RUGBY FOOTBALL APOLOGY REFUSED: UNION DISCUSSES RECENT ARTICLE

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 September 1949, Page 7

RUGBY FOOTBALL APOLOGY REFUSED: UNION DISCUSSES RECENT ARTICLE

When I approached Mr W. F. Ellis and requested 'him to apologise to the Canterbury Rugby Union for comments appearing in a Christchurch newspaper criticising the' Canterbury Union and attributed to him, he refused to do so on the grounds that he had never made such statements '■ and therefore had no apology to make,” reported Mr F. W. Baillie, president of the West Coast Rugby Union, at the weekly meeting of the management committee last evening, A member suggested that Mr Ellis be requested to write to the Canterbury Rugby Union refuting such statements. The discussion was then taken in committee. A motion that Mr Ellis be asked to appear before the fnanagenient committee at the West Coast,Union meeting on Monday evening was carried unanimously.

The report of the manager of the West Coast team last Saturday, Mr W. O. Blair, was received as satisfactory and a motion was passed congratulating the Wellington team, on its bright open display of football and excellent behaviour off the field. Rugby Park Grounds Mr Baillie reported that Mr Doyle, who visited Greymouth with the Wellington team, had undertaken to forward details of the off-season work carried out at Athletic Park, Wellington. Mr Doyle, who is in charge of the grounds at Athletic Park, had inspected Rugby Park, and was of the opinion that if a similar programme was carried out, the . ground trouble there would be reduced.

Mr O. Scott was appointed manager •of West Coast representative team to play Canterbury at Christchurch on Saturday. R. Eastgate was appointed captain of the team and J. Lindbom. v-ice-captain. Mr W. O. Blair will accompany the team as selector. The R.S.A.* was granted permission to play the Alamein Shield match at Rugby Park on October 1. The St. John’s Ambulance Association was granted the right to take a collection at Rugby Park on Sat-, urday. , ' „ A former West Coast player, Mr T. R. O’Callaghan was congratulated on gaining New Zealand representative honours. Present at the meeting were: Messrs F. W. Baillie (chairman), B. Watkin, W. O. Blair, E. W. Shannon, J. Smith, S. McDonnell, H. Clifford, A. King, M. R. Bunt, A. Agnew. Fixtures For Saturday The management committee approved the following fixtures for Saturday:— , _, Junior: Christchurch Technical Old Boys v Greymouth Technical Old Boys,'at Park 1, 1.30 p.m. (M. Olsen); Albion (Christchurch) v Blaketown, at Park 2, 1.30 p.m. (K. Tomlinson). W. Mumm Not Available For Second Test Match According to a Westport report, .the Buller forward, W. Mumm, is still suffering from a shoulder injury received in the Buller-Wellington match on September 14 and is, unavailable for the New Zealand team to play Australia at Auckland on Saturday. . Referee Appointed WELLINGTON, This Day (P.A.).— Mr J. G. Fitzpatrick has been appointed referee for the NorthSouth Rugby match in Christchurch on October 1.