Lack of Interest Alleged

Greymouth Evening Star, 31 July 1946, Page 9

Lack of Interest Alleged

New Zealand Union and Minor Unions

That the West Coast Rugby Union should make “a spirited protest against the lack of interest taken by the New Zealand Rugby Union in minor, unions,” was urged in a letter received at last evening’s meeting of the union’s management committee from the Westlahd Stib-Union. The letter said that West Coast players, referees, and patrons had been loyal to the code through the difficult war years and it should not be necessary for them to travel to Christchurch and othel’ centres to see first-class matches. The sub-union felt that the Kiwis should have been allocated a game on the West Coast. Mr. F. W. Baillie agreed that the New Zealand Union would have done a great service to football in the district if the Kiwis had been given a match on the West Coast, but said he felt it was too late to do much now. Mr. H. Clifford said that it had been proved at the annual conference that minor unions had been almost as well treated as major unions in respect of first-class fixtures. There were other unions far worse off than the West Coast.

Mr. R. Longstaff suggested that there might be a possibility of reassembling the Kiwi team next season. Members said that the team was playing now against its wishes and merely to satisfy the public. After further discussion it was decided to forward the letter to the New Zealand Rugby Union and ask if there were any possibility of the Kiwis playing a match locally.

Present at the meeting were Messrs. Baillie (chairman), A. M. Jamieson, Clifford, A. Agnew, O. Scott, W. Blair, M. R. Bunt, A. Lindbom, Longstaff, J. Webster, G. Nelson, S. Hendry, S. McDonnell, and E. G. Pankhurst. The Blenheim Match.

The report of the manager of the West Coast team which visited Blenheim, Mr. O. McLean, was received. Mr. McLean said that the Team had played well and that it had ’been a credit to the union.

It was resolved that the Marlborough team be congratulated on its retaining the Seddon Shield and that thanks be expressed fol’ the hospitality extended to players, with special mention of Mr. Webster, local manager of the West Coast team. Rugby League Congratulated. On the motion of Mr. Baillie, it was unanimously decided to congratulate the West Coast' Rugby League team on its victory over the English tourists. Mr. Baillie said that for a local team to beat an international side was a great achievement and the West Coast players had done splendidly. An application from the Star Club for the regrading of J. Jackson from senior to junior to assist the lowergrade side was approved. W.. Cron was granted a transfer from the Star to the Celtic junior team. A letter was received from the St. John’s Presbyterian Sunday School thanking the union for the continued use of the Rugby Park rooms on Sundays. Default Explained.

Mr. Clifford said the Celtic Club’s explanation of its default to Te Kinga on the last playing Saturday was that insufficient members of the junior team arrived at the bus depot. Those who arrived decided not to travel, but did not know how to communicate with the Te Kinga secretary. The club had written to To Kinga to explain the position and would adopt the correct procedure in future. Permission was granted the Greymouth Technical High School to play Westport Technical High School at Greymouth on Thursday at 10.30 a.m. It was decided that efforts would be made to supply a referee for the match. On the recommendation of the Buller Rugby Union it was decided that the West Coast-Buller junior match should be played at Greymouth on August 31. Permission was granted for a match between Old Boys (Westport) and Blaketown juniors on August 17. A request from the Westland SubUnion for a senior team from Christchurch to play Westland at Hokitika was forwarded to the Canterbury Rugby Union. The Westland Sub-Union invited entries for a seven-a-side tournament at Hokitika on August 10. It was decided to support the tournament and to make definite arrangements next week. Third Grade Match.

The third grade selector, Mr. F. Eggleton, was instructed to choose a team to play an Inangahua side on Sunday as a curtain-raiser to the Inangahua Town v. Country match. Mr. A. Agnew was appointed manager of the team, which would leave by bus at 10.30 a.m. "The third and fourth grade competitions were declared closed, with Technical A and Cobden the respective winners. It was decided to start new competitions on Saturday. Fixtures Arranged for Saturday The following fixtures have been arranged for Saturday by the West Coast Rugby Union:— Senior.— Celtic v. Blaketown, Park No. 1, 3.0 (T. Henley); Cobden v. United, Park No. 2, 3.0 (R. Haglund); Star, a bye. Junior. — Blaketown v. Celtic, Omoto, 1.30 (G. Strode); Cobden v. Star, Omoto, 3.0 (A. Fong); Magpies v. Te Kinga, Camerons, 1.30 (R. Bunt). Third Grade. — Celtic v. Hokitika, Park No. 2, 10.30 a.m. (C. Cockburn); Cobden v. Technical B, Cobden, 1.30 (A. King); Technical A v. Blaketown, Technical, 1.30 (W. Hamilton). Fourth Grade.— Technical B v. Star, Park No. 2, 1.30 (A. Lindbom); Celtic v. Technical A, Park No. 1, 1.30 (R. Ferguson); Cobden, a bye. The third and fourth grade matches, will be the first of new competitions.

Coast Nominations for South Island The West Coast Rugby Union has nominated R. O’Callaghan, W. Amberger, J. Lindbom (backs), and R. Birchfield (lock forward) for the South Island team. Birchfield and O’Callaghan have both played for the South island previously. Nominations from other unions for the inter-island teams are as follow: Buller! W. Murnm, T. Coyne,', D. Neighbours. G. Anderson (forwards), F. Neighbours, 0. Smallholme (backs). Canterbury: P. Callanan, F. G. Hobbs, J. Roach,. R. S. Thompson, R. Monigatti, M. Henderson, K. Bain, D. Herman. Praise for West Coast Referee No comment on the Kiwis-Can-terbury match would be complete without congratulatory reference to. the referee, Mr. A. Fong (Greymouth), who was afterwards praised on all sides, says the Sports Post. Mr. Bill Dailey, who proposed his health, echoed the general feeling when he described his exhibition as the best that had been seen in Christchurch for many years.