A NEW NAME

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 131, 27 February 1936, Page 13

A NEW NAME

Affairs of Melrose-Selwyn Rugby Club

SOME DISSATISFACTION Dissatisfaction with the management of the Melrose-Selwyn Rugby Football Club was ventilated at a special meeting of members of the club at St. Thomas’s Hall, Newtown, last night. A motion was put forward, on behalf of the committee, that the club should be disbanded, but, after two and a halt hours’ spirited discussion, an amendment was carried that the club should carry on under a new name.

The president, Mr. A. De Clifton, pre sided over an attendance of some 30 members.

Mr. G. O’Loughlin, the hon. secretary, said that the condition of the club last season had been most unsatisfactory, the lack of interest shown by the players being lamentable. Only £3/13/6 had been received by way of subscriptions, •and one shilling had come from a dona- . tlon by a supporter. The committee had been unanimous that it was impossible to carry on, and had passed a motion that tho club should be disbanded. The president, Mr. A. De Clifton, held that the committee had no right to pass a motion that the club should be disbanded. He strongly advised the club to stick together, as it already enjoyed senior status and the right to send three delegates to the annual meeting of the Wellington Rugby Union. The reason the special meeting had been called was because a rumour was going round that an effort was being made to form a' new club in the district. Any new club would have to, take Its chance of becoming affiliated to the union, and also its chance of grading. Advice to Carry On. Mr. G. Sproule siud ’he had been hon. secretary of the old Selwyn club in 1928, and had been a delegate to the union for the past nine years. He had been mainly responsible for bringing about the amalgamation of the Melrose and Selwyn clubs. He had communicated with. Mr. O’Loughlin, and asfied him to call a special general meeting of members. He had then seen. an announcement that a meeting was being called to form a football club, to be called the Southern club. He strongly advised the club to carry on. If they disbanded, a new club would have to be formed, and there would be the questions of affiliation and grading to be faced. By disbanding the chib, would lose all outstanding subscriptions, and also its balance in hand of £5/6/11. The main cause of disaffection appeared to be the name of the chib, but there would be no difficulty in changing the name. According to the balance-sheet, it appeared as if the club had changed from a football chib to a'mutual admiration society. Over £3O seemed to have been absolutely squandered last year. Conduct of Players Criticised.

Mr. O’Loughlin said they had had great , difficulty in carrying on at the start of last season, and things had gone from bad to worse. Players had lost theii- jerseys, and even footballs could not be found. “After to-night lam finished,” he said. “I have had no assistance whatever. The action of some of the members of the club on the field of play was disgraceful at times, and the language used disgusting. I’m not going to stand for that kind of thing.” Mr. De Clifton said that , the reason why so many members had promised to join the new club was because they were dissatisfied with the management of the Melrose-Selwyn club. Mr. O’Loughlin ijien moved the committee’s resolution that the club should disband, which was seconded. Mr. Sproule moved, as ah amendment, that the club should carry on under another name. This was seconded by Mr. Gilbertson. On being put to the vote, the amendment was carried by 17 to 3. Discussion followed as to what name tho club should take, and eventually, on the motion of the president, it was decided to make a recommendation to the annual meeting that the name should be changed to “United.”