RUGBY FOOTBALL

Grey River Argus, 25 September 1931, Page 2

RUGBY FOOTBALL

MAORI BOARD UNDER FIRE (Per Press Association). WELLINGTON, September 24. The control of Rugby among Maori players came in for adverse criticism at a, meeting of the management committee of the New Zealand Rugby Union. Mr King! Tahiwi, representative of the Maori Rugby Board on the Committee, admitted that the Board was too unwieldy and required a thorough overhauling). The. Committee decided to inform the Maori Advisory Rugby Board that a, sub-cojmmittee of the New Zealand Union was prepared to confer at any time arranged. The Hawke’s Bay and Southland Unions complained that in arranging the Maori matches, the Maori Advisory Board direct with Maiori players under the control of fhjose Unions, and the Unions asked that instructions bo given for the discontinuance of the practice. The Chairman (Mr Dean): “One thing is clear. The best Maori team was n ot picked to meet the Australians. ’ ’

Mr A. Cl Kitto agreed with that view. “We sent a Maori team on tour through tjie South Island,” he said, “with the object of enabling it to acquire combination for tiho match against- Australia, but it came as a great surprise to find that only eight of th# players were 'chjosen in the team which played Australia.” Mr Dean said the selection of Bell of Southland, in the Maori team was absurd, especially as he did n ot take part in a. game at Invereargill this seam Mr Tahiw’i said that Bell had been selected on the form shown in the Prince of Waites Cup marches. Exception was also taken to the fact that the Maori Advisory Rugby Board had not, adhered to the agreement that no player beyond half castes bo regarded as Maori. On the motion of Mr Dean, it was decided to inform the Maori Advisory Board, that ini future all cojmmunlcations. concerning the selection of playerisi required for Maori matches must go through the Unions tio wh/ieh the players' belong. RUGBY UNION MEETING. (To the Editor.) Sir, —It is with amazement, mixed with disgust, that I read of the decision of the Rugby Union with reference to the Knock-Out Competition The competition is now’ dosed, wi'h Rivals being declared the winners. Rivals and Cobden have each played a drawn game with other teams, but have not met in this competition. Rivals have played one more game than Cobden due to ’.he following circumstances: While Cobden and Excelsiors were contesting the final ,pf the main competition and incidentally earning a £23 odd gate for the Union, the other teams were playing ( the first game of the Knock-out, and, because of no fault of their own, they are being deprived of the'satisfaction of playing off for the Cuj>. The whole affair is disgraceful and caps any previous blunder the Union has ever made. Then, again, when Cobden’s delegate voiced his protest against this injustice the remarks of other Union members were so insulting and childish tha,t it seems hard to believe that they came from intelligent members of a sports body. For instance. one member is reported to have said, “Cobden has one cup, isn’t that enough?” This statement reminds me of a kindergarten at mpruing, tea time, with the teacher giving out biscuits to the children and saying: “Now sonny, don’t be greedy, you have one biscuit, isn’t that enough?” What is due to a club is evidently not ( taken into con-

sideration. The remarks of the Chairman were even worse. For him to say that if the decision of the Unio n made any difference to Cobden next year, then hey would be better playing another code is a direct insult to the members of the Cobden Club. The Cobden Club has assisted the Union materially in the past two seasons, and it is quite apparent t that the assistance, is not appreciated, and it is evident that the words fair play are mere words.—l am etc., “DISGUSTED,” Cobden, September 24th.

The following will represent Cobden juniors at Kumara on Saturday. “A” team —Pitcairn, Corbin, Scott, Minchin, Gordon, Hewlett, Johnston. “B” team —Quinn, F. Lindbom, Eggleton, L. East, H. Lindbom, Brailsford, W. Jackson. Any player unable to travel please notify the Secretary or Mr Baillie immediately.