REFEREES AND UNION.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19062, 26 July 1927, Page 10

REFEREES AND UNION.

A THREAT TO RESIGN.

INCIDENT ENDS SATISFACTORILY.

\t the last meeting of the Canterbury Referees' Association, a letter was received from one of its members, •Mr A. L. Hardie, complaining that on June 4th he had had occasion to order a Linwood player off the field for striking an opponent, and, although the Canterbury Rugby Union was desirous of clean football, its members (especially Mr S. F. Wilson) thought fib to insinuate that he lost control of the eame, and made remarks which besides being unfair and quite uncalled for subjected him to ridicule through all'the papers in Canterbury. The player referred to was Ja rAdams, of the Linwood team, in its match against Technical on June 6th. In a letter which _ he sent to the Management Committee concerning the incident, Mr Hardie wrote in a concluding paragraph: "While I am of opinion that the blow was struck by Adams, if your Union considers there is any doubt, I would be pleased to see the player get the benefit of the doubt."' , ■ ' A , It was suggested that the matter be taken in committee, but this did not suit Mr Hardie, who stated that as his case had been in the newspapers for some weeks now ho wanted it to appear once more. It was agreed that the matter be taken in open meeting.

Mr Hardie's Complaint. Mr Bardie's letter to the Association said: — "If the members present consider that I have .received a fair deal at the hands of the Canterbury Rugby Union, then it is with regret that I ask you to accept my resignation, as it is shabby treatment for a referee who has been a member of vour Association for about eighteen years." Amplifying the letter, Mr Hardie said that although he had notified the Union of his inability to attend its meeting when Adams's case was to be dealt with, he received a letter stating that it was desired he should at*tend. A letter was also received from the Union which stated that it was regretted that his report was not more definite. At the meeting,: certain statements were made which he did not like. He claimed that his report was quite definite, and he never had any.doubt as to the action he had taken in ordering the player off. Mr Wilson had stated that the writer had allowed the game to get out of hand, whereas he had 'not done so. "I consider that tho remarks of members of the Union were unfair and uncalled for," he said. "I have never ordered off a man unless certain I had got the right one. No one hates ordering a man off more than I do." He considered that he had been held up to ridicule as a result of the reports that had appeared in the newspapers and that when the Union imposed light penalties on reported players they were casting a slur on the referees concerned. He also complained of the attitude adopted by the. Union in holding over cases in which Messrs Luttrell and Fuller (referees) were concerned. The Union, he mentioned, had shown inconsistency in- these cases when compared with his own. There was not a word in his report regarding obstruction, yet the Union had dealt with Adams for such an offence.

Control of the Game. Mr G. S. A. .Bilfccliff said that he was on the line when the match 'was being played and considered that Mr Hardie had it under control. He disagreed with the statement that there was a conspiracy between the two players mentioned by Mr Hardie. As a matter of tact Adams had attempted to strike the player opposite him • and missed. After Adams had lett the game it Was noticeable that there was no more trouble - Mr S., F: Wilson said that lie had said most of what he had intended to state at the previous meeting of the Association. H© did not know how Mr Hardie came to get two letters, but could assure him that it was known by the Management Committee of the Union when the case was being dealt with tha,t Mr Hardie had a legiliimate excuse for not being" present. Mr Wilson would challenge Mr Hardie to quote one case up to the time his own was dealt with at winch he (Mr Wilson) had been present where the referee had not been upheld. So far as the newspa*per reports of his remarks were concerned regarding' the case he would • stand by every word of them, although he would add that they were divided from the con-'-. text of his other remarks. Ho harl understood from the letter that there was a doubt expressed in it in the concluding paragraph. He did not atempt to ridicule Mr Hardie. His own personal view of a lot 6f cases in\, which men were ordered off was that about 50 per cent, of them were due to referees allowing a game to get out of control and then deciding to send off the field the next man to,offend, often doing so to a man who offender! only slightly. _ However, if Mr Hardie had such opinions of the Management Committee as he had expreseed he should not referee. Voices: What rot! Mr Hardie again claimed that his letter was not indefinite. If there had been any doubts in respect of the charge against the player it was the j committee that had them, not he.

Letter "Unfortunately Worded." Mr S. Hollander expressed the opinion that although Mi* Hardie apparently had no doubt iu his own mind as to why he sent Adams off the field his letter was unfortunately worded. Mr Wilson said that he would state that not. one case had been heard before the Management Committee of the Rugby Union, where a referee had not been upheld in his complaint against a player. Mr D. A. Clark said that such was not correct and quoted a case involving a complaint which had been admitted, yet after the referee had been before the meeting in respect of the charge the case was later decided on the opinions of two members of the Union who had been standing 150 yards away from the point at which the incident had taken place. Mr "Wilson: I was not present at thai .meeting. The chairman, turning to Mr Hardie, said that after Mr Wilson's statement he hoped that he (Mr Hardie) would withdraw his letter to the Association. Mr Hardie did not answer. The chairman added that Mr Hardie had been a member of the Association for about 19 years, and members were loath to see him leave. Mr Biltcliff moved that a vote of confidence be accorded Mr Hardie, who should he requested to withdraw his resignation. jf Hardie: I did not put it,in. I only said tfc-t if members thought I had been treated properly I would rc--81 Mr Biltcliff then moved: That this Association has every confidence m Mr ' Hardie as a referee. , j The motion was carried unanimously.

Ashbnrton Case. The chairman earn .»'" . >

member of the Canterbury tteferees' Association, had offered his services to. the Ashburton body, which had accepted them. Personally, the speaker did not think Mr Cox's action 'ras a wise one. A member thought that Mr Cox had ; acted wisely, and stated thai he would act similarly himself, but other members expressed a contrary view. "No, not at all." said the chairman in answer to a question, if the Ashburton body would take the action of Mr Cox as a vote of no-confidence. Personally he thought Mr Cox was in the wrong. • ,

1 Kaiapoi Team. Mr J. E. Hampton complained of.his treatment at the hands of the Management Committee of the Rugby Union respecting his report on the KaiapoiMerivale second grade match. His report had been sent to the Kaiapoi Club, on whose reply being received the committee accepted it. Mr Hampton considered that he had not been treated fairly, in that he was not given an opportunity to reply to the Club's statement. He was writing to the committee again and he understood that the case would be heard tonight. The chairman said that Mr Hampton was/quite within his rights in bringing the matter up as he was doing. Referees went out for the love of the game. It seemed to him that the least the committee could have done was to have referred the club's letter to Mr Hampton. . . Mr J. E. Murphy stated that it was felt in Kaiapoi that the team was considered a rough one by the referees who "had them set." The chairman: "I cannot allow you to talk like that. It is wrong. He added that the remarks were incorrect and uncalled for. He understood that the club played a hard but a clean game. .„ , \ .. i Other members testified to the clean quality of the game played by the elub'.

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