SHIELD ROW

Grey River Argus, 11 September 1935, Page 5

SHIELD ROW

N Z.R.U. REMARKS Canterbury R.U. Resentful (Per Press Association). CHRISTCHURCH. September 10. ' Objection t|o remarks at last meeting of the New Zealand Rugby Union made by Mr W. J. Wallace (a member) and Mr A. E. Neilson (secretary) in critticising Canterbury’s actions during the times when it has held the Ranfnrly Shield, was taken by members of Canterbury Rugby Union at a meeting to-night. It was reported last week that Mr Neilson had claimed that Cante-Imrv had turned Wellington down’, -nd that M<r Wallace had said that Canterbury “seems a bit scared of Wellington, whom it side tracked two years ago.” It was to these remarks that exception was taken. Mr J. T. Burrows, former selectoi of Canterbury rep to''mdurinh - a‘ong series of Ranfurly Shield matches, said that he thought the eha’rinan should make a statement to the newspapers, explaining th-o Ranfurly Shield arrangements, because some members of the New Zea’-a-nd Union had made some astonishing state meats. Mr H. F. Davis s-’fl Mr NePson should be asked for "ti explanation. Mr Neilson was merelv the raid seeretarv of the Now Un on and IPs job w -1 s to attend to his sreretarial duties. He should ntfpnd that job. and not criticise th" ns of nffpiatod un'ons. (TTo'i’-’ U «r! Mt Neilson should be nto withdraw his statements, which were mwalled for. and most unjust to the Canterbury Union. Mr R. Britton: “Thorn so«m«i to be a lot of *pot hunt’nor’ in the attitude of some North Ts’md union* s . T* is like chasinf a bl n ek of wood. Canterburv hoc nrivcd the game, and has not hunted th«. shield. ” Mr D. T M-cDonnld: “It is not as though Wollinodon had beaten every team in New Zealand bv 30 points or so. Acfuallv. it*= record against South Island tram* s is nothing startling. It beat a crocked Canterbury team, it was lucky ~o pnual Southland, and then i* inst boat Otago by onp point.” The di e cii CsC ion ended when it was decided that the chairman should make a statement to the newspapers after the muring. e The chai D r S. Seed, explained ■*|o a rpn~e- s "ntative of “The Press’’ t l ’”* Canterbury last held the Rn-fi’ ’ Wellington had refused a nf four Saturday dates. Wollin"* v that time, could have re-arran "'■•••’ dates so as to play Hawke’s B»y on the day the North Island v. South Island match was played, and that would hav e left Wellington wi+h a free date to play Canterbury. H*'wke ’•'\B r, v could have taken up a corresponding date by playing Poverty Bay . TARANAKI CHATLENGE. ACCEPTED, CHRISTCHURCH. September 10. Canterbury Rugbv Union Management Committee decided to-night to accept Taranaki’s challenge for the Ranfurlv Shield on September 28, f he one vacant date in the union’s representative programme. The union had received challenges from Wellington, Hawke’s Bay. Taranaki and Ashburton, and at that sta<re here was only September 28 to be Plotted provided Canterbury held the shield. The New Zealand Union a ked for an opinion concerning what action should be taken, but it referred the question back to the Canterbury Union, which made its decision to-night.