FOOTBALL.

Evening Post, Volume LV, Issue 102, 2 May 1898, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

NEW ZEALAND RUGBY UNION SOME ANIMATED DISCUSSIONS. The annual meeting of the Council of the New Zealand Rugby Football Union was held in the Exchange Buildings on Saturday night. There were present — Messrs. A. Laurenson (Poverty Bay), T. Morrison (Hawkes Bay),F. L. Seager (Bush Districts), H. M'Cardell (Canterbury), F. Dodd and F. W. Carey (Marlborough), E. J. Whiffen (Manawatu), T. S. Ronaldson (Taranaki), J. Wesney (Southland), F. W. Mitchell, M. Ross, W. H. Young, J. R. Murray, and W. Morley (Otago), A. T. Bate, G. Fache, and T. R. Ellison (Wellington), M. J. Lewis (South Canterbury), W. C. Cargill (Wuirarapa), J. P. Firth (Nelson), E. Batchelor. (West Coast), J. R. Gibbons (Auckland), I. Hyams (Wanganui), and Mr. A. M. De Costa (Hon. Sec). Mr. J. P. Firth was voted to the chair, and in moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, which have already appeared in print, remarked that the general position of the Union, in spite of opposition — pretty strong in some quarters — was satisfactory. The motion was seconded by Mr. H. M'Cardell (Canterbury). Mr. W. H. Young (Otago) moved as an amendment that the following clause in the annual report should be referred back to the Committee for amendment: — "It is with extreme regret that the Committee finds it necessary to allude to a flagrant breach of good conduct on the part of certain members of the New Zealand team on its return from Australia. The accusations made were so serious that your Committee deemed it advisable, in the interests of football, to hold an exhaustive enquiry into the matter, the result of the enquiry being that the charges made against three members of the team were held to be proved. Affiliated Unions were duly advised of the punishment inflicted in each case. The Rugby game is dependent for its welfare on the interest taken in it by the public and the press, and your Committee would like to impress on affiliated Unions the necessity of assisting the New Zealand Union in every way possible so as to prevent the recurrence of such an incident as that alluded to, and thus preserve the great interest displayed by the public in the game." He considered that the action of the Committee 1 in appointing itself a court of first instance was irregular and ultra vires, the intention of those who drafted the rules clearly being that the Committee should in a case of alleged misconduct act merely as a Court of Appeal. The amendment was seconded by Mr. T. R. Ellison (Wellington). Mr. A. T. Bate (Wellington), a member of the Managing Committee, said that the New Zealand Union was the body directly interested, and it had therefore proceeded to deal with the charges against the three men. Mr. F. W. Mitchell (Otago) maintained that the New Zealand Union should have called upon the district unions interested to hold an enquiry into the alleged misconduct. It was not right that the Management Committee of the New Zealand Union should have made charges against certain players, then proceeded to investigate them, and then punished the men. The whole position was untenable. Mr. G. Fache (Wellington) argued that the Managing Committee was the only body which had a right to deal with the charges. The New Zealand Union sent the team to Australia, and it had the sole control of it until it was disbanded. Mr. Ellison (Wellington) said that Mr. Fache was wrong. The Managing Committee of the New Zealand Union certainly managed the team, but it had no power to disqualify any member of it. Mr. Ronaldson, (Taranaki) asked the meeting to take a broad view of the matter and support the Committee. Mr. Young (Otago) said it would be a dangerous precedent to allow the Managing Committee to break its own rules. He held that the team, having finished the tour, was once more within the jurisdiction of the district unions. Mr. I. Hyams (Wanganui), who was manager of the team sent to Australia, explained that the New Zealand Union had sole control over the team until it was disbanded. When the alleged misconduct took place the team had not disbanded, consequently the Managing Committee of the New Zealand Union was within its jurisdiction in enquiring into the alleged misbehaviour. Mr. Malcolm Ross (Otago) sympathised with the Committee, as it had had a difficult task in deciding what was the proper course to take in regard to the three nien ; but still he could not hold that it was within its rights in holding an enquiry and inflicting punishment. The Chairman held that the Managing Committee, being directly interested in the conduct of the team, had a right to hold the enquiry. He could not agree that the Committee had broken its rules by holding an enquiry. Mr. Bate (Wellington) said that the district unions had no control over the men until the team had disbanded. The alleged misconduct having occurred before the team disbanded, it was the duty of the Managing Committee. of the New Zealand Union to hold an enquiry. Mr. J. R. Murray (Otago) said that all the Managing Committee should have done was to rule that the three men should not be members of future New Zealand teams. By punishing the men the Committee had clearly acted wrongly. The amendment to refer the clause back to the Committee for alteration was lost by 27 votes to 7. In reply to Mr. W. Morley (Otago), the Hon. Treasurer (Mr, Hyams) explained that the item "G. Symes, referee AucklandQueensland match, £3 10s " referred to the travelling expenses of Mr. Symes, of Taranaki, who had acted as referee in the Auck-land-Queensland match. The account was not paid until after last year's balance-sheet had been made up. Mr. Ross (Otago) referred to the following clause in the report of the manager of the team which weufc to Australia; — "In the first match of the tour Mr. Duncan was disabled, and on the doctor reporting he would be unable to play againin Australia, I, acting on the advice of my Selection Committee, cabled for Mr. W. Roberts to join the team. On the New South Wales Union becoming acquainted with this fact they immediately offered to pay all expenses of this extra player. I accepted the offer, and would suggest that the thanks, of this Union be conveyed to the New South Union for their generosity." Mr. Ross said he wanted to know whether the Secretary had taken it upon himself to send Roberts over, or had he consulted the Selection Committee or the Managing Committee before doing so. The Hon. Secretary said Roberts was sent because it was the wish of the committee of the team that he should go across. Had Roberts not gone the team would have played at a disadvantage after Duncan's accident. He admitted that Roberts was sent without the Managing Committee being called together. As the cable message from the manager of the team was only received a short time before the steamer was leaving for Sydney the Managing Committee could not be called together or the Selection Committee consulted. Several delegates thought the Secretary should be absolved from blame under the circumstances. At the request of the delegates the minutes of the meeting of the Managing Committee at which the Secretary explained his action anent Roberts were read, showing that the matter had been discussed, but no resolution had been passed by the Committee. The motion for the adoption of the annual

