CONSIDERATION OF REFEREES.

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 25, 29 July 1922, Page 14

CONSIDERATION OF REFEREES.

"Club Secretary" has a word to say of the lack of consideration shown to referees under the present, system:— " You ask in your notes last week, ' Can the "game be made more pleasing V Certainly it can, and to my mind the only way is through that much-abused official, the referee. In the first place, we cannot tinker with the rules —that is outside our province; therefore the crux of the' whole thing is in interpretation. I don't know how often referees meet and discuss the rules, or if they meet at all; but I do know that clubs are sometimes bewildered by the different rulings of referees. One referee will allow a player to jump and head the ball; aiather will penalise the player if he leaves the ground.1 The much-discussed 'block and tackle' is also looked at by the referees from very different angles. The remedy is to create more interest in the Referees' Association, and make the position of referee one to be sought after, instead of being dodged. The W.F.A. could show appreciation of the referees by allowing at least one of their representatives to have a seat on the Management Committee with an equal vote. This is •at present being done by the Rugby Union, and should make for the betterment of the game. Referees should certainly receive some monetary recompense for their services. I don't mean a fixed fee per snatch as is done at Home, although I would vote for such a proposal if I had the chance, but I certainly think it is wrong that a referee should be out of pocket over every match. There aye- plenty of old players and others with nrst-class experience watching football every Saturday, and they, I am sure, would take on the whistle if tho conditions for the referee were better. The referees could bo divided into two classes —those who are acting from a high sense of duty and the ' frothers.' More power to them! But the trouble is that we have not enough of them, while some of the best referees, in the making, are looking on. It is all very well to.talk about the love of the game and to say that a man should not be selfish, and should think of his own. playing days. That has been said for years, but it has not filled up the Referees' Association, which has always been a more or less shaky institution! - A referee is drawn for Petone or Porirua, and what does it mean? As likely as not he gets no dinner, pays his own fare on the train and tram; probably gets wet through, and all for what? To overhear: probably that he is not the beginning of a referee, and should stick to the juniors. The same thing applies in lesser degree to the town grounds. The game cannot be played wifliout a referee, although some players think he is an awful nuisance, and an effort should be made to get the very best men, and to see they do not lose on the day. When they receive at least expenses, and are treated as a necessity to the game, you will find the game more pleasing. The rivalry will be keener, the knowledge of the rules will be'better, and the interpretation will be more uniform. I hope from the above that you do not think I am aspiring for ■honours myself. lam of the same opinion as the man who was approached by the captain to referee the match in an emergency. Said the captain, ' Will you take the whistle, old man; you know enough about football to referee?' He replied, 'No, sir; I know enough about football not to referee.' "