ALLEGED ROUGH PLAY

Evening Post, Volume C, Issue 54, 1 September 1920, Page 4

ALLEGED ROUGH PLAY

PETONE-ST. JAMES MATCH

REFEREE'S REPLY TO STATE-

MENTS.

The allegations of rough play in the Petone-St. James fourth-class football match on Saturday week ware the subject of discussion at the meeting of the Management. Committee of the Wellington Rugby Union last evening. Beference was made to tho statements by onlookers published in The Post. The referee in the game (M». O. H Cleland.) reported Mnvt the charge against the Petorie team for playing brutal football was wrong. "I saw nothingin the first spell that would warrant a caution," he wrote. "The game was willing, and hard, the day wet, and against any open football, and confined practically to the forwards. The St. James team certainly had all the misfortune, BeveraJ of their players suffering from knocks, but, from what I saw, they were accidental, and likely to occur in any game. In conclusion, I would like to state that, had any play of the nature stated been nqticed by nic, instant action would have been taken against the offenders." The Chairman said there had been a great deal of talk about it in the paper. Mr. J. Prendeviile remarked that the referee was a senior referee, and appeared to be reliable. In the St. Patrick's College-Wellington College game fivo players hsd been injuiied, and nobody could my that there had been any rough play. The secretary said that it was not the 4th class final; there' were still threa games to go, though Patone had the lead. Mr. A. J, Griffiths said the committee had no power to order the match to be replayed. The report of the referee must be accepted. The fact that the referee was a Petone resident, and a member of the Beferees' Appointment. Board was a subject of comment. It was deemed unwise that referees should officiate in matches in

v-iu ;i;3bricts with which they were connected. ' '

After further discussion, th© committee decided to take no action.

It was decided that St. James should play Athletic next Saturday.