FOOTBALL CONTROVERSY.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18121, 10 July 1924, Page 9

FOOTBALL CONTROVERSY.

USE OF SHOW GROUNDS. ACTION OF A. AND P. ASSOCIATION. There "•'■as &n animated discussion jt yesterday's meeting of the General Committee of the Canterbury A. and p Association owing to the CanterburySngby Union's refusal to allow the use jf the Show Ground at Addington for I League match on the occasion of the forthcoming visit of the English footballers to Christchurcli. The matter was introduced by Mr Hayward, who said it was right thpeaibers of the committee should know s-hat had been done in the matter. A jgase of the Association's Show Grounds, be said, had been granted to the Union for a, term of live years, the present being the first year. The Lure paid for the lease was £2OO per One of the conditions laid down was that the Association had the right, by giving due notice to occupy the grounds on three Saturday afternoons during the football season. This right, however, was hardly ever availed of, but it nevertheless existed. foe Association occupied tho ground on one Saturday on the occasion of th-j recent Winter Show, and the Union w as good enough to put on a match, thy returns in resj>ect of which were very bpueficial to the Association. Recently a visit was paid to the Dominion by an Australian 'Varsities' team, but mi•fortnnately for them in the matter of grounds, "the game they played was League, in consequence of which they irere not allowed to use either Lancaster Park or the Show Grounds. Another League team would shortly be visiting Christchurcli, and for reasons best fcnown to themselves the Rugby Union irould not allow them to meet their opponents on either ground. "It is only a short time back," said Mr Hayifard, "that there was a slogan around Cbristchurch, 'Save Lancaster Park for the people.' I, like others, stepped in and we did, in fact, save Lancaster park, but not for the people—for the Bogby Union." Proceeding, Mr Hayward stated that the Rugby Union had refused to receive a deputation from the Association, which wanted to wait on that body to discuss with it certain matters, mostly of a financial natnre. Under the conditions of the ease, he proceeded, the Association could only get the use of the grounds for games other than football. He did lot wish it to be thought that he was blaming the members who were response for the lease being granted, but it tfas desirable that the position liould be understood so far as the future was concerned. In refusing to receive the deputation from the Assodition, the Union had, he considered, jiven the Association an unqualified nub. The Union had told the Association that it was not worth while sending its deputation to it. It was ten to one, he continued, that the match would now be played on the Metropolitan Trotting Club's ground at Addington, which would be prepared accordingly. When that ground was set up for football it would be goodbye to the Show Grounds, because the appointments on it were superior to tlioso on the latter. Mr Hayward considered that- the Rugby Union was not treating visiting teams in a sporting manner? He took rather a serious view of the natter, although he was not taking sides one way or the other. He moved amotion to the effect that under the conditions of. the lease, the Rugby Tlnio.n he advised that the Association Mquired the us© of the Show Grounds on the same afternoon as that on which the League match was to be played. His reason for moving such a motion was that it could be seen that the Assptation did not desire to have a match played on its ground by way of opposition to the League game. : In answer to a question, Mr Haymrd said it was a fact that the Rugby union could keep the Association off the ground bo far as football was con--0 0. other days than Saturdays. The motion was seconded by Mr Norman Rutherford. & H. 8. S. Kyle, in supporting the aouon, said he did so from a sporting pout of view. He liked all football *"< l was an old player of the Victorian game himself. He agreed with Mr Haywwd when that gentleman said the As-' wcaation had been snubbed by the Beferring to the recent Winter ™ow, he said that the Union had told ">e Association that a first-class match Wnld.be played on the Show Ground wring the Show on a Saturday afternoon, but instead, a second-class match *4? put on. He was of the opinion wat Md a first-class match been played v£we Show Ground instead of at LanPark, as it was, the Association »onJd have benefited to the extent of or £3OO. ii 9* McGillivray (a member of Association and also secretary of Bugby Union): Do you wish to regjdiate the agreement with the Rugby "Not at all." He Joed that liis motion would not break agreement. « answer to a question, the ehair■M said the Association had no desire , _ weak the agreement in any way. It Wk"?' es^ to use the ground for toall at all on the day of the match. • o| Mart said that as the Assoin v rr ad ma< * o an agrement with the £goy Union, it should keep to it. He ajjamst the Show Ground being a professional game in any i 3 it a professional Btoddart: I understand League Wayward: Oh, you only understated that he did not Ptttm had an}' intention, of jL 8 °n a game in opposition to the match on a Wednesday. thaf v? 3 ® eans expressed the opin|l., Hayward's motion savoursides in the dispute. "We Bbdi?m est possible use of the a dded, "and for that I no ' take sides at all. | % ® a very g oo d bargain with I . Union at the time. I will ! T ,B PPort the motion." I meeting, the moity t carried by a very large inajor-