RUGBY REFEREES

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 62, 11 September 1933, Page 3

RUGBY REFEREES

A STRENUOUS YEAR-

PENALTIES ON PLAYERS

Over a hundred members and friends of the-Wellington Rugby- Referees' -Association attended the annual smoke concert of the association held on Saturday evening. , Speakers reviewed, 'the progress o£ the game through the season, and- touched, on matters affecting the playing of-Eugby in New Zealand. After the loyal toast had been honoured, the toast of the ' Wellington Rugby; Referees' Association was proposed by Mr. A. O. Travers, who the claim that refereeing was in- itself a sport. Criticism, just and'unjust, ■ could always' be anticipated, .but, in. Wellington at all events, the. referee had a. very fair hearing. In 'reply/ Mr. "D. '■ Calcinai (chairman) stated that the year had been a strenuous one, in which several previous -records as to the number of players, referees, and, games had been broken. Uniformity in, decisions had been bettered owing to tha laws not being altered during the season. The scrummage had caused trouble, but there was a rumour that next year theru would be some measure devised that would, prevent a repetition. As matters stood, too many games were won by penalties arising from scrum infringements. In proposing tlie toast of the Welling* ton Rugby Union, Mr. A. C. Kitto mentioned that the referees always' did their best to fulfil their obligations', and expressed the wish that any failure, on tha part of referees should be reported at once to the association. Whilst ' -wishing the union continued success, he criticised the leniency of its rulings- in regard to. tha punishment of offending players.- He m turn invited constructive criticism of tha Referees' Association. Mr. W. J. Prendeville, in replying, gava details of finance connected _ with the union, and mentioned that, in spite oc economies, the. referees' grant was 'never reduced or questioned. He answered Mr. Kitto's criticism regarding punishments, and said that he appreciated the co-opera-tion of the Referees' Association through, their president. Concerning the reporting of inefficient referees, he said he considered that a referee was on the game plane as a musician—as a class there were none so touchy, so jealous of their privileges and rights. The inspection or referees in action by a visiting committea of retired referees would be quite eno'ughj The toast of "The New Zealand Referees Association" was proposed by Mr,-A/, do Clifton, who emphasised- the uhportatica of the body in the procuring of-'uniformity in rulings throughout the. Dominion. "The executive gives; us. ■first-haivd. rulings in any matters of difficulty," said the speaker, "and after that it is up to us to see^that they are carried'out."- ' Mr. R.Paton, in replying,. agreed that the task of the Dominion body /was an onerous one. The New Zealand Rugby Union was toasted by Mr. R. E. J. Martin, _ who emphasised the necessity of uniformity iv the rulings of referees. Mr. H.. Leith re* plied. ..'.•■"■ . A speech was requested from Mr. F. D; Kilby, who in a short address expressed the opinion that penalties for scrummage infringements should, not fall so often on the half-back. Circumstances did;arisa where the half was penalised through no fault of his own, and on these' occasions the standing of the player was only ■ too often impaired. - _J Other toasts honoured were "The-Newly] Appointed Referees," proposed by Mr. G. Bradley and replied to by Messrs. T. Cole, K. G. Dunn, and A. R. Morice; "The Press," proposed by Mr. J. F. O'Suliivaii;! and' "The Artists," proposed by Mr, B, Morris and replied to by Mr. K. Rigby. Items were provided by Messrs. E. E. Dean, G. Tynan, G. W. Houclien, D,, Hopa, J. Chandler, A. Pennington, B. Osborne, K. Risiby, and R. Williams.