FOOTBALL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 281, 20 August 1908, Page 9

FOOTBALL.

WELLINGTON RUGBY "UNIONS" METHOD OF SELECTION'ATTACKED. • • A meeting of the Management Committee .of tho Wellington Rugby Union was held last evening. There Were presentMessrs. S. S. Bro\vn (in the-.chair), J. Burns,; J. Sweeney, F. Alpe, E. o. ; Hales,. W-Porr-y, J. ! O'Sullivan,' and W. fx: -Talbot) --secretary. ... . The St. John's'Chrli wrote .stating-that for tho third timo this' season they; ..were, inconvenienced last Saturday by tho-, late' arrival of the referee in' tho' fourth-class'' match,, St. J.ohn's v. Selivyn; cided to refer tho letter on to the Referees'Association. , • . ~ The Petone Club having: won tho -five championships last season,-the club -wrote, asking that the Union should, have the .five certificates; framed, as it desire*'of ■tljo club to havo them placed ;in-tho''Muni-cipal Buildings' as a mean's- of - keeping thoperformance "on record. ," • The Wellington Club stated that their: third-class team j journeyed to ■■Petone ■ on Saturday to play Kia Ora, but neither the Kia Ora Club nor the refe.re.e turned Up.'" It was decided to writo to the defaulting club asking them to show cause why they-should not be made liable for the 15s/expenses'of the town team and a fine of ss. ..

I,fc,was resolved that tho . final'.'"for. the junior championship, .between : Petone;'and Kia Ora,. should,be-played on the Kia'Ora ground. | j Tho referee imtho Petone-Kia Ora:'.junior match reported having ordered,- a ,:Petono. player off the field on a charge. of/.deliber; atcly- kicking an opponent. r Thp ' _player" attended, and explained that 'Ho" was away from a ruck with tho -ball-' at"his'' too' when an 'opponent went dowii'jto' stop the ball. Ho (the player ordered off) kieked-at tho ball, but hp had no intentiojv of kicking his opponent. Tho player was suspended for twelve months from tho date of.the offence.

An. inquiry was held into the action-,of tho Secretary of tho Melrose Club, in stating to the referee appointed fto,'c.ontpl -tho Mel-' rose-Petone senior match to 1 ' ;;tli<s. game that if tho refereo in'-'question" several members pi the Melrose team Would" not play, and that, in all prdbhhnitji'liis acting would cause trouble on.' parties attended and stated "their"easel;-t-Hb Secretary stating Jliat., ho, liatl said-what did to warn' the referee of 'tlie "fecljn'gs'iof' tho club members, who werd feeling' isore {at previous happenings; It was-decided that the' explanation was satisfactory, .and'"that no further action bo taken; : '•

A report was received tho Petone-Selwyn fifth-cla^i''.ift'atcli-j advisitigi that he Had ordered a Sclwyns ; playe?i-'o'ff-'Jho-; field for persistently. hahdling^hrt : when he had not-got'the'liall.l'Tho : did not attend, and was stis]iterided : 'until bo appears before tho Union;"'"

Tho Y.M.C.A. and St. Jcrh'n'a'-tc.ims were granted permission to plaf-a'-'match at tho Athlntio Park on September and several houso niatchcs were also sanctioned.

Ml'. Burns moved: "Thai'"in' Ilia' seniorand junior grades all -ctifiliriiti' tees bo requested to forward"™ th«/Maiiage J ' mont Committee the names', sidered by them as having'Tshown 'represent tativo form." Mr. Burns oiitlin<d'his;''scheme 1 ill detail, and attacked the,-pr<jsfent : systenvof' .selection of representative : teairis. ■ In? Mis" opinion the -late selection"o6'mniitt'(?6_ ,; 'liM" donri moro harm to Rugby'.-th'an 'iftjjijp ined' in some quarters, and a, fewprominent players into -""-"tHo professionall'anks. The "professional h'ilsiiiess;"'as'Mr.Burns termed the professional:! imoverftent','' was no bogey, and would havo to ; be 'treated seriously. If amateur players' o could-not- 'get recognition of their. qualificati&ris''■itf their'own ranks they would ro Where' they;;would" get better treatment. The trouble was not the fault of the selectors, bUtfof?fho."metlißd of selection. The last two steams, selected, to represent Wellington showed-that .tern of selection was a. miserable','failures s-riMr. O'Snllivan was 1 hgTOsftl!(v)\y' jttjOTajjon and considered such a motion;,;Wa&;a;;direct vote of no-confidence'in the; - - ,Mr. Hales thought,..thero/i washroom*.for improvement in the system of .arid, although he did \ not agreeiwit.U ■s:hat,;;Jlr j ,\ Burns had said, considered some good-might, be done if the matter was brought, up-.at, the annual meeting of delegates. ~ .- v .\ On the motion being put to the meeting, it was lost, only tho movervoting for.it.