RUGBY FOOTBALL

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 October 1930, Page 6

RUGBY FOOTBALL

WEST COAST UNION At last evening’s meeting of the West Coast Rugby Union, Mr. A. A. Adams presided, and Messrs T. P. Ryan, J. Guy, T. Mclntosh, T. O’Donnell, H. Wilson, F. Eggleton, J. Kyle, T. Scott, E. Dewar, D. Pring, A. White, I. Steel. W. Williams, and N. W. Jones (secretary) -were also present. An ap'ology for absence was received from Mr. W. Hannam. Discussing the position which had arisen as a result of the postponement of Saturday’s senior and junior seven-a-side tournament, the Chairman said that it was a question of which tournament the Union was prepared to abandon. It was not necessary that the Saraty Cup competition should have preference over the Union’s tournament.

Mr. Eggleton suggested that the Union should hold its competition oti Saturday and the Saraty Cup seven-a-side be played on October 11. Mr. Ryan remarked that permission had been granted United senior team to travel to Westport on Saturday. “Because a concession has been given to one team, it cannot affect Rugby Union affairs,” replied the chairman.

It was the general opinion of members that if the Union’s compeui'.m was not held on Saturday, it would be advisable to abandon it, us the season had finished.

The Chairman remarked that to abandon the Union’s competition meant a. loss of revenue. The Saraty Cup fixture was really an expense to the Union in the direction of advertising, and they received nothing in the way of revenue.

Mr. Ryan: Under the circumstances I will move that the Saraty Cup be proceeded with, and the Union’s competition be abandoned. The Chairman: That means that we abandon any chance of getting revenue for the sake of the Saraty Cup ’ Mr. Ryan: United will have to go to Westport. They have put back the playing of their final, until the following Saturday.

The Chairman: We are inclined to sit down and do something which will provide revenue for somebody else, by abandoning our own games. Our tournament should either take place on Saturday or be left over for this season.

Mr. Eggleton moved that the Union’s seven-a-side tournament be played on Saturday, and the Saraty Cup competition on October 11. Mr. Kyle seconded. Mr. Ryan: I have already m’oved a motion. Mr. Dewar: It has not been seconded, Mr. Ryan.

The Secretary: I’ll second it. Mr. Ryan: It has been seconded now, Mr. Dewar. The amendment was carried by !> voles to 5.

It was resolved to advise Excelsior Club of the position, and invite nomination <of a senior team.

Mr. Bring: It may be possible to get Excelsiors, especially if the Kings were granted permission to play for them. Mr. Ryan: I dare say United will stop and defend the Shield. Mr. Bring moved that Excelsiors be granted permission to play the Kings in the tournament. The Chairman. It. seems odd to grant them something, when they have dot asked permission for it. Mr. Mclntosh said he was “right up against it.” There had been trouble over the matter all the season, and now that finality had been reached in the matter, it was not right to turn round and grant, permission to the players involved, to again link up with Excelsiors. The Chairman considered that Excelsior could field a seven-a-side team without calling on the Kings. Mr. O’Donnell: It would be a very weak-kneed attitude on our part to allow it. Mr. Dewar: Would they be granted permission to play? The Chairman: Permission has not been asked, and has not been granted. The decision of the New Zealand Council automatically disqualifies them from playing for Excelsior. The nominations and the seven-a-side draw for the senior competition resulted as follow: United B v. Cobden; Blaketown A v. Rivals; Blaketown B. v. Stars; United A v. Brunner.

Junior seven-a-side draw Cobden B y. United; Cobden A v. Kumara B; Kiwis v. Kumara A; Excelsior a bye. Mr. Eggleton asked whether there was any Cup or Shield for the winners of the fourth grade competition. The Secretary replied that the Reid Cup was allotted to that grade, but it was lost, it was the only Cup which could not be traced when an inventory was taken. Technical school were supposed to have held it last. Mr. Dewar; Is there any record ol who was responsible for the return of the Cup ? The Chairman stated that the Cup had been lost previous Io last year, when it was decided that receipts should be given for all trophies. Mr. Guy: The last receipt we had showed that Cobden had it. “We never held it,” quickly denied Mr. Dewar. He added that there was a shield for the fifth grade which was not being competed for. “It is of no use entering into a discussion now, we will go infio the matter at next meeting. Everyone is discussing and nobody knows anything definite. One - competition is out of existence now, and we can arrange the matter next week,” finalised the chairman.

ASSAULT ON REFEREE. WELLINGTON, October 1. To debar Roebuck for all time from holding any office in Rugby organisations is merely an hysterical gesture, said an extract from a letter from the Taranaki Rugby Union, received at this evening’s meeting of the New Zealand Rugby Union, dealing with the latter body’s decision to disqualify for life Roebuck, who struck the referee in a match played in Taranaki during tho past season. Taranaki Union considered that the New Zealand Union’s decision was too harsh, and pointed out that its own decision, disqualification for a period of five years, had not been made hurriedly, and also that it had been made with a better knowledge of the facts. The punishment of ordering off Roebuck from all Rugby grounds for life, the Taranaki Union considered to be no punishment at all, because >n tho Taranaki province, at any rate, nearly all of tho grounds were public reserves. There was little discussion on the

letter. The Union decided to adhere to its previous decision. BROADCASTING OPPOSED. WELLINGTON, October 1. From further letters received from Rugby Unions on the subject of the radio broadcasting of matches, it would appear that the season s experiment in allowing the descriptions of matches to be broadcast has not. been all together a success from the point of view of the unions’ finances. Two letters, one from the Waikato Union, and tho other from the Auckland Union, were received on the subject at this evening's meeting of the New Zealand Union.

Tho Waikato Union’s letter “protested against the broadcasting of Rugby matches,” and mentioned that several letters had been received from affiliated sub-unions, asking that action should bo taken to prevent further broadcasting, as it was seriously affecting the finances of the unions and sub-unions.

While admitting that the Auckland delegates had supported broadcasting generally at the annual conference, the letter from the Auckland Union stated that experience had proved that country football had been seriously affected thereby. It suggested that, instead of broadcasting running descriptions of the games, an account could bo dictated into a dictaphone and put over the air in the evening.

Tho Chairman, Mr. S. S. Dean, said ho thought tho question was one for dis cussion at tho annual meeting, and he also observed that he had been one of those most strongly opposed to broadcasting.

It was generally thought that the opinions of all the affiliated unions should be sought, more particularly with regard to what future action was to bo taken. A motion to this effect was carried, and the whole question will bo discussed at the next annual meeting of the New' Zealand Union.