RUGBY.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 10392, 27 September 1927, Page 7

RUGBY.

ALL BLACK TRIALS. ! r MATCHES TO SELECT TEAM FOR SOUTH AFRICA. Following *is the list of _ trial matches at which selcctiors will be present to note promising players* lor the All Black tour of South Africa:— September -27.—North Island." 1 ossibles v. Probables at Palmerston North. ~ September 28—-South Island Possibles v. Probables, a*, Christchurch. ‘ ' • October X.—North Island v: South Island, at Wellington. October s.—New Zealand Possibles t. . Probables, at Wellington. Beyond the actual trials the selectors will, of course, be guided by in-ter-provincial form. The team will comprise twenty-nine men. PROMINENT PLAYERS. IN N.Z. RUGBY FIELD In view of the keen interest being taken in the Times Grand Skill Competition to choose., the* Rugby team for the South African tou r next year, a list is given below of players who have been prominent on tlio niterprovincial fields this season. It must bo clearly understood that in the list no pretence is> made of including all the “probables”- and “possibles” in New Zealand, and' the names ' are given solely with the idea of render--mg a little help. to competitors. The list is as follows': —• —Full-backs

: Wciliiigton' PringTey -. ■ loiter,- ' . Thomas. Oliver unci'Shearex - . .. Otago—C. Finlayson, Me Williams, ’ Hore, r Maisliu " " f Manawlifiriua—'LTemewau, Anderson, Heatley, Parsons and Galpin. Taranaki-7-W’ard, J.., Walter, Kivell. Southland—W. Hazlett, T. Pohej'ts _ ( W, Johnston, Bird and Mills. Wanganui—J. Johnston, 'Coulston, and Leahy. Waikato—Courtenay;; -T- —. — r Mclnnes. • North Otago—Cameron. Puller—Freitas ‘D Nelson—Snow,. Young '\ { PRINCErOF" WALES 'CUP. AWARDED 1 TO~EASTERN MAORI DISTRICT. .RULES SIMILAR .TO THOSE OF RANIFUKLY' SHIELD. (Special to the Times.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 20. Brought-.back from England by. ie Prime Minister on liis return from the Imperial Conference, the Prince of Wales Challenge Cup will be competed for by Maori teams jrom all over the Dominion for the. first time next season, The New Rugby . Union has just approved-;,, of the scheme submitted by, the Maori Advisory Board to govern the Cup contest. . Under this scheme the country is to be divided into four Maori Rugby districts, from which teams to compete for the Cup may be .drawn — Tokerau or Northern district, comprises Auckland, Thames, '.Bay of Plenty and King Country Rugby districts, the boundaries of the New Zealand Rugby Union being , followed in every case - ; Tairawßiti or Eastern district, comprising Tlawkc s Day, Poverty Bay ; and East Upast Rugby districts; Tailiauaimi or Western district, Taranaki ; Wanganui, Manawlienua and Wairarapa, while Te Waipounrtmu or Southern district includes the whole of the South Island unions. The executive of the committees have been appointed. Punka Turoi (Auckland) is convener of the North .'rn committee ; Tuii Carroll (Gisborne) of the Eastern committee: 'A. Takaraugi (Wanganui) of the Western committee and J. MacDonald (Marlborough) ol the Southern committee. The New Zealand Union, having approved of the creation of those divisions, the matter of framing the;rules of the contests lias been handed over to the Maori Advisory Board I These will be on the basis ol ! ‘tjie. rules lor the .Uanhirly Shield matches. Holders or the cup will have the right to select the ground and challengers will Lave to journey to play for it. The <;vu> has been awarded to the Eastern Maori district, and it is expected that the first challenge match tor it will be played in Gisborne next season.

THE AMALGAMATION PROBLEM

(To the Editor.) Sir, —-In your issue of 20th ‘List., there appears a report of a meeting of the Poverty Biay. Rugby Union at which the question of the amalgamation of Poverty Bay and East Goa,tit Unions was raised. The chairman, Mr A. S. Parker, is. reported to have ■ stated “he was unaware of East Coast’s requirements except that- they desired Gisborne to be a sub-union, the whole to come under the heading of the East- Coast Union”. Now Sir, may I. ask Mr Parker to state the' source of his information. ITc subsequently referred to a statement made bv Mr. G-. Neill, but, like myself, Mr Neill is merely stating .bis personal opinion, and is not speaking officially on behalf of the East Coast Union. I do know that the question has beeb cussed in a. friendly way by peoplereji'Cesoiitiiig both Unions, and with a view to obtaining a basis for official negotiation. ; Mr Parker knows .quijtte well that there never was a proposal to make Gisborne a 'sub-union of thW East Coast. Tlie unofficial proposaT was that tlie present Poverty Bay and East Coast Unions both become sub-unions and the two bodies elect a union to control the combined districts. It is necessary to state.,:that ] when the Boundaries Commission appointed by the N.Z.R. U. suggested the amalgamation of the two Mr Parker’s predecessor ill-office visited the Coast and, by his very-un-reasonable attitude, killed every chance of a settlement. At; that time, the then president of the N.Z.R.U., and a prominent member of the Boundaries Commission, assured the E.C.R.U. that no pressure would be used to effect the proposed amalgamation. At that time, tlie E.C.R.U. discussed tlie question and decided to resist all attempts to force the proposed amalgamation. The discussion, as reported in your journal, reveals a peculiar position. The chairman stated that Poverty Bay was the smallest of the unions. A member stated -that rep. teams Mere selected from five senior clubs. The P.B.R.U. is to bo strengthened, not by inducing the hundreds’ of'follows who take no interest in the game to come out and play, but by inducing Wairoa to walk out of one of the strongest unions into the smallest, or by writing to the NvZ.R.U; for t!ieepufpose of swallowing East Coast. If Mr Parker succeeds in enticing IVairpa. ftp leave Hawke’s Bay,. Mill he still be interested in East Coast? In any case, let Mr Parker drop - the. 'big stick, idea. East Coast is a stronger union than Poverty Bay and tlie N.Z.R.TD: might say-let the;'weaker union join the stronger. Ytyhen Mr; Parker ceases to emulate the. ostrich .and -faces the fact that an amalgamation-’ca:i be effected only under a fair basis as to representation on the governing body, something may. eventuate. Tlie question as tq.whether the.governing 'body should Tie called Poverty Bay or East Coast is only an attempt to defeat the proposal. Tbq P.B.R.U. would have Been well advised to have acted on Mr O’Neill’s suggestion , to confer with East Coast ivith a view to reaching a proper basis' fc-r ; settlement, Mr Parkqr’s remarks and the general discussion have caused an. uneasy feeling amongst, those who were interested in bringing about an amalgamation under favorable conditions. When the P'.Bi.R.U. is prepared to submit proposals to the E.C.R.U., they Mill he received cordially and M’ill be given every consideration. Any attempt at coercion will‘only defeat that end.—l am, Yours etc., . VERITAS.

