FOOTBALL.

Evening Post, Volume LVI, Issue 18, 21 July 1898, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

» WELLINGTON RUGBY UNION. Yesterday afternoon's meeting of the Management Committee of the Wellington Rugby Union was attended by Messrs. A. T. Bate (Chairman), N. Galbraith, T. It. Ellison, W. Coffey, J. T. King, E. Davy, W. C. Marter (Hon. Sec), J. H. Pagui (Hon. Treasurer), and Rev. Father Hickson. The letter from the Canterbury Union in reference to a St. Patrick's College player being ordered off the field in the match against ths Leeston Club for disputing the referee's decision was further considered, arid held over peuding a statement from the player mentioned. The case of Clifford (Poneke), reported for striking an opponent (Elliott), in the PouekeWellington Fourth-class heat, was again gone into, and Elliott, who was in attendance, was subjected to a severe cross-examination, but denied having used the expression attributed to him. In view of Clifford havujg received great provocation, it was decided to impose the lenient sentence of one week's suspension from date. Mr. O'Connell, referee in the PetoneWellington Third-class match last Saturday reported having ordered off the field a Petone player for using bad language and striking an opponent. Mr. O'Connell was present, and informed the Committee that the captain of the Petone team had declined to give the name of the offender, but he (Mr. O'Connell) had been told that the player's name was Buddie. As no snob name could be found in the Peton» lists of members «cut. in to the Rugby Union, it .was resolved to write to the Petone Club and a«k it to give the name of the player, nnd also to call upon the captain lout tend the next meeting ot the Union, and explain why he liad refused to give the player's name to the referee. , A telegram was received from the Thames Rugby Union guaranteeing £25 if the Wellington representative team would play a match at the Thames on Thursday, liKih July, two days before the Auckland match. It w,as deckled to reply to Uie effort Unit Millioient matdie* had been arranged for the tour iv view of the large amount of travelling the team had to do. A communication was received from the Athletic Club, asking that the decision that the h«it for tlie Fourth-class Championship won by the Athletic team against the Ponekt's should "be replayed, as the winners had played two men who had not been trsins'forred, should bo rescinded. The letter stated that, the transfers were not a^-ked for at ttie meeting before the Saturday on which the game was played, as the Athletics were not llwn aware thai they would have to play. Consideration of tho letter was deferred until next meeting. Mr. Coffey was granted two weeks' leave of absence from the meetings of the Union.