A RULE AMENDED.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14349, 8 May 1912, Page 6

A RULE AMENDED.

COUNTRY PLAYERS MAY PLAY IN TOWN TEAMS. Another s|K>cial general mooting ol delegates to the Canterbury Rugln Union was hold last night to eonridoj th'o question of permitting country players to play for city clubs. A 1 tho last mooting the rule forbidding country students playing f or Canter bury College was abolished, and tin question ol abolishing the rule forbidding country players playing foi city clubs, was postponed till last night Mr. 0. H. Mason, president of the Union, presided at last night's meeting Mr F. L. Murray moved:—''Thai Competition Rule 3, section (h) b< struck out." The rule provided foi no player residing in a sub-union district being allowed to play for a town club. Speaking in support of his motion. Mr Murray said that since the last meeting ho. had .visited three .of the country Unions. It seemed to be the unanimous wish oT • nil the senior players in the country districts that the rule be struck out. and he had not met one player altogether opi>osed to it. There was no doubt that football in the country, as well as in tho town, required improving. He considered tho playing of ' the country members in city teams would improve country football. It was the experience oi the sub-districts that football in thorn was not going forward, in met. in two of them it was decidedly going hack, snd country players were' unanimously of opinion that something must be'done in the matter. ■ Mr C W. Hcrvey, in seconding the motion, said ho considered the abolishing of the rule would ho in the inter- I est of football in Canterbury. It would I bn a stepping stone in improving tho j play of country members, and incident- ] ally of football in Canterbury. The j niattor was viewed with . sympathetic interest by the sub-unions. The country people, considered that the commit- j too, of tho union wero not tal'ing tho > right stop in holding a country week. If they allowed country players to play in town they would eventually drift- back to, tho country teams and incidentally benefit country football. "" I The Chairman asked how they were i going to improve country football by taking tho host players from tho conntry clubs r , - Perhaps the schemo of tho Managing Committee was not tho best, and.the Managing Committee were willing to hear,better ones. He appealed to tht? good sense of the delegates. MrW. V. Garrad said it was significant, that the sub-unions wished'to retain local ; government, and lrntil they brought forward a bettor scheme matters should be left as they were. Mr C Kafforty considered thftt* years ngo, when they had lo.ss sub-divisions, they, had better players and better football. Mr F- T. Evans felt rather'inclined to opp-iso the motion, because ho thought it might .prejudice ,the country clubs by taking" away sbmo- of their best players. If Mr Murray had come, along and said ho had the support of one or two of tho. country unions, he (Mr Kvans) would probably .have supported th« motion, in order just to givo it a trial for a .little while, but Mr Murray did nnt have that assurance, he had only the assurance- of players. - Jf they had a system of: allowing country forwards to come into town and play for throe or four. Saturdays, it would do a lot of good. Ho promised to move at tho committee of,the Union foi" :\ sub-coinmittc? to be'appointed to draft a scheme wlioreby,>sayv the weaker teams, ir. the senior competitions, play matches against the country teams. ■ .M'r.F- J. Hrookor considered that if tho rule were struck out it would mcaji not more - than half-a-dozbn eoun l try players coming"into the town. Were the other 000 country players going, to throw tin tho game on that account ? His view "was that tho game was oycrgoverned. The committee' of the XJnion seemed to spend all its time reprimanding clubs and players. Ho favoured the. abolishing of tho rule. ', Mr A. Hooper moved an amendment :•— "That the rule bo altered to allow of country, playo.rs playing for town teams, provided, thp.y received tho consent of their sub-unions.", Mr C. Hasell seconded tho amendment. ■•."■■' Mr S. F. Wilson said the' North Canterbury players were tinanimously in favour of'playing under their own subunion if they r could, but. unfortunately, they had been hampered by; tho withdrawal of a team. By passing Mr Hooper's amendment tho delegates would be catering for a class,!as, owing to the early departure of tho trains a jilougliman, etc. could not come into town unless liis expenses were paid. Mr Murray said that ho was quite willing to modify his motion in tho direction of Mr Hooper's amendmentIt was only • right ■ that the sub-unions should know and have control over their players. Ho was prepared to accept the amendment. Mr Hervcy also said he.was prepared to accept the amendment. Mr J. F. Peake said he had boon instructed by the Ellesmero Sub-union to vote aua hist both the motion, and tho amendment. - '- Tho Chairman read a telegram from the Ashburton Union to its delegate, instructing him to oppose the motion. Mr H. E. Hiddlestone,. the Malvern delegate, read a letter from tho secretary of hie sub-union. Tho letter said the' impression Mr Murray and Mr Hervey had given was that they only wished to allow country players whose business took them to town, and who wero not able to play in the country, being allowed to play. The Union, by five votes to four had decided in favour of a player being allowed to play in town in the circumstances described, if lie received the consent of liis subunion. Mr W. Walton said he took it that there had l>een no intention of doing harm to the sub-unions. This year they had one selector only, and it was perfectly obvious that a sole selector could not nee much of country football. Mr Evans's suggestion was, however, an excellent one, and whether the motion was carried or not, such a course should be adopted. It seemed to him that if a player had to get permission from his sub-union not much harm could be done. He thought something of the kind as suggested in Mir Hoopers amendment should lie done this year ut any rate. The amendment was carried by 2-t votes to 11, Messrs Evans and Kesteven. two of tho vice-presidents of the Union, voting for it. The Chairman asked for leave to withdraw his motion:—"That during the current season Competition Rule 3, section (b) be allowed to become inoperative in so far as the North Canterbury Rugby Union is concerned." The. carrying oi the amendment, he said, had put the North Canterbury Union in the position that a plajer "in their district could on getting a permit from the sub-nnion. He was granted the required permission.

