RUGBY CONTROL

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 176, 22 April 1937, Page 18

RUGBY CONTROL

New Zealand Union Makes a Change

COUNCIL & EXECUTIVE

Management Committee System Dropped

The delegates at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Rugby Union at Wellington yesterday decided upon a drastic change in the constitution, substituting a council elected from the whole of the Dominion and an executive for the management committee, composed of delegates resident in Wellington, which has done duty in past years. . In moving a remit standing in the name of the Manawatu union, Mr. A. M. Ongley said that as a result of the discussion which had taken place at the last annual meeting of delegates a sub-committee of seven had been set up to go into the question of considering the best method of altering the constitution of the union to give wider representation. The remit now before delegates, while standing in Manawatu’s name, was really the outcome of the committee’s exhaustive deliberations. ~ „ Dr. C. S. Seed (Canterbury) said it would be advisable to get the feeling of the meeting as to whether they were favourable to a change. He moved that the union affirmed the principle of a change in the constitution to control by a council and an executive. The motion was seconded by Mr. A. McPhail (Canterbury). Mr. J. Prendeville (Wellington) said the proposed change was most revolutionary and should not be allowed to go through without discussion. It appeared that there was some dissatisfaction with the' method of management in the past, but would the proposed change give any more satisfaction? The first proposal was to reduce the number of delegates who would attend the annual meeting of the union. Dr. Seed’s motion was then put and was carried by 54 votes to 20. On Mr. Ongley’s motion the following clause of the remit was carried “The affairs of the union shall be managed by the union and a council, and these bodies shall have power to elect sub-committees as may be deemed necessary from time to time to assist them in carrying out their duties.” Mr. Ongley next moved: “The council shall consist of 14 members, one of whom shall be the president, who shall be an ex-officio member of the council, and 13 others who shall be elected at the annual general meeting of the New Zealand Rugby Union.” Mr. G. A. Maddison (Hawke’s Bay) seconded the motion, remarking that the proposal was on the lines of the procedure of the New Zealand Racing Conference. Grouping of Unions Suggested. Sir. Prendeville asked if itjvould not be better to group unions in order that all unions might have representation on the council. With three representatives from each island on the council, he considered that unfair representation would be given to the South Island. Dr. G. J. Adams (Wanganui) said his union was in favour of the proposals contained in the remit. Wanganui, however, felt that the president should be officio instead of ex-officio. He moved that the president be the chairman of the council, but the proposal lapsed for want of a seconder. Major T. J. King (Wellington) considered that the number of members to constitute a quorum of the council should be increased from five to eight. This was agreed to by Mr. Ongley. Mr. Ongley’s motion concerning the constitution of the council was carried on the voices. Constitution of Council. For the council it was agreed that there should be elected three representatives from the South Island, and three representatives from the North Island, each of whom must necessarily be a resident in the island he represents, and no union should nominate more than one such representative for election to the council; and seven others to be elected, who should constitute the executive committee of the council. The following further clauses were carried “The officers of the union, who shall be elected annually at the annual general meeting of the union, shall consist of patron, president and two vicepresidents.” “The affairs of the union shall be managed by the union and a council, and these bodies shall have power to elect such sub-committees as may be deemed necessary from time to time to assist them in carrying out their duties.” “The council at its first meeting shall proceed to elect from the executive committee a chairman for the ensuing year, who shall also be chairman of the executive committee. In the absence of the chairman from any meeting of the council or the executive com-; mittee, a chairman shall be elected from members present. The chairman shall have a deliberative as well as a casting vote. The council shall meet at such time and place as it shall decide. A special meeting of the council shall be called by the secretary on receipt of a requisition from the chairman of the executive committee or any five members of the council.” “For the year 1937 the president, vice-presidents and the members of the council shall be elected from the delegates appointed to the New Zealand Rugby Union’s annual meeting, and for succeeding years from persons nominated by affiliated unions, and who have consented in writing to such nominations, such nominations to be in the hands of the secretary of the New Zealand union not less than 14 days before the annual meeting, and to be circulated by him to affiliated unions not less than 10 days before the date of such annual meeting.” On the motion of Mr. Prendeville a hearty vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Ongley for the time and trouble he had taken in bringing the remit before delegates. Election of Officers. The election of officers resulted as follows: —Patron, the Governor-General, Viscount Galway (re-elected) ; president, Mr. R. T. Meredith (Southland) ; vicepresidents, Messrs. A. M. Ongley (Manawatu), and M. McKenzie (Marlborough) ; council, Messrs. A. E. McPhail (Canterbury), A. A. Adams (West Coast), D. M. Speeding (Otago), representing the South Island, and Messrs. A. St. C. Belcher (Waikato), G. A. Maddison (Hawke’s Bay), and Dr. G. J. Adams (Wanganui), representing the North Island; executive, Lieutenant-Colonel J. G. •

Roache, Messrs. W. J. Wallace, J. Prendeville, F. T. Glasgow, A. McDonald, S. S. Dean, and A. C. Kitto; appeal council. Sir James Hutchinson, and Messrs. F. if. Campbell and F. 11. Sincock, all of Dunedin (re-elected). Mr. Dean Elected Chairman. At a meeting of the council last night, Mr. S. S. Dean was elected chairman of the executive.