A REFEREE'S CRITICISM

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 76, 31 March 1931, Page 7

A REFEREE'S CRITICISM

BRITISH TEAM'S PLAYj

GOOD POINTS AND BAD ■

"Last year iulerest was quickened by) the invasion of the British team/ said Mr. J. Moffitt, president of the Welling* ton Rugby Referees' Association, in mow ing the adoption of the report and balance* sheet at the annual meeting last night, "ami there were many points in their play that we have taken notice' of. There wera one or two things that I thought would undoubtedly be lor the betterment of tho game in! this country—they made it an, open game, which made matters easier, for the referee to control. There wera many points of their play that I don't; think would be a good thing in this conn* try. There was a. great deal'"of 'sbep^ herding/ and although it is done here, Ij was very gurpriesd to'see it in a teaiul that came from where the laws of th« game were framed." Referring to the season generally, Jlij, Moffitt said that it was a strenuous ou«j for referees. The appointment board ap* pointed referees to over 1300 matches, pro* bably many, more, because sometimes meni* bers were unable to take the games for, which they were originally 6et down. Th« membership of the association was grow* ing, and growing very intensively. Mr, Moffitt concluded by expressing an ap« preciation of the manner in which the members of the association had given him. their assistance during his office as presi* dent. ' - . APPOINTMENTS AND CLASSIFICA* TION. Seconding the motion, Mr. A. C. Kittdj said that as he refereed no matches last season he was in a position to judge re-i ferees and the doings of the association. The work of the appointment board had been difficult and had been very well carried out, but matters were not so satisfactory co far as the classification com* mittee .was concerned. A referee, he con* sidered, could not be judged on his-show-ing in a fourth grade match, and,until th« classification committee tried referees out in junior games it would not be possible to classify properly. '- The appointment board and the classifi* cation committee, said. Mr. Kitto, had not' worked too' well together, and an effort should be made to bring them together. The speaker referred to the fact that the Rugby Union had made a donation to the association of £85, and he thought that the association had been treated very; fairly in that respect. . In regard to the appointment of re* ferees to matches, Mr. L. Sievers, in speak* ing to the motion,, raised .the question oE controlling of secondary school games on| suburban grounds. It was often difficult to send town referees out to these matches^ which.commenced at 2 p.m., and ha' thought' that the masters of the schools concerned should be" approached with a! view to obtaining their assistance. . Seven applications for membership wer«f, received. ELECTION OF OFFICERS.. '' The following officers were • elected:—* President, Mr. D. Calcinai; vice-presi* dent, Mr. A. C. Kitto; secretary and treasurer, Mr. J. F. O'Sullivan; executive committee, Messrs. J. Moffitt (the retiring president), H. S. Leith, A. R. Morris, G, Bradley, and R. E. J. Martin; appoint* ment committee, Messrs. L. Sievers, A« Smart, J. Francis, and B. S. Hylton; vice* president to the New Zealand Referees'Association, Mr. A. C. Kitto' (re-elected) sj delegate to the annual > meeting of dele* gates of the New Zealand Referees' Asso* ciation, to be held at Hamilton, at Easter* Mr. D. Calcinai. The appointment of 4 classification committee [was held over! pending the decision of the special gen* eral meeting to consider the matter of «j revision of the rules governing the classic fication and appointment of .referees. '