A meeting- of the Managing Committee of the tmion was held at the conclusion of the meeting of delegates. Present—Messrs G. H. Mason (chairman), F. T. Evans, F. D. Kesteven, C. Buchanan, G. Scott, junr.. S. F. Wilson, A. L. Jones, W. M, AUardyce, E. Hasoll. and W. G. Garrard (hon. secretary). It was resolved to summon representatives from the North Canterbury Sub-Union and the N'tu Ahuriri Football Club to appear before the committee, in order to permit of a final and exhaustive enquiry into Ihe disqualification of the- club by the subunion.

M.r Erans considered that in the second round they could rearrange j the club senior teame, leaving in the ! thi-eo or four who had a chance for I tho championship, and play the other j clubs against th<> country j The Chairmnn sugcest*>l a conference : with delegates from the sub-unions to yo I into the matter. Mr 'Allnrdycc < , onsjder<tl that if they ' i <-onld get club teams to jio out and ' l>l ny ix)untry teams, it would give tho i country players a chance to learn the!. J finer points of the game, and would be ! . Jof assistance- to the selector in picking i ! tlie representative teams. i ' " The Chairman considored they were ! j attaching too much importance to ! ' getting Crtuntrj , players" into repre- j. j sentative teams. What ;ie ,want<xl. and what he tVlt sure tho country I . . players wanted, were games with to.wii ! ! teams. ' "' " , ) It was decided to devote further con- '' federation to the matter'at. the next '■' { meeting of the committee on Tuesday ' night. . . _ #•■ j. lollowiiip are tho grounds and rpi>re**'f<>r j Saturday. —Senior: Marist r. M.*ri- ' vale. Show GrourJi, XIV J. T. Wcnen: 1 Christchurch v. Sydenham. L»nt«stor Park ova!, Mr C. Um-hanan; Linnvod v. Old Boys, l.sncastcr Park South. Mr H. C9oXayrif; Caniorbnry College v. Alliion, Lancaster Purk West." Mr J. -D. Frunr. J tin tor: Canterbury College v. Old ooys. Old Boy« Sround. Mr,H.-K. Hifldlestoni: • Sydcnliain iv. tinwood. Sydenham, Mr IT. Seward: Merivalp v. Maristf". Marists" crouni!, Mr ~W. }larman; Christchurcli v. Albion. Christclmrch ground, \V. Kound. Prwirf«>nt's C»p: Kaiapoi v. IMarists. Ivaiajjoi. Mr A. .1. Cresswi'l]; -\frrivale -v. Cantorlir.n- Co!li';e. Canterbury Col>ge ground, Mr A. Alexander: Old Boys v. Albion A. Albion srcniul, Mr J. Puddle; Christchurcb A v. Sydenham. Sydenham, Mr A. 11. Hooper: Chri*'.church B v. Linwocxitß. liiuwood pround, Mr C. Hasell; Albion I! v. Lvitclton. Lyti»-lton. Mr \V. Wocdf. Fourth-Class: Cbrisichurvii v. MarisH, B.H.S. ground. Mr 0. F. Drury ; Sydenham v. Meriva'e B. MVrivalc r;roiiTitl, Mr A. H.. Noall; i.iawood v. S\iYnner: I*inwood Park, Mi- L. , H'flrdie. I'irth Cl'Jsfl '(at 1.30 p.m.): ■ WaJthain v. AVestorn, .LancaMer L Park: ppawa v. 'Northern. I f -ancaater P.aik; Sydenham, v. Lyttelton, LaneiFter Park.