FOOTBALL

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 111, 12 May 1910, Page 4

FOOTBALL

WELLINGTON RUGBY UNION. APPOINTMENT BOARD. HAS THERE BEEN BIAS? Tho Management Committee of the Wellington Rugby Union met last evening. There were present — Messrs. S. S. Brown (chairman), Ed. Hales, W. Hardham, P. P-eters, W. Perry, J. F. O'Sullivan, A. Wilson, J. Sweeney, J. Burns, and W. G. Talbot (secretary). A complaint was received from the Wellington Football Association that Rugby players had been trespassing on their grounds during the progress of games. The association askad that the union should take steps to prevent a l-epotition of the occurrence. The comtnittee agreed. . Mr. J. Swindale, licensee of the Palace Hotel/ wrote, offering for competition between the senior clubs of the Wellington Rugby Union a shield, tho competition to start the present season. The offer was accepted with thanks. A sub-committee consisting of Messrs Perry, Burns, Sweeney, and Wilson -was appointed to draw up conditions governing the contest for the shield. It was decided to play next Saturday the games postponed from last Saturday on account of' the death of King Edward. The - Porirua Club, not receiving intimation in time, played its 'fixture last "Saturday. The game is to be allowed and a bye granted this Saturday. Permission was granted for the annual match Combined Banks versus 'Bank of New Zealand to be played on Athletic Park on Monday, 16th May. The Johnsonville Club wrote explaining the reasons why it had played certain players in its match against Porirua. C. Little had been a member of the club for the last four years, and the committee of the club was quita ignorant that he played for any other club. The players 'in question 1 had been played in the absence of certain players who had been picked and did not turn up. The Management Committee, after consideration, awarded the match to Porirua, and called on the Johnsonville Club for a further explanation as to why it played an unfinancial member. REFEREES AND UNION. A deputation representing the Referees' Association waited on the union. The members were Messrs. M'Kenzie, Sicvers, and Card. Mr. M'Kenzie acted as spokesman. The grievance they had, he said, was th& construction of the Appointment Board, which he doscribed as illegal. Two memb~ers supposed to represent the clubs were members of the Management Committee. The Appointment Board was, according to the rules, to include two members appointed by the Management Committee, three by the Referees' Association, and two by the clubs. The club members on the board, he said, had a bias for or against a particular club. The chairman interposed that all members of the Refeiees' Association were also old members of clubs. He, questioned whether there was any bias. Mr. M'Kenzie quoted instances. He mentioned also the hardship of sending residents of Kilbirnie, say, to referee at Karori. The association had a classification committee, which examined junior referees with a view of trying them in senior matches. Referees were tired of being made conveniences of. If a referee was appointed to a match, he should not be shifted except at his own wish.' Again, senior referees in certain instances ftad 'never yet received an appointment to a match on No. 1 Athletic Park. The whole complaint made by the association was in the best interests of Rugby football. Referees were not receiving the justice they deserved. They deserved promotion, and this was not permitted by the Appointment Board. Referees would get tired of being referees in. junior games. Mr. Silvers repeated the statement of Mr. M'Kenzie that there was a spirit of dissatisfaction among Teftrees. Before the Appointment Board came into existence there was no real grievance. The board had only come into existence thiough the action of a referee in showing bias against certain players. Mr. Hardham disagreed. The Appointment Board came into existence because the Referees' Association had reiused captains of clubs a voice in the selection of referees. The chairman asked how often a vote had been taken by the board ou theselection of a referee. The instances were very exceptional. Mr. Sievers held that the sole appointment of referees should be made by the Referees' Association. This was the case in Otago, TaTanaki, Canterbury, and Wanganui, at least. There had been no dissatisfaction. Mr. Hardham pointed out that there was. the fame difficulty in regard to senior and junior referees in the old days. They had three or four regular referees to .ill senior matches. Mr. M'Kenzie explained that the clause permitting the agreement of clubs on referees had been deleted from the rules of the Refeiees' Association, as it was I found to result in one, or two particular lefeices being choton every time. 'Then there was the action of the Petone Club in regard to the alleged bias against it of a certain refeiee and 'a subsequent ttiike ot referees. Mr. Card added that the association was losing a great many of its members thiough a. lack of opportunity for promotion. That was the main reaar.i why they came before the Management Committee. Mr. Sweeney made a personal explanation, lie did not remember during the whole of his service on the Appointment Board any nomination by -the association's lepr-esentafives being opposed. There had apparently' been tho greatest harmony there. Personally he had never shown any bias whatever in any capacity on football -bodies. It would not be in the interest of Rugby football if the board was done away with. Mr. Perry also declared that there had been no discontent on the Appointment Board. He had never known any taking sides on the board, association against union and clubs. j The chairman expressed his surprise at ' the statements made by the deputation, but said he could not see- any strength in\ their arguments. He considered there had been laxity on v f!he part 'of the association itself. The committee would consider the matter, but he could not give the deputation much hop© in the way of a removal of the board. The referees would receive fair treatment. ■ Mr!' Sievers: If the three referee?" come forward with definite nominations next week to the board, they will gei fair treatment? The chairman: Certainlj. The deputation \hert,nvithdrew.' It was decided that the committee could not alter the by-law nor .see its wny to calling a meeting of delegates for the special purpose of considering the samo. but the aasoriiition might biincr the m«tter before tho ne.\t meeting of delegates lor consideration. ASSOCIATION. The weekly meeting of the Management Committee of the Wellington

Football Association was held -last evening, Mr. H. N. Holmes presiding. There were also present : Messrs. B. L. Salmon, H. G. Mayer, J. Davidson, R.. Pye-Smith, J. Patou, R. Mackay, H. M'Keowen, and A. Williams. A letter was received from Mr. B. Martin, Pulmerston, asking for some copies of rules, etc. The writer stated that an association is being formed, as a few enthusiasts have managed to get four teams together, 'and are starting a Cup competition, which should place ' the game in Palmerslon on a fair footing after a big up-hill fight. The V.M.C.A. Club was granted permission to enter a second team in the fifth B division. V.M.C.A. was given permission to play an interclub match on 3rd June. The question of a ground was he"ld over. The secretary of the Otago Association wrote, intimating that he had rent a challenge to the New Zealand Football Association for the Brown Shield. Mr. Dick, referee, wrote complaining of the non-marking of Seatoun Jr"ark. The matter was referred to the Ground Committee. ' It was decided to ask the City Council for the asc of Kelburne and Newtown Parks and the Basin Reserve on 3rd June. It was also decided thst all matches set down for last week be played on Saturday, with the exception of the two games played at Porirua, which will stand as played. A special meeting' of the delegates will be held in a fortnight's time to adopt such rules as may be necessary for the control of Wednesday football. The Boys' Sub-committee was instructed to make the necessary arlangements towards sending the boys' team to Otago in September, and also to arrange a match with BurnhaiP School if possible. Recommendations of the Boys' Subcommittee were adopted as follow :—(1): — (1) Messrs. Salmon, Thompson, O'Connell, and Bro. Frederic to be a Boys' Selection Committee. (2) The Boys' Subcommittee to control oil matters pertaining to boys' football. (3) Spells in fifth and sixui grade matches not to exceed 35 minutes.