LAW AND ORDER

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 November 1938, Page 10

LAW AND ORDER

EXTENSION TO PLAYING FIELD

In a world where some aspects of restraint by law rather than by violence seem to be. losing their hold with regrettable, speed, perhaps we ought to be thankful for a glimpse of any field wherein the reign of law shows signs of advance instead of retreat. Oddly enough, it seems to be the football field that offers an example of that tendency, states a writer in the “Manchester Guardian.” In Italy, wh.ere representatives of sporting authorities were lately provided with police powers in order to deal with disorderly athletes, a referee at Lecco is reported to have arrested the entire local team for using bad language and endeavouring to upsOt by violence one of his own decisions during flic course of play. The team, which protested that the disorder was caused by the spectators' and not by the players, was ultimately discharge,d with a caution, but the precedent is an important one from which it would seem that Italian referees ought how to be equipped with eleven pairs of handcuffs as well as one whistle.

News of more orderly but even more remarkable procedure conies from the Indian State of Bihar. There an aggrieved football club has applied in a civil court for a declaration that a certain goal recently scored against its team shall be set aside as null and void, and apparently the Court concerned has issued an interim injunction that the game in question shall not be counted in what amounts to the League tables until tile suit has been properly heard and judgment delivered. Football under a system of injunctions and cases (part heard) sounds a most unexpected development. Will the goalkeeper presently be able to flourish a writ as lie dances about between the posts, and, protected hy injunctions and rulings from a judge in chambers, be in a position to threaten any forward who shoots from nearer than 30 yards away with attachment for contempt of court ?