WELLINGTON.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 10042, 21 May 1898, Page 3

WELLINGTON.

Wklt.t>~ctok, May 16. Taking the matches that have already been played as a guide, I think that last year's champions will again be returned the winners of the Senior Championship, although it is rather early to predict such a result. Their forward play is certainly far above the other senior teams engaged, although with a slight tendency to rough play, which could be very easily modified by a referee with backbone. On Saturday Melrese simply romped over Poneke, the final result being 8 points to nil. Wellington, contrary to expectation, beat Petone by the narrow margin of 9 to 8, and the Athletics won by the large score of 14 to 4 from the Orientals. The latter Club are this year playing for the first time as seniors. Last season they played an excellent game as juniors, but are a little outclassed as yet. I think before the season is over, however, they will give their older confreres a tight game or two. The Appeal Committee of the New Zealand Rugby Union was elected last Friday evening. 1 understand on enquiry that the representatives on the Managing Committee from Auckland; Dunedin, and Canterbury were unable to be present at the meeting, and certainly I think that undtfr the circumstances, these three large bodies, having under their control so many clnb3, should certainly have had a voice in the appointment of one of the most important Committees the New Zealand Union has under its jurisdiction. On the motion of the Otago delegate the locale of the Appeal Committee was, under the iiew rules, for this year fixed at Wellington, and I think that a matter of such vital importance should have been determined upon by a full meeting of the Managing Committee. The postponement for a week or so would not have mattered at all, as the season having barely commenced the work of the Committee will necessarily not start for a month or two. I do not think the personnel of the Committee is such as to inspire confidence in their decisions by the majority of the various unions in the colony. The action of last year's N.Z.R.'U. Council in the disqualification of three members of the New Zealand team seems to have been thoroughly endorsed by the annual meeting of delegates. After an exhaustive review of the evidence taken by the late committee, lasting over two hours, the sentence imposed was upheld by 27 to 7. The delegates voting for the removal were— Otago five votes, Mr Ellison (Wellington) one vote, Mr Carey (Marlborough) one vote. Otago explained their position thus. They voted as they did because they thought the action of the New Zealand Union ultra rires, and that the enquiry into misconduct should have been relegated, at any rate, as far as regarded the member of their own Union, to the Union interested, viz., the Otago Rugby Union. To put it in a nutshell, the Otago delegates, after hearing the evidence, would have upheld the decision of last year's committee but for a matter of principle; in fact, I am told that one member, after hearing all the evidence, was surprised at the leniency shown by the governing body. Rough play is a matter that will have to be dealt with in this city very shortly. The senior clubs are principally to blame. Of course the matter rests entirely in the hands of referees, and if the various gentlemen appointed to act will have the necessary firm-' ness the evil can very quickly be stamped out. The objectionable practice has shown itself very early this season.