OTAGO RUGBY UNION

Evening Star, Issue 17313, 29 March 1920, Page 2

OTAGO RUGBY UNION

ANNUAL MEETING. The 39th annual meeting of the Otago Rugby Union was held in Mr E. S. Wilson's board room, Empire Buildings, on Saturday evening. There was a large attendance of delegates, and the chair was occupied by the president (Mr H. Harris). The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the annual report and balance-sheet, said delegates should be congratulated on the result of the past year's football. Last season was practically the first since the termination of war, and it was remarkable how quickly the game had come back into popular favor. The play in the junior grades especially had been of all-round merit, and it promised to bring out several first-class senior men. The interest in school football had been increased durin" the past season, and it was anticipated that it would be even greater this season lhe receipts at the various flag matches last season had shown a. big jump as compared with thoae during 1918. In 1918 the receipts amounted to £213, and last season they were £665. Last year the union had started with a debit of £539 in the general account, and there was an old account of £2ll standing against the accident insurance fund, or a debit of, roughly £BOO. In addition, the union had paid ofi several amounts which had been allowed to accumulate, such as rates. They had cleared off practically four years' rates. Ihe City Council had given them a rebate of two years' rates, ana the £IOO they had paid had cleared the outstanding liability ihey had also paid off some arrears ill connection with their lease of Carisbrook At the present time the union owed onlv about £4OO. The balance of assets over liabilities amounted in 1918 to £250, and last year the balance showed a surplus of assets over liabilities of £Bl9. That was alter writing off £lls on the Carisbrook Ground account. the cases of misconduct which came before the union last season were few, and it was hoped that thev would be still fewer this year. The report was adopted.' Mr W. J. Wilson moved the re-election of Mr Harris as president of the union He said that Mr Harris had been elected to the executive in 1887. In 1891 he had been promoted to the position of treasurer He had held this position until 1912, when he had been appointed presidrat. He had held that position ever since. It would, therefore, be seen that Mr Harris had an unbeaten record. He could say without fear of contradiction that ~Xj- Harris was the best man to hold the position of president. It had been the unanimous wish of the executive that he should accept the position for another year. Mr Harris was * thereupon re-elected amidst applause. The other office-bearers were elected a* follows :—Vice-presidents Dr Evans, Messrs V. G. Cavanagh, D. M. Stuart, and W. J. Wilson (all re-elected); treasurer, Mr St. J. J. Dunne (re-elected); auditors' Messrs T. Chalmer and W. F. Monkman (re-elected); committee (19 nominated)— Messrs H. H. S. White, W. Brown, 4. M'Donald, H. Cock, G. Nelson. W. J Strong, P. J. Priest, R, Procter, S. Styche, and Dr Harrison. Messrs White, Smellie, King, Stevens, and Cavanagh were appointed a sub-com-mittee to consider the advisability of resuscitating the accident insurance 'fund and to furnish a report to the committee. The Secretary (Mr E. S. Wilson) stated that the accident fund had never proved self-supporting.