FOOTBALL

Evening Star, Issue 10401, 24 August 1897, Page 1

FOOTBALL

OTAGO RUGBY UNION. The weekly meeting of the Committee of the Otago Rugby Union was held yesterday, Mr Gallaway in the chair. A letter was read from the Canterbury Rugby Union on the subject of wing forward play, and_ expressing the opinion that in all interprovincial matches a referee should be appointed who was unconnected with either union interested.—lt was agreed to ask-.the Canterbury Union to join in formulating a request, to be submitted to the English Union through the New Zealand Union, for an authoritative ruling on the subject of wing forward play. The Committee exprOsaed^themselves as satisfied to have 'an outside . referee for the match between Canterbury and Otago, . provided that one could be got who should be acceptable to both sides, and it was decided to ask the Canterbury Union to submit names. ' The opiuion was also expressed that it would be a fair condition that the referee’s expenses should be shared equally by both unions. An application by the University Club for permission to present trophies which had been offered to the players showing the beat form in the back and forward division was granted.

The report of the referee (Mr J. R. M'Connochie) upon an appeal by the Port Chalmers Club against a decision by him in the match between the Scar and Port Chalmers Clubs was read. The appeal was against the referee’s decision in ordering a scrummage! at the spot whence the ball had been kicked on the occasion of a Port Chalmers back kicking across his own goal-line to touch -in - goal, it being alleged that a goal potted by a Star player was the immediate result of this scrummage, and that the goal would not have been kicked had the referee awarded a touch-down. The referee stated that in the scrummage ordered by him the Star forwards obtained possession and by foot work carried the play right in front of the Port Chalmers goal, and that the Star’s score was obtained about two minutes after the scrummage had been formed, but he believed that the Port Chalmers back who kicked into tonch-in-goal had endeavored to find the touch-line with his kick.—The Committe held that the referee committed an error in awarding a scrummage instead of a touch-down, but they were not satisfied that the goal was the direct result of the scrummage, and consequently it was nob disallowed.

The Otago Referees’ Association forwarded a copy of a resolution adopted by its Committee, who found that a charge against a member of the Pacific Club (Cassels by name) 1 of representing himself as the member of the Association appointed to aot as referee in the match between the Port Chalmers and Pacific Second Fifteens on the 7th August, whereas he was not a member of the Association, was proved, and further that the V captain of the Pacific Second (Harris) was a • party to the misrepresentation.—lt was decided to summon the players in question to attend at the next meeting of the Com- • inittee.

A telegram was read from the New Zealand Union stating that it considered the .serious charges preferred against members of the New Zealand team sufficiently provfed' •to-warrant suspension pending further-in- - quiry.— It was resolved to witfe to. the New : Zealand Union strongly protesting against a decision in the.m&tter being deferred. . Letters were read from the secretaries of mittees Tarnishing ertiffinT: * ttie expenses that would bs Incurred" by their teams in travelling for the inter-county matches, Vincent County playing Maniototo at St. Bathans, aud Tuapeka County meeting Vincent at Ciydc.—The Committee agreed to vole £ls towards the expenses of each travelling team.

September IS has been fixed by tho Council of the New Zealand Football Association as the date for the final match of the annual tournament for the challenge trophy. 6 ■ As Given was unable to get away, his place in the Southland match has been taken by Olsen. The amount received by the New Zealand' Rugby Union as their share of the proceeds of the match Auckland v. New Zealand was £IOO 2s 3d. This will enable the Union to pay off £45 of their overdraft of £6O. The secretary of St. Matthew’s Club writes denying that St. Paul’s choir boys defeated St. Matthew’s choir boys by default, as it was decided to postpone the match. Christian Brothers’ School Fourth defeated High School Fifth by 10 points to nil. J. M'Kewen and C. M'Clusky scored tries, which B. Petre converted.