‘UNJUST EXAMPLE OF PAROCHIALISM’

Horowhenua Chronicle, 24 July 1928, Page 6

‘UNJUST EXAMPLE OF PAROCHIALISM’

CHATHAM CUP VENUE CHANGED. HASTINGS VOICES PROTEST. HASTINGS, Last Night. The draw for the Chatham Cup competition showed that the winners of the Manawatu-Hawkc’s Bay match, played last Saturday week, between St. Andrew’s and Hastings United, were to meet Wellington, the former to play at home. Hastings won their game and Petone wore the winners'in the Wellington province so that the latter was duo to meet Hastings in Hastings next. Saturday.

The New Zealand Association inform ed the Hawke’s Bay Bootball Association last week that the match was doiinitely arranged for Hastings, but on Friday they wired that the Hastings team must travel to Wellington to play or forfeit the match. The matter was discussed at a meeting of the Hawke’s Bay Association on Saturday evening, when it was decided to wire the following protest to the Now Zealand Association: —

That this meeting of delegates of the Hawke Is Bay Football Association en-

ters an emphatic protest against the action of the New Zealand Football Council in demanding that, unless the Hastings United team travel to Wellington to meet Petone on the 28th

inst. in the Chatham Cup tie, in spite

of having drawn the match to be played in Hastings, they will forfeit the game, and further that it is,considered that this example of parochialism has deprived the Hawke’s Bay Association'’’?!: a splendid chance of furthering'tlih game in the province. We respectfully ask for an explanation as- to why the draw has been

altered, in ,our opinion, most wrongfully, to suit Wellington. It was also decided to write to all the associations enclosing a copy of the protest and asking,for support.

COUNCIL .EXHORTS HASTINGS TO PLAY GAME AT WELLINGTON.

WELLINGTON, Last Night. A special meeting, of the New Zea land Football Association Council took place this afternoon to deal with objections from Y.M.O.A. (Auckland), who wished their. mooting,-with North Auckland at Whangarei next .'Saturday to bo transferred,(tef Auckland on account of the expense of travelling and for the reason that a better gate would be the result. They would not guarantee the expenses of the North Auckland team. The other objection was trom Hawke’s Bay (Hastings United) who had been ordered tp play their match with Petone at Wellington next Haturdav the Wellington Association having guaranteed £25 toward the expenses of the Hastings’ team.. Originally the council had decided that the match between the winners of the Hawke’s Bay and Manawatu game and Petone should, be played at Mauawatu, but correspondence had stated, that it would be played at Hawke s Bay in the event of Hawke’s Bay winning against the Manawatu team, as was the case. . ‘’“The Wellington Association, m order to avoid too much travelling for Petone, the Wellington finalists., ottered to guarantee Hastings United £2o to play in Wellington next Saturday. Hastings meanwhile wrote that they weip prepared to subscribe £IU toward Petone’s expenses to go to Hastings, they would leave Hastings on Friday evening. , The New Zealand Council took a passage in the letter describing their travelling arrangements should they conic to Wellington as meaning that Hawke 3 Bav were willing to come to Wellington and decided that the match should be played here. This was followed up by the* protest from Hawke s Bay It was decided to telegraph the Hastings’ Club giving reasons for the decision. , , ~ „ The council strongly urged the Hawke’s Bay Association to get the Hastings’ team to Wellington for next Saturday. , T Regarding the Auckland v. North Auckland game, it was decided re tcloeravdi Auckland that the original decision to plav at Whangarei must sfund unjoss the two clubs come to a mutual decision. ’ '