NEW ZEALAND UNION

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 28, 2 August 1923, Page 11

NEW ZEALAND UNION

IMPORTANT MATTERS DEALT WITH

The Management Committee of the New Zealand Rugby Union met last evening.' There were present: Messrs. S. S. Deans (in the chair), T. A. Fletcher, W. S. Glenn, E. M'Kenzie, W. Hornig, and E. Little.

"Most unsatisfactory," was how the Southland Piugby Union characterised the manner in which the Prime Minister had received the deputation which had waited upon him to ask for a remission of amusement tax. The Southern union suggested that Rugby Unions should, be circularised and asked to pass strong motions of protest.

A letter was read from the Poverty Bay Rugby Union stating that in view of the fact that for many years names had been submitted to the New Zealand Union for the. appointment of referees to interprovincial matches, the association was of opinion that it was inadvisable to continue to do so

The Taranaki Kugby Union conveyed a resolution to the effect that the union did not recede from its decision to adhere to the present boundary, which was practically a provincial one, but was quite willing that it should be modified to the extent of more clearly defining the boundary line by roads and rivers. The Bush Rugby Union notified that it could not see its way to become a sub-nnion of the Wairarapa Union.

The selectors of the North Island team (Messrs. Griffiths, M'Kenzie, Parata, Nicholson, and Grey) advised that they were strongly of opinion that a match should be played between two teams from the North Island before the representative team for the inter-Island test was chosen.

"Their position, as the selectors put it to me, was'that there were a large number of players of an equality whom they would like to see in action before makinsr the final selection," said the chair-

It was decided to bring the matter up at the next annual meeting. The Torquay Rugby Football Club wrote asking for a match against tha All Black team of 1924-25. "One of tho most sportsmanlike teams, in the southern counties," was how the secretary described the club, and he added that they took an especial pride in their association with the New Zealanders during the war. They possessed the finest ground in the Western counties, and a visit from a New Zealand eide would undoubtedly give the game a lift. It was decided to forward the letter to the English Rugby Union. Grants of £20 each were made to the Otago, Wanganm, and Manawatu Rugby Unions on their submitting statements of previous expenditure. The secretary of the Maori Advisory Board wrote asking if it were possible to arrange a- match between the New South Wales representatives and the New Zealand Maori football team, to bo played at Wellington on the Monday following the third Test, It was felfc that, this was not demanding too much of the visitors, inasmuch as the Maori teams of 1910, 1913, 1922, and 1923 had done the game thing. It was decided that it was impossible to accede to the request. It was resolved that admission charges to the matches during the New South Wales tour should be plus amusement tax.

Ihe Otago Rugby Union, following then- published protest that the New Zealand Union's charge for Test matches, on its own showing-, was too high, wrote, pointing out that the expenses of the tour would not ■ exceed £6000, while at a charge of one shilling to, the ground' and extra to the stand the receipts for ten matches should be iSOOO at.least," The committee, therefore, was of opinion that one shilling was.a sufficient charge for 1 admission to the ground for the New South Wales matches. The union pointed 1 out also that it had gone to considerable expense in the erection of up-to-date grandstand accommodation' at Carisbrook, which meant extra revenue for the New Zealand Union, and could not see its.way to reduce the charges for the ground. The matter was discussed in committee, and finally was left in the hands of the chairman (Mr. S. S. Deans) and JJr. E