WELLINGTON RUGBY

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 149, 19 March 1936, Page 16

WELLINGTON RUGBY

Annual Meeting of Union ELECTION OF OFFICERS There was a large attendance of delegates at the annual meeting of the Wellington Rugby Union at the Commercial Travellers’ Club last evening, the president, Mr. W. Hornig, presiding.

Before the business of the meeting commenced, the president referred to the loss Rugby liaa suffered by the death of Mr. A. J. Griffiths, who, he said, had filled positions on the Poneke club, the Wellington and New Zealand unions with 'stinct credit, and Rugby would be the poorer for his passing. De also referred to the deaths of Messrs. A. G. Claridge, D. G. A. Cooper, Major E. Davy, Messrs. F. Moore, F. M. Leekie, E. C. Prendevilie, E. McDonald, C. Bedell, the Hon. Sir Francis Bell, anil the deaths by accident on the field of C. C. Estall and L. J. Watson. Rugby had lost good friends in all these gentlemen, and, on his motion, votes of condolence witli the relatives were passed, delegates standing in silence. Report and Balance-Sheet.

In moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, Mr. J. N. Millard paid a tribute to Messrs. J. Prendevilie and S. S. Dean, who had acted as New Zealand delegates at the recent Rugby conferences in London. Both delegates had carried out their duties well, and deserved the thanks of all Rugby players. The departure of the New Zealand team for Great Britain had caused interest in the game in New Zealand to drop. He was hopeful-that the slump last year would not be repeated this year, but it was the duty of delegates to consider whether it was necessary to brighten the game up. Thanks to the efforts of the two New Zealand delegates at the Rugby conferences, New Zealand now had the right to make alterations to the rules.

Turning to representative matches last year, he considered that the sole selector, Mr. M. F. Nicholls, had every reason to be satisfied with the Wellington team’s record. The Referees’ Association was deserving of thanks for the good work they were doing. The union had shown a profit of some £lO last year, but that was not enough, as large takings were necessary in order to reduce liabilities. The union appeared to be in for two prosperous years, with the visit of the Australian and South African teams ahead. The motion to adopt the report and balance-sheet was carried unanimously, without discussion. Election of Officers. The election of officers resulted as follows: —President, Colonel G. F. C. Campbell; vice-presidents, Messrs. W. Hornig, A. F. Wnen, E. Price, W. JWallace, and Rev. Father T. Cleary; vice-president of the New Zealand Rugby Union, Colonel Campbelldelegates to the New Zealand Rugby Uuion, Messrs. J. Prendevilie, J. N. Millard, T. J. King, M. F. Nicholls, F. D. Kilby, and Major T. J. King; bpti. treasurer, Mr. G. F. W. Jackson; auditor, Mr. O. G. Kember; management committee, Messrs. J. is. Millard, F. Tiiyard, J. D. King, H. B. Simmons, H. I). Morgan, H. Murphy, J. Prendevilie, Major T. J. King, and Professor E. J. Boyd-Wilson. Notices of Motion. A notice of motion was put forward on behalf of the Pirates elub, asking that tlie Wellington Rugby Referees’ Association be granted direct representation on the management committee of the Wellington Rugby Union. On being nut to the vote, the motion was lost. The Miramar club put forward a motion in the direction of altering rule 23 to provide that instead of the nine members of the management committee resigning each year, seven should resign, and the other two be elected by vote or ballot. ~ , , Tlie Miramar delegates said that the motion was brought forward with a view to introducing new blood on the committee. . . , On being put to the meeting, the motion was lost by a large majority. Mr. Hooper moved that m future players in club gymnasium matches should lie covered by insurance as they were tor the rest of tlie season. Mr. G. F. W. Jackson, hon. treasurer of the union, said that claims for injury in gymnasium matches had been met by tlie union in the past. Promotion of Teams. Mr. E. Little, on behalf of the Oriental club, brought up tlie question of tlie promotion of teams in the senior grade. He said his club was feeling the effects _ of having been relegated to the second division, and unless some sympathy was shown with it the club, which had been 48 years in existence, would decline. He suggested that there should be ten teams in the first senior division. After a lengthy discussion, Mr. S. S. Dean moved that the management committee be requested to bring down a scheme for the grading of teams. The motion was seconded by the Rev Father T. Cleary, who said that the present system of promoting teams in the middle of the season was not exactly satisfactory. Mr. Little said if the management committee would undertake to review tlie grading of senior teams for this season, the Oriental club would be satisfied. Mr. Dean’s motion was carried. i Seven-a-Side Tourney. I | On the motion of Mr. A. De Clifton, the management committee was recommended to stage a junior seven-a-side tournament on a holiday this season.