6-MAN COUNCIL TO REMAIN

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30715, 2 April 1965, Page 15

6-MAN COUNCIL TO REMAIN

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, April 1.

A move to increase the strength of the New Zealand council from six to eight was defeated.

There was a sharp division of opinion amongst delegates. Some contended a larger council would be unwieldy, that the present strength was more than adequately carrying out the duties, and that such a move would be a vote of no-confidence in the present council. Other delegates contended administrative work was getting too much for only six councillors, while others said some of the smaller unions should be represented on the council. Voting was 51 in favour of the increase and 45 against, but as a two-thirds majority was required, the motion was lost. POLITICS: A plea to keep politics out of Rugby during the forthcoming Springbok tour and extend the hand of friendship to the visitors was made by the newly-elected president, Mr T. H. Pearce. He urged everyone to ignore those who wished to treat the tour as a political shuttlecock.

“There is no place in our thoughts for such a conception, the political factor is beyond our control. We are banded together to promote

Rugby—nothing else,” he said.

“Let us confine ourselves to the promotion of Rugby. There is one question we must always ask ourselves when there is a division or two ways of looking at it What is the best for the game? You will always get the right answer.”

FINANCIAL LOSS.— The New Zealand Union ran at a loss last year of £BBl7. The chairman (Mr T. C. Morrison) said this season the union had been very active in sending teams on tour to Australia and Fiji. He added the loss excluded £4OOO paid to the Australian Rugby Union to assist it with tour costs. NUMBERING. The an nual meeting accepted a direction to reverse the jersey numbering of teams. The new numbering is to be standardised as from the 1966 season.

Wise Decision. —Leading hockey administrators in Auckland have agreed that the recently adopted recommendation by the New Zealand Hockey Association to develop the one style of play throughout the country was a wise one. The national body has asked all teams to adopt the short-passing game.