NEW ZEALAND RUGBY UNION.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 8793, 14 May 1894, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND RUGBY UNION.

(PRKSS ASSOCIATION TZUBGRAU.) WELLINGTON, May 12. At a meeting of the Management Committee of the New Zealand Rugby Union last night Mr Geo. Campbell presided. Light blue was registered as the colours of the Poverty Bay Union. The Queensland RugHy Union wrote asking if the New Zealand Union could permit of the sending of a South Island Representative team to Brisbane this year. The Chairman said that the letter was evidently written in connection with the correspondence which an officer of the Queensland.Union informed him had been received by Queensland asking them, on behalf of a Southern Union, to receive a team representing it, and two Unions then associated with it. It was resolved to inform the Queensland Union that it would be quite impracticable to send any team to Queensland this year. The Wellington Uaion wrote urging the desirability of the New Zealand Union approaching the Government to secure some legislative provision by which Football Unions and all other kindred bodies, many of which had control of large sums of money, should be able to register under the Joint Stock Companies Act. At present such bodies had no legal status, could neither sue nor be sued, were a.t the mercy of unprincipled officers, or might; fail in contracts entered into, and in either case there was no redresa for the aggrieved party. What was required was some inexpensive form of registration of all Clubs, Unions, and Associations, whose officers were honorary, and whose aims were -not for the purpose of promoting gains to individuals. It was resolved to forward copies of the letter to all affiliated. Unions, and to athletic, rowing, cricket, cycling, and swimming Associations for their views on the matter. The Christchurca Football Club applied for permission to play the Pirates Club, of Dunedin. There was a brief discussion, during which it was contended that, as the match was only a, club match, it might be permitted, while matches with representative teams or with a New South Wales team might not be allowed ; but it was finally decided to inform the Christchurch Club that, while regretting the nesessity for interfering with its match, the Committee could not, under the circumstances, see its way to grant the desired permission. A South Canterbury'delegate, on behalf of his Union, waited on the meeting to protest against the statement made in Canterbury, that under the representation contemplated South Canterbury would be made subsidiary to, and represented through, Canterbury. It was resolved to consider the protest when the question of representation was before the Committee, and meantime to inform the South Canterbury Union that nothing had transpired at the annual meeting to indicate any such intention on the part of the Union. Consideration of the charges made by the Nelson Union against the Wellington representative team - last year was deferred, pending the evidence of the local Union. At the New Zealand Rugby Union meeting it was decided to write to certain of the Unions, suggesting such a modification of their proposed tours as would give matches at Greymouth, Christchurch and Timaru, and, if possible, Invercargill, and to ask the New South Wales team to go South from Timaru for the purpose of playing a match at Invercargill against the Southland Union.

AUCKLAND, May 12. The football season opened to-day with the Senior Cup matches.