New N.Z.R.F.U. president named

Press, 22 April 1977, Page 4

New N.Z.R.F.U. president named

Mr J. J. Galvin (Waira-rapa-Bush) was yesterday elected unopposed as president of the New Zealand Rugby Football Union. He succeeds Mr R. W. Messenger (West Coast), president for the past year. Also elected unopposed at yesterday’s annual meeting of the union was Sir Denis Blundell, who was reinstalled as patron, and Mr M. B. Counch (Wairarapa - Bush), re-elected as Maori Advisory Board representative on the union’s council. Ballots were necessary among the 102 delegates present to elect two vicepresidents (five nominations), three North Island councillors (five nominations), three South Island councillors (four nominations) and seven members of the executive (eight nominations).

The successful vice-presi-dents were Messrs C. H. J. Rhodes (Canterbury) and D.

K. Ross (North Auckland). The North Island councillors for this year will be Messrs R. M. Don (Auckland), N. H. Stanley (Taranaki) and P. J. Edlington (North Auckland). The successful South Island councillors were the sitting men, Messrs R. A. Harper (Southland), R. W. Thomas (Canterbury) and J. P. Wild (Nelson Bays). Unsuccessful was Mr P. J. Beaumont (Otago). The resignation of Mr J. L. Sullivan created a vacancy on the executive, which was filled by Mr T. B. Cunningham, who’was nominated by the Taranaki union. The six sitting members re-elected were Messrs C. A. Blazey, A. P. Freeman, P. J. Gill, T. W. Johnson, R. C. Stuart and I. M. H. Vodanovich. The unsuccessful candidate was Mr E. J. Tonks, nominated by the Manawatu union.