ATHLETIC SPORTS. RUGBY.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2111, 31 March 1914, Page 3

ATHLETIC SPORTS. RUGBY.

W.R.F.U. AHSUAIi MEETING THE CATe OHAFSGES. The annual meeting of delegates to tho Wellington itßgfey FoatbaU Union was held last evening. Dr. A. K Newman, M.l'., jM-esWesJ, and over thirty delegates Were present. One of the interesting features of the meeting was that last yeaj-'s management committee was re-elected without alteration. Mr. W. Perry m.ovod that the annual report and the-balance-sheet (previously published) should be adopted, Mr. M. J. Crombio congratulated the committee on their year's woffc. They had had a had soase-n, a»d overyono knew that the coinwiittee's work was difficult. Therefore, he did not wish to iind fault, but be must observe fchao the committee made a mistake- in increasing the gate charge at. Athletic Park. The state of the fiftSftccs may have warranted a change, tut after ft trial of a few weeks ' the old charge should have been reverted, to, He was struck by the small attendances at big cup matches, and he iioticed that there was a deficit of £30£>, in comparisan with the previous season. He hoped the rule regarding age limit in .the lower grade would be enforced. The Future Bright. Dr. Newman said that he thought the increased charge was all right, but that the system did not hav-e a fair run. There had been many wet Saturdays, and tho championship was unsatisfactory. He hoped they would have- better luck this yean The matter waii <mo for • the iiieomiijg eomtnittee. Speaking as a trustee, Dγ, Newsjaii said that some .'time ago the AVellingtoft Union had borrowed £460.0 from tli© New Zealand Union,, which was to fte rcpaid in a certain Eu;mber <tf years. The payments had been kept up weD till last year, when £375 had to be batrowed to meet the payinfi.nt. With a. good season this yew, they might inqve

into a souud position. The leas©- of the Park expired in November., and the union would have to giv« sis months' notice of intention, to .renew the lease. The. prospects for the season .were bright, and better gates,could be expected. . The motion to adopt the tepart And the balance-sheet was adopted. 'Tho Officers. .Officers were elected as follow:— President, Dr. A. K. Newman; vice presidents, Messrs. G...T?. C. CaeicbeSi, S. S. Brown, J. T. King, and J. V. Firth; vice-president of the New Zealand Union, Mr. (i. f. 0. Campbell; ! Wednesday representative oh tho management committee, Mr. \\ T . fiornig; treasurer, Mr. W. Pe-rry ; auditor, Mr. 0. Kcrnber; mauagempjlt cbmmittee, atessrs. K. 0. Hales, H- Buck> A. B. Wilson, W. Hardham, G. Howe, D. Weir,. A. Kitto, E. A. Da.wfiOti, E. Little; delegates to New Zeatad 'Onion, Messrs. E. 0. Hales. ¥. Roberts, ft. Howe, T. Lynskey, and J. T. King. Shilling or Sixpence? Jlr.' M. 0". Crombi.e moviitl ttat it should be a recommendation to the Management Committee to the scale of charges for &ip matches which was in force prior to last season. Btis meant that the cliafge far otdiuary matches should be sixpence, ■ 'Mr. A. Griffiths said that, it wouia bo in tho interests of Rugby j-everfc to the charge- of sixpence. Rugby had lost ■ supporters (to "eeceejr") through tht> increase. He seconded the- iniriion.. Mr. W. Perry (treasurer of tjie union last season) said that last year was tho worst season the union, hud: had for some years, and that had the in-' ereaso not been mado tho fitiancial posi" tion would have been worse- tlia.n it was. They had curtailed expenditure, and as j that had not had the desired effect oii tho balance of finances, they tried to increase their revenue by making tho gate chargo higher. ■ Last season Jit! had reckoned on the- public staying aw.iy in. tho first round of the cup eavrtest, and coming back in the. sficojttl rovnd. However, unfortunately, in the second round tho contests we.ro Mot no keen as in previous seasons. 110 would still advocate tho vshffimg diitrgc, awl he asked tho meeting to rojeei Mr. Crombie's motion and leave thn qncation '. te the Manaßcnvcnt Committoe, vylio; would meet tho position with a full . krowled"e of tho circntpstanees. , Mr. D. D. /Weir said that lie was: a supporter of tho sixpenny ahafge. Mr. E. 0. Hales said that tte sniiil} returns were due to mie teiini beins; away out in the lead* with the result

