_ was made. _"*«"■ &stie__ry: That is so. ' M^V : t° U ebould *»*» written. vf;T^ e;r '- l see * «w- Mr. 0 tie round, against Marist Bros. I She* _? _ Frost " and asked fa ™ if y-U -which contained' Mr. Williams' m .as referee was correct as it 3d- , 9g&}* J ep v Ufed ' *>'• Mt - *ta_*tfrigp_d then, and Mr. Williams to ratog. i told Mr. Frost Ponsonby i TOe not turning out, and he said, "Oh' I WiaVno team?" I replied, "No; we Tout tarn out under Mr. Williams"! Mr. Oram.-was then put on the match. 1 Mr. Stichbury: Mr. Williams' name »s against the match in error. .sifr.langsford: I was not advised offl-! Mr. iWhaley saW: "What haye 1 JOtt been doing to us putting Winiains «-. I don't think Ponsorrbv will turn I *.' And I Teplied ! , -lubbish." ' te.TOaley; it was no t intended offi . .W; I thought yon knew. I Mr, Bttston: Was it Pons-onby's sole' lason forsot turning out 'because they W not get a' reply to their letter"? I .Mr. JKcholson: Yes. That was their We. r_Son: t would like to askj «• Stit-imry, the delegate irom the fOUMltlrjrC&b, wi<r ie noi iie latter before vthe union. | ' ,Mi. StJchhury: I knew nothing de-' ™te. ;I-;h_rd. outside talk, but could Mt get anything to make a charge on. Did the -union know aaaaHy of the- trouble? rMembeis: J7o r !' Then I have been aisled:-.''.-,. Tiis is a serious matter. n-Jlr.'Wj____xs is not good enough tor P<_d_y, he was not good enough for wotbier five teams. If Ponsonby have .«d;gr_n_ for their action, then in laaness.'toeveryone they ought to state it, and in common junstice should forQ wite-■>: charge. If their protest -was '11 grounded, they could depend upon MffiQ. to act fairly. _ Nidiolsoii: The whole evidence was .«n .to the referees. If it cannot be got from them I. am prepared to state tte charge, and. give grounds for our .Mtion. ■'"'-■' - If there is anything on , »t teeords let us see it. ■*t langsford: As an old member "i-.t____soc_.tion, Mr. Nicholson, did Jju ask for- a decision as to your Marges?'. ~Jh. M_.lson.- I was ' not a regular faiberpi_he_a_o_iation, and only took wool.matches "to assist. If the re-Wes,'minute-book is produced it will ?w;tE e statements. - .ar.aeahan: It is a regrettable occur.M. .. ' *-;Jfi_ofsbh: We-regret it as much ts ._.:.'4o.' .-• When you. heard oi WBmbli on.Saturday, why didn't you on? " langsford:. No other man would JO. ."•.;- -. . .%. Nicholson: Nonsense. It has been y before, when my .brother was the Ponsonby-Marist Bros. the "latter objected to him aSiS P'°™a was an olet Ponsonby (fj"_%.Stage it was stated.the minutenot avaflable. Nicholson: Well, I will give you gy what took pktce. The whole jSSSSj«_. over an incident in the ™sortby and Grafton match. The score SP were attacking j...^ raf toa were forced, but the PoA»7 man. who kicked the ball was offrt'^ 1 expected him to give a serum m 7L baU ' was -kicked from, and 1 ite-rt ; i« fc ' vss {t ' V ' Mr: Willianis l_w_# t_. What ifc » ° 4md everybody ■■■s_tff i '" Graffcoa kicked off.Me.■j££.Hhßked on and a scrum was orthen Mr. W-Diams sajd, (Hacks know too d «*___■ nit>r for us Bai d,. ■ • sPStee ias got a £nont on-^oa,

-inch,'' and I. told hiia to shut up and go on playing. After the game I told Mr. Williams his remaxks were unjustified and unsportsmanlike, and I lssade a complaint to the Referees' Association. When the meeting was held, Mr. Williams admitted abruptly, but it was his manner. He would not admit the remark about the All Blacks. Mr. Sheahan: Surely you don't charge Mr. Williams with any lack of honesty oi purpose? Mr. Nicholson: I don't know. Mr. Buxton: Are the Ponsomby team. friendly, or do they bear any aramosity? Mr. Nicholson: I think they are friendly, there is no reason to be otherwise. Mr. Sheahan: Don't you think having entered your protest yon should have i gone out ajid played, not only in justice to the public, but also to your oppoa-' ents? " , 'Mr. Nicholson: No. You overlook the fact that the referee is final and has absolute sway. He could order you off for the slightest breach, and my character is as good as anyone's. Mr. Langsford: You are assuming he ■would order you off. Do you tViinV he would? Mr. Nicholson: I have my own opinion about thai and it is the opinion of our players. After further discussion on the same j lines Mr. Ohlson said that the appointed ■ committee did the best it could for everyone, but could not listen to all street taik and whether a team would or would i not play under Jones or Brown. They wanted something more tangible. Mc Nichoison: May J ask rchafc took place in the referees' room when last' Saturday's appoinsfcments were made? Mr. Stichbury! Mr. Frost and myself. made the appointmeHts. I Mr. Ohlson: I was not present, bttt 1 take the fall responsibility. I looked, for Mr. Nichokon on Saturday to dis-1 cuss the matter, 'but he -was in the Ponsonby room. (Mr. Sheah___: Mr. Nicholson, you will | admit that your aeiaon might have laused serious consequences to everybody'! I __ Nicholson: Our only Tegret was thai the match was not played, but we also had out dignity to uphold. Mr. Sheahan.- You ought to have pocketed your dignity. I will ask you again if you should not have entered a protest and come before the union and stated your grievance, and after having made your protest, gone out and played? 1 would like you to admit ;that was the proper course. Mr. Nicholson: I cannot admit it. Mr. C__u_ingliain: It is the opinion of our players that the union knew all about, it, and it appeared to us as if the union was trying to force a man on us. Mr. Sheahan: it is the first time. Mr. Nicholson: Mr. Prost knew all about it. Mx. Sheahan: You will agree the union officially knew nothing. Mr. Ohlson: The attitude Ponsonby has taken up is that the referees knew all about it, and that the union knew. Mr. Whaley: The statement that the union knew all about it I know nothing about. I wrote to the Beferees' Assoeia- j tion that Ponsonby would not play under Mr. Williams. The Association promised Mr. Nicholson, to send their finding. | Mx. Sheahan: We know more to-night than ever. "" , Mr. Nicholson: Mr. Piost knew everything, and showed, no courtesy to the.' union in not letting them know. Mr. Stichbury: As far as Mr. Frost is concerned he thought the matter was settled long ago. Mr. Oram, as secretary of the Beferees' Association,' was then called in but on being: questioned, said he coukL.not enlighten the committee on the matter Mr. Knox haa the books of the old association, and he hud forgotten the circumstances.' He believed Mr. .Nicholson had appeared before the committee, but as far as he was aware no reply flad been sent as to the decision arrived at. Mr. Sheahan.- Was there no resolution ? Mr. Oram: There must ha.re been some. Mr. Ohlson: It was am imponfcant change, and a matter of great moment to the referees. Mr. Whaley: Do you remember tSe letter I sent, that Ponsonby would not' play under Mr. Williams? Mr. Oram: I cannot remember. I Aitar further protracted discussion 'Mr 1 Frost was asked to appear before the committee, and in reply to Mr. Sheahan as to whether a resolution was carried I at the inquiry in jgjl, _>. Fr oS fc said j he was not chairman, and did not know Ponsonby were promised a reply. ' Mr. JNSeholsorr: It wmt> promised. Mr. Frost:' May be so. I won't dispute it. 1 have a very vague remembrance of it. Mr. OMson: As a member of the appointment board were you aware that Ponsonby was smarting under a grievance? Mr. Frost.- Certainly not. Mr. Conningham: Did you know Ponsonby would not play under Mr. Williams? Mr. Frost: Certainly not. Mr. Whaley: Did you not know Ponsonby would not go out in the Marist Brothers match? Mr. Frost: Yes. Further discussion ensued, -ri&ich tended to show that Mr. Frost was not aware of the Ponsonby grienvance, and [that the appointment of Mr. Williams to the Ponsonby v. Marist Brothers match was not made by the committee. | Mr. Cunningham: The whole trouble seems to be that Ponsonby thought the union knew, and the majority of Che I players were under the impression that the unions had been notified. iMr. Stichbury: The union and also i the appointment committee were entirely ignorant of the facts, and until the statements were made that night they had nothing tangible to go on. Mr. Frost was entirely blameless in the matter. Mr. Whaley then asked that the match be played at a future date, and the Ponsonby representatives withdrew. A brief discussion ensued after the delegates withdrew, but owing to Messrs. ■Buxton and Dawson having to retire before the meeting concluded, it was de- . eide'd to deier further consideration until next week.