A FOOTBALL INCIDENT.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 14 July 1925, Page 3

A FOOTBALL INCIDENT.

STRATF.O'RD-KAPO’NGA MATCH. KAPONGA PLAYER PUNISHED. A special meeting of enquiry into an incident in the recent fetrattoidKiaponga match was held oy the man- ■ agement committee of the Taranaki Rugby Union last night m Stratford. the result of the inquiry O. Paterson was ordered to stand down for three playing Saturdays.* There were present: Messrs. J. McLeod (chair), A. F. Neitson, J.. Goodwin. E. H. Young, B. Fearon, L, JFurrie, W. A. Guy, R. R. Tyrer, j* • M. Whyte, J. Garcia, and S. E. Neilisun (secretary). R R. Tyrer, on behalf of the Stratford Club.' reported P. Paterson for allegedly deliberatdly kicking another player. B. Collins, in the face. He said his’ reason was that it hail happened without the knowledge ol the referee and was a thing t-liat 'should not happen on a football held. He believed n practice was growing up ol players of doing behind the referee’s back things which, if the referees knew, could he reported. This would be a deterrent, lie believed. He .said Collins speculated at a rolling ball and followed up fast. Paterson took the ball and as Collins came up he dived for Paterson to stop his kick.. Collins slipped on the greasy ground and turned as lie slipped. Paterson got his kick lavva-y and then deliberately kicked Collins in the lace. In. reply to question, he said that there were no players in his line of vision, and that Co 111 ins did not have hold of Paterson when lie was kcked. He was about five yard si infielcl. In reply to' Paterson, he said lie was not sure if Collins, caught hold of Paterson, but lhe was clear when the incident took place. In reply to O. Paterson, he said Collins was not holding .Paterson when the latter kicked the hall. Several witnesses were called bv Mr. Tyrer. Collins' said be kicked the ball and followed oil, attempting to collar Platerson m the latter kicked, but he missed. Paterson got bis kick in and, then turned round and kicked him on the chin.

Answering questions, he said bo did not tliink he had hold of Paterson’s leg. There was no chance of liis being kicked while Paterson was kicking the hall, and he did not see rlie kick coming. When Paterson kicked the ball lie (Cbllinis) was behind Paterson, and he saw the kick from the ground. There had been no unpleasantness! between them during the game and he did not strike any other player that day. ,

J. H. Thompson said lie was on 'the inside line, dose by the players, and saw the incident. He corroborated the previous witness’ statement and added that Paterson seemed to lose his head and hashed out at Collins as tie lay on the ground. He kicked Collins and then walked away looking over his shoulder. The crowd seemed to make a demonstration. 'Fhe referee. Gocdaorc, came over and lie told him a player wad knocked out. Answering questions, lie said lie could see no provocation. There were no spectators between, him and the players, and lie was quite sure’there was a kick. 'Collins, attempted to tackle Paterson while the latter had the ball, and not 'after it was kicked. G. J. Peplow also gave evidence, saying he was on the other side of the field and corroborated the previous witnesses in theiir story of the kicking incident. He considered it would have been a fair tackle if Collins had got Paterson, but lie, did not catch him.

In reply to members, he said there were one or two things that appeared to he “dirty,” hut not exceptionally so. He said: he saw no incident that might have had a hearing in the attitude of Paterson to Collins. In reply to Mr. Goodwin, he said he had been asked if he saw the incident, and if he would be willing to state what he had iseen. Mr. L. Goodaere, the referee, said he saw Collins kick, follow up and half tackle Paterson. He then slipped past him' about two yards and then Paterson kicked, and lie followed the flight of the hall and saw nothing of the alleged kicking.

To Mr. Furrie : it would 1 have been a fair tackle and not for fhe Lake of stopping Paterson .after he had kicked. The football, was good and hard but not- “dirty.” He did not see how Collins could get the injury while the tackling wa>s taking place. The hooting of 111© crowd was the worst he had ever heard, but there was, no deliberate hooting before this. “However you expect it sometimes,’’ he added in conclusion.

C. Paterson deposed that lie -took the ball and kicked. Collins caught him .and he said “let go” and swung round to free himself, and must have struck the opponent' in the face with hi>s heel. lie had not run up against Collins previously., He had taken a stride when, Collins grabbed him, hut he had got rid of the hall. He said he could not account for the crowd taking to hi,m. but it was not the first time' there hod been a demonstration on the Stratford ground.

Air. Furrie: Sometimes a eiowd take to a player without cause. They did not know actually that the crowd hooted Paterson.

11. Whalen, who played second fivoeiglhthis, said he believed: it war- an •accident when Collins got hurt, and that Paterson's heel caught. Collins in the lace. He saw Collins 1 run up to tackle Paterson. 'but lie Jell and the latter gob his kick away. Paterson at first did not turn round, hut when lie saw the man was out he came bark. He found the game clean and well controlled. VY. lT.islop. said lie had, a clear view of the incident. He waw Paterson take the hall and kick, and -then Collins tackled him and both went down. He saw man was laid out. but could not tell who. it was. There had been no ill feeling previously and the public had treated Kaponga fairly. A. Guy, another of the Kaponga players, said he did not see the man get hurt. He believed Paterson kicked before the tackle was made. He did not isco much wrong with the public before the incident, hut it was disgraceful how the public carried on afterwards.

This concluded the evidence. . FINDING OF COMMITTEE. ATr. ATcJ-rerul s.ai<] t.! 1 ern w.is conflicting evidence, and it was difficult to get- continuity. Mr. W. A. Guy said lie saw the incident, and saw Paterson get his kick in before Collins tackled.

Mr. Fuirrie agreed, and added that Tyrer'ij witnesses said Collins was kicked alter lie dived at Paterson, wliile o the ns staid ho was kicked simultaneously with the.kicking of the ball. There were, lie added, no circumstances loading up to the incident. Mr. McLeod said the weight of evidence was, against- Paterson, hut- lie did nob believe ho would kick “in cold blood.” He was afraid Paterson had to pay the penalty because the evidence was so much against him. Mr. Tyrer said he would suggest that Paterson be .stood down for one week only. The reason, he added, he had taken action was to clean up the game and to prevent players doing such things behind the referee’s -back, and to make the players responsible. Mr. Whyte said the manner of coming before the union had no hearing on the offence. Mr. Neil,son said if they passed over the matter lightly it would be a precedent. A, motion was first carried that on the weight of evidence the union funk that. Collins was kicked by Paterson. Mr. Fnrrie said that the matter concerned the welfare of clubs generally. and 1 lie was sorry' it- had happened between these two clubs, hut they coniccome to no other conclusion. Mr. Whyte said the charge was deliberately kicking a- player in the face. Mr. McLeod then moved that Paterson be .stood down for a month. f This was lost, and after two amendments had been similarly defeated, it -was -resolved 1 that Paterson be stood down for three playing Saturdays.