AUCKLAND CONTROL OF GAME

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 185, 6 August 1936, Page 20

AUCKLAND CONTROL OF GAME

FRANK PATON REINSTATED

AUSTRALIANS HERE AUGUST 22

At last night's meeting of the Auckland Rugby lootball Union Erank Paton, wellknown full-back, who earlier this season | went over to the League game and played tor 1 onsonby, appeared in support of an application tor reinstatement, which was granted after a brief discussion. Paton stated that he intended to rejoin the Grafton Club. Ihe question of the curtain-raiser for the Australia-Auckland match on August 22 was raised by a letter from the chairman of the Kaipara Sub-Union, who stated that it was felt that there were many good players in that sub-union who should have a chance to play before the Auckland selector. He therefore asked if the match between Kaipara and Auckland B could be played at Auckland instead of JAelensville, preferably as a curtain-raiser to the Australian match. Mr. Arthur Baker, the Auckland chair-

man, stated that arrangements for the curtain-raiser to be between Xew Plymouth Boys' High School and Auckland Grammar School had been completed and 0,1 ly le union's confirmation. I his was given, and it was agreed that a grant of £20 should be made toward New Plymouth High School's travelling expenses.

With regard to Kaipara's application it was decided that Kaipara should be given the opportunity of playing Auckland B on Eden Park No. 2 at 1.30 p.m. on August 22, while the secondary schools game is in progress on No. 1. The chairman stated that the Auckland selector would tllus be given an opportunity of seeing the Kaipara representatives in action.

J\Tr. Stan Clcal was appointed manager of the Auckland team to i>lay Thames Valley on Saturday.'

It was decided to invite the Auckland Primary Schools' Rugby Union to send a delegate to meetings of the junior boys' committee in an advisory capacity. A donation of £2 2/ to the funds of the Waikato Regimental Band, which played at Eden Park on tiie King's Birthday, was approved. It was announced that arrangements were being made to have a band at Eden Park on August 22, when the Australian team plays Auckland. The Maori Advisory Board asked that board should be arranged in Auckland for the Tokerau team, which will spend a night in the city en route to Ruatoria to play foi* the Prince of Wales Cup and Te Mori Rose Bowl. The chairman reported having interviewed the Avondale Jockey Club officials with regard to improvements to the racecourse grounds, which are to be carried out by the union at the request of the Suburbs Club. He stated that the Jockey Club officials had given him a very sympathetic hearing. Tiie matter of going ahead with the proposed improvements was left for the chairman to arrange. Weighing at Half-Time. A matter arising from the weighing of a player at half-time during a fifth grade match between Parnell and Manukau was discussed. The circumstances were that the Parnell team, which won .the match, had to forfeit it later, because it was found that the player in question was slightly ovef weight. Mr. Baker said it appeared to him to be unfair to weigh a player at half-time when the moisture on his clothes might add sufficient (fo his weight to place him above the limit for his grade.

Mr. ,T. Can*, representing the junior management board, said tiie player had the right to be weighed stripped. The Chairman: That again is not fair to ask a boy to strip at half-time. Mr. ,1. Sweeney said referees had complained that the "flying squad," in weighing players, sometimes arrived at the grounds late, and either held up tiie start of matches or had to do tiie weighing at half-time. Referees were now taking the attitude that this should not be permitted.

Mr. A. -T. Murdoch: If we are not going to support the men who arc carrying out the official weighing it is going to make their position difficult. The liniian pointed out that it a plaver were weighed beforehand and found to be over weight he was ineligible to play, but if weighing were delayed until balltime and ho was found to be over weight then his team automatically lost the, match. . . , ~ , , ■ The matters arising from the match in auestion were referred to the junior management board for further consideration.