that many of the ntatolies wero roblie-d of interest. However, ho flsk'cd tlw ivieeting sot to tie tho iiands of the committee in finance; that wiwiM be a fata! mistake. Messrs. D. M'Kcezio and F, Alpo favoured a charge of sixpence, but Mr. Atpe opposed the proposition to tie the committee's hand, j "Victory, Ahead. ,, Mr. E. Littte said that ho favowect tho inci'Giiso last year, but subsequently reckoned it a mistake. Mr. G. Howe said that if certain ! matches had been played in Wellington instead of at Potone," tte imien would not have been on the wrong side of the ledger, but on the right side. If the : I's'totie Club (who held the key to tho; situatioii) crriikl see their Way to cft'nK" iu +o town that weuld benefit the union. Be had supported the shilling charge last- year, but was in favour of a dwrgo of sixpence- now. Mr: J. Burns asked where a good afternoon's armisement gquW bo got for loss- than a shilling. This experiment had , not fceeu given a fair trial, and sii.gi.ilfl bo allowed to stand this year. Whv kill tlto esiscrintottt? Mr. B. D, Weir: It killed itself. Mr. W. Hardliain expressed himself aa against the sitilling eliai-gc. Ho did Dab fear the LeagMe game. It was Hot a better game thate Rugby, and rts players could not make it » better game. Hβ had no doubt whatever that' HiijSbjf would femaiii on top, Reverting to tho qiu>stion of the charge at the.Pack, lie thought t-liat if there \vas a sixpewiv charge there would, be a nntnber of somewhat- Itike-warm followers at th-6 cup tnaiehe.s who would thus be attracted to the represcatative matches. WWie he cfiulcl »t support the niotian, Mr. H, Buck saitl that he was opposed to the shilling charge. Mr, O-. G. Cameron supported Mr. J. Bwhs's views. Jlr. A. Eitto said jttat his vote this yeaf would he for a sixpenny gate. .Be reniariccd that some of the playing Saturtlays last ytar were- So bitd that the followers who patronised the matches on those days w«re heroes. Mr. G, Campbell stippflrtei the motion, and Mr. E. A. Daivsoa said tfeit the shilling _c_linrg© was merety a bteiliess proposition. Mi , , Weir: Are you a sixpenny O r a S-hitling matt? . . Mr. Dawson: I atn a sispenny man at . heart, but I am driven to say that w<?

jnu'S-t get the money we need froni tlioso who go to tho toatokes. Mt. Weir: T'hfrn- you ate a, 'shilling man. ■ . j Mr. Dawson: : By force of circiffl)-. sftwises. Mr. A. E. Wilson said thai to was a | sixpenny man last J'ear, and would be | this T-ear. Sir. CromMo remarked that last year, With tho sliillmg charge, £1000 catto from cup- »atehes, but in the previous year tte matches yielded £1309 at sixpence. So,,as a'business pro-pDsitio.ii, the shilling cliargc was fad. • Mr. ' -prswihie addeel that, w-itli tlie psruiissioii ef the meeting, ho would ■withdraw the motion, as life «aW victory s ahead in the Management Connuittas. '.The Tiieeiing granted permission for I the n-ithdrawal. i Thrde seldttofs Favoured. I Mr. Griffiths rao-yed that the Management Conitaittee sliouJd be recommend' cd to avipoillt throe so'-lectoßi of repro* seiit-atire teams instead <>.f one selector; —This was cafried. Mr. Hales stated -that the aovea-asme totirnament may mt be tehl as early ds tr«s «xjp(jated. . . Mr. C. Campbell pi-eposed that a sitbconimittce of tile Referees' Association should bo sot up to appoint refej'eea for matches.—The fimtieiL was lost. KKIVKRSITIIf OLtJB. Tiie aimual meeting of the- TJniversity Club, was held iji tbo Victoria Coi* fcfie gyniiiasitim last eveniag. Profossor Hi.tiitev was in the chair, and About tffcaty new members, 'ffco report a»d •tS anwnbers were presci-itj inohidittg lialaiieo'sheet wftre road and adopted; file balance sheet showed a credit cash balance rf £13 3s. 9d. Tho report ceawratulatcd Messrs. %4n, fskd-, Sanddl, Quilliani, Shaw, and Fawccfc on represclitlng the club iVitl-j the New Jsoaland University team iu Sydney in July last It was stated that tho Sydtiejr XJnjvßrsHy learn wo-uM, in all probability, visit JJow Zcnlattd this year. 'Jlie Boflfd Brathors and Jcpresontetl AVoUinKteß (iiiriiig tlvo year. Tlad pjiroticiM Q.f offienrs resiilted as follows; :—Matron, tho Dhnii-i«an of tho Professorial Board : pwsiiJp.nt, Ppo{«ssrtr T- A. Hnute-1 , ; viee-prosWeHts. Mfssrs, H. IT. OstleV, Dolainare, C-iir-iayw, Bog-tf , , O'lioavy, and D'.wie; clul) caivtiiiii, Mf.'T. J. Kyim; deputy-club csvpfahi. Mv. A, S, Faii-e; kitt. secretary, Mr. I). Ifartei liwi. treasurer, Str. A. Easts mniweeincnt towmlttee, ttw afeve and Wγ, AV. ?, Melody: hen. nnditcif. Mr. P-. B» Bi-oad; ddrgsito to W.U.TJ., Sfpssrs. W. I'crry, A. S. Faire, SH4 P. J, Ryan. With regard to tho visit of the Sya-

ney University tenia, it was decided tiiiifc it bo a roeomincjulaiwri to, the club's delegates to tjio New Zealand University .football Ciwb's meeting «* Waster that the eligibility test for pjay(va iii this University matches be swell as would prevent other thai) bbira-ftde students, ivljo are nteniibcrs of the Tjnivy , - l sit.y College Clubs, from participating .*» j t-ho-se matches,