RUGBY UNION. MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

The PovertyU'Bay Rugby' Union management committee’s meeting last evening was presided over by .the chairman, Mr. . A. Si Parker. There., were also 'present Messrs. «j. E., Brosnaiian', l’ . Burge, G-._Pr.uii-rosc, G. J. Jeiine, \V\ S r . McKee, A. Lange, P. ; H uiiter, and Mi. J.'Kyne. • The proposal to organise a benefit dance in aid d£ .the medical-expenses' ofR. Whaitiri was .reported upon by Mr. M. J. Kyne, who stated that Mr Sutton had. offered the use. of the .Assembly Hall and crockerygiree of cost, and Mrs.. Heeney hadt undertaken to supply the' music 'free of charge. Over SOO invitatioiis had been issued and a. successful lunetion next Friday evening seemed to be assured. A strong ladies’ committee, headed by Mrs. Bowie, hail been formed and would discuss supper arrangements this week. , .The manager of the Poverty Bay junior and third grade teams, which 'played the Wairoa reps, on Saturday (Mr. A. Laugc), reported that' both teams won, tlie junior team’s performance being 5 very creditable owing to the difficulty in securing a team. He prhised the referees, -Messrs, barrjiihhr arid' Tlorningthn. for Theig ex-

Inbitiorij which- was the hest' seen in the lower'.grades.' ■ The,chairman said it was very gratifying to J see the successes of! the bwo teanli) oh' Saturday, it’-beihg very pleasant to finish the season with tlio “hat trick.” . -•,••• A vote of thanks was accorded Mr Lange for his services. , Tlie third grade selector (Mr. A. H. Airey)i wrote advising, the )f tlio liiatch- between the Wairoa and Poverty ' Bav, thirds. CHo extended ids thanks, to Mr. O’Neill for the touching lid had given to the team, iind also to the Union, for the inter-.; 3St shown in their efforts. It was decided to thank Mr, -Airey'. for his work in .connection with the grade. The positions of the.junior gradeteams --ip as follows : Celtic B 23, O.; Boys 20, High School 22, and Hovers 14, all with two matches to play, ex3o,pt High oehool who have three games.. The chairman- reported that he had discussed the proposal for Poverty • Bay to visit Wairoa to play Wairoa for the Bairy Cup; on AV’e.dncsday, and some of the players were very sore and were‘not anxious;.-to undertake • the trip, whilst others wero unable to obtain leave. - . It was, 'therefore, decided to abandon-thc-.ti'ip. The gate on Saturday, reported the chairman, w.as £77 arid .the stand receipts was £ls. The question of improving the ground was discussed, the chairman stating that Mr. Geo. Witters had asked permission to lay down an experimental plot of ' strawberry, clover turly and would supervise- laying it down, if . tlie Union provided wages, lor a lorry driver for carting the turf. The cost would be in the via uity of , £2o.—The . Union appointed Messrs. Burge and .Brosnabaii. a -deputation to the Cricket Association with, a .view to obtaining a vote .from the Association,, it being stated that the Union would vote £2O if the Association '-would do likewise. Mr. P'riniroso, on behalf of. 'the Schools Sports Association, extended thanks to. the Union toy tlio us© ot the ground’.that day.

BUiiLEU/ gUXGNAXT. PLEA FOIt INCLUSION OP AJ.cN EIGHT. ' WESTPORT, Sept. 2G. To say that the non-inclusign ot MeN eight in the South Island Rugby trials is "disappointing to Bullentes is expressing mildly .what they feel. :M"cXoight, in a recent trial at West-port, was frankly admitted by both opponents and supporters, to he the outstanding forward on the ground, as he lias also begn in this reason's lepresentativo matches. ;, toang, rigorous end heady! he lias all the essentials for a great All Black player, and it is hoped that even yet the selectors; will realise the injustice done to him and to the B idler Union, which has not a. single representative in the teams, and give TlcNcight a, place in future trials. —P.A.