report and balance-sheet was then put and carried. The llorowheuua Union was re-admitted to the Union. Mr. M'Cardell (Canterbury), at the request of his Union, moved '"That in the opinion of the Canterbury Union the time has arrived when, in the interests of New Zealand football, the head-quarters of the New Zealand Rugby Union should be removed from "Wellington." lie explained that he had tried to induce his Union to ! withdraw the motion, but without success. Mr. W. Morley (Otago) seconded the motion. Mr. Fache (Wellington) opposed the motion on the ground that it would be a mistake not to have the headquarters of the Union in the centre of the colony. He denied that the Wellington Union " ran," as was asserted, the New Zealand Union. As a matter of fact there was a good deal of antagonism between those two Unions. Mr. Mitchell (Otago) did not think there would be any difficulty in transferring the head-quarters from time to time. If they were transferred, the New Zealand Union would be popularised. Mr. Bate (Wellington) strongly opposed the motion, although personally he expressed himself indifferent on the subject. He added that he had never come across a committee which bad shown itself so free from provincial jealousy as the Managing Committee of the New Zealand Union. The motion to remove the head-quarters was lost by 21 to 15. The only Unions which voted for the removal were Otago, South Canterbury, Maryborough, Southland, and Canterbury. Mr. F. W. Carey (Marlborough) proposed :—": — " That the head-quarters of the New Zealand Rugby Football Union be transferred every three years from one affiliated Union to another." Mr. Murray (Otago) seconded the motion, which was lost on the voices. It was decided to ask the Governor to become Patron of the Union. Mr. T. S. Ronaldson (Taranaki) proposed that Mr. G. F. Bayly, of Taranaki, whom he described as the best footballer New Zealand has ever turned out, should be elected President. This was seconded by Mr. Mitchell (Otago) and agreed to. There was a spirited contest for the position of Secretary. Mr. Ross (Otago) proposed Mr. W. C. Marter (Secretary of the Wellington Union) and this was v seconded by Mr. Fache (Wellington). Mr. De Costa (the retiring Secretary) was proposed by Mr. J R. Gibbons (Auckland) and seconded by Mr. H. M'Cardell (Canterbury). Mr. De Costa was re-elected, and returned thanks for the honour done him. Other office - bearers were elected as follows : — Vice - Presidents, Messrs. A. E. Devote (Auckland), A. W. Rees (Poverty Bay), F. Logan (Hawkes Bay), — Walker (Bush District), A. E. G. Rhodes (Canterbury), F. Dodd (Marlborough), J. H. Hankins (Manawatu), C. Northeote (Southlaud), J. M. Galloway (Otago), G. P. C. Campbell (Wellington), E. M. D. Whatman (Wairarapa), W. S. Simpson (Nelson), and G. H. Boyd (West Coast), with Horowhenua, Taranaki, Wanganui, Buller, and South Canterbury -yet to nominate ; Assistant Secretary, Mr. E. Batchelor, re - elected ; Hon. Treasurer, Mr. I. Hyams, re-elected ; Management Committee, Messrs. A. T. Bate (Wellington), J. R. Gibbons (Auckland), A. Laurenson (Poverty Bay), M. Ross (Otago), J. Wesney (Southland),'!'. Morrison (Hawkes Bay), and H. M'Cardell (Canterbury) ; Auditor, Mr. G. Fache (Wellington), reelected. With the exception of Mr. Malcolm Ross, who replaces Mr. J. Bee as the Otago representative, the personnel of the Management Committee is the same as that of last year. The proposed new rules were considered and several amendments were made. Amongst other things it was decided " That at each annual general meeting of the Council the location of the Appeal Committee shall be determined, such Committee to consist of five members, and to be elected by the Managing Committee, three to form a quorum. Its duties shall be to decide upon all questions in dispute arising out of the interpretation of the laws of the game, which shall have been first heard and determined by a local union." "That at any annual general meeting of the Council, any suggestion for alteration to the laws of the game may be considered, provided that not less than six weeks' notice of the intended motion shall have been forwarded to the Secretary in writing." " A special general meeting of the Council shall be called by the Secretary at any time on receipt of requisition from not less than two affiliated Unions. At such meetings a report from the Managing Committee on the business transacted since the previous general meeting shall be submitted." "No rule of the New Zealand Union shall be altered except at a general meeting. Notice of intention to move such alteration must be given at least six months previous to such meeting." 'She rules as amended were adopted. On the motion of Mr. Ross (Otago), it was decided that the Appeal Committee should be located in Wellington this year. The members of the committee will be elected by the Managing Committee. At a quarter to 12 the meeting was adjourned until Saturday night next, when the question of- the removal of the disqualification of Roberts, Harris, and Calnan, the date and locale of the North v. South match, and other matters will be considered.