LOCAL REFEREES

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 112, 12 May 1923, Page 8

LOCAL REFEREES

KEEN INTEREST BEING SHOWN,

The keen interest of local referees in tho game this seaßon is accounting for some splendid weekly meetings of the" association. The room obtained for the meeting last week was far too email to comfortably accommodate the large number of members eager to follow or take part in the evening's proceedings. "Standing room only" was the state of affairs at starting time, and it is no exaggeration to say that the room presented a spectacle not unlike that to be observed at an enthusiastic political meeting. In view of the intpv,°st which members are showing in +.' ■" affairs of the association, the executive has been considering the question of securing a more spacious meeting place than that which has been available. It is understood that arrangements have nc-w been made for the referees to take up new quarters. Another satisfactory feature of the meeting was the presence of a number of new members. With the growth of Rugby locally the Referees' Association has been "up against it" in the matter of membership, but the increase this season will relieve to some extent the burden which fell to many referees last season —that of taking two games in an afternoon. A further increase in the membership will bring about more relief.

The business transacted at the meeting in question—and' it is an every week occurrence—was both interesting and instructive, as well as being in some respects entertaining. Reports from referees who had taken matches on the Saturday provided good food for discussion. "I would like to draw attention to the unsatisfactory state of affairs regarding dressing accommodation at Lyall Bay," said one member. "There must have been something like thirteen or fourteen teams making use of the w shed out there." Ho detailed the difficulty with which he was faced in getting dreßsed at the conclusion of the match.

"You wait until you go to Duppa street," remarked another member.

There followed other complaints about the state of affairs at Miramar grounds. On some grounds the marking was-bad, and there were no flags,, while at one ground there was no cross-bar on one set of goal posts. t "There are no dressing' sheds at all at. Prince of Wales Park," another referee reported. "My clothes got wet while I refereed last Saturday."

"In my game," said a senior referee, "I had one senior player laying down the law to me. He said he had every right to place the ball for a kick at goal." "He wants to wake up!" and "Let him do it!" were remarks that followed the statement.

The president, in reply to the reports, stated that the Rugby Union was moving in the matter re Lyall Bay. Regarding the Prince of Wales Park the ground had only just been made.

"What is the good of putting matches there if there is no accommodation?" a member asked.

"Well, they have to put' matches somewhere," said the president. The attention of the meeting was then turned to rules and rulings, upon which thete were interesting discussions.