RUGBY FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 68, 21 March 1934, Page 13

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

referees disagree.

TROUBLE AT WELLINGTON. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Tuesday. The annual meeting of tlio Wellington Rugby Referees' Association last night was tlio stormiest ever held, and at intervals uproar prevailed. At the outset, when nominations were called, for the presidency, the meeting was interrupted when complaints were made of a ticket "sent out to poison the minds of the younger members," and a motion that the president, Mr. D. Calcinai, leave the chair, was defeated on the voices, after a babel of cross-talk. Following a ballot, in which Mr. Calcinai was. re-elected, and shook hands with the only other nominee, Mr. A. C. Kitto, the chairman objected to a remark by the latter, and alleged the use of the word "dirt." At this etage a member stamped out of the room, slamming the door. Mr. Kitto said he used the words ''not fair. The chairman continued to refer to this remark by Mr. Kitto in a tone inaudible to pressmen, and added that if that was what Mr. Kitto thought, the association would be better without hl Voices: No. Withdraw that! Uproar ensued when Mr. Kitto made | to leave the room. , . . In response to appeals, Mr. Calcinai withdrew his remark unconditionally, but Mr. Kitto left the hall. Mr. Dan McKenzie, who previously had appealed unsuccessfully _ for a discussion on internal dissension in the association, regretted Mr. Kitto s action, as he had been a faithful member for 25 years. He suggested that the new management committee approach ilr. Kitto with the "olive branch. There was further disturbance when Mr. Calcinai was criticised for having ridiculed the association's instruction class in an address.