HOROWHENUA RUGBY UNION.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 7 February 1936, Page 3

HOROWHENUA RUGBY UNION.

SPECIAL MEETING,

A meeting of the Horowhenua Rugby Union was held at the Oxford Tearooms, Levin, on Wednesday evening, Father Riordan, President, presiding. There were also present Messrs J. W. Bishop, A. Gillespie, E. Mulcahy, H. Jones, S. Hooper, J. B. Bateman, A. Richards, P. McLeavey, W. Seymour, C. R. J. Inder, jNT. Winiata, J. Casey (secretary), J. W. Proctor and W. C. Hannan (life members), H. Bolton and S. Elliott (junior selectors), 11. Jacob (senior selector). The report to be presented at the annual meeting was read as follows: The Management Committee (has pleasure in presenting the annual report for the 1935 season for consideration. Competition games confmenccd on the 13th April, and the season closed with L.V. Cup final on the 12th October—a period of six months. Some valuable Saturdays were lost in the middle of the season on account of postponements for race meetings in the district. With regard to the length of the season there is a problem which seems to defy solution in a dairying district such as ours. There is a demand for early commencement of games and also for participation in representative games with larger Unions. The major Unions stage their representative at the end of the season —about September—and in consequence your Union has to endeavour to draw out its season which commences early to September-October when many of its players are entering into a busy occupational period. It seems that the two aims are irreconcilable. It is certainly a position that requires careful and mature consideration. The Senior

competition was played in one division

and proved more satisfactory than the experiment of 1934, when the teams were divided into two sections. Your committee lias given considerable time to matters contained in the following recommendations which have an important bearing on successful management of Rugby Football in Horowhenua:— (1) That X.Z.R.F.U. be approached and asked to assist iI.R.U. to purchase a playing area; (2) That a suitable playing ground be sought at Shannon; (3) That members of Management Committee should be available to assist at gates; (4) That animal games be arranged with Dannevirke. Bush and Rangitikci; (o) That advertising be conducted in one provincial paper instead of in four local ones. Use of "posters" in advertising; (G) Xew Chilis must provide a junior team when entering a senior team; (7) That no insurance premiums be accepted after the first round.

More representative games ■ were -played this year than in the previous season. Most of them were away from home with consequent heavy expenditure. The coming season should see two major Unions playing return games in Horowhenua. As mentioned elsewhere it will be necessary to keep players in form till late in the season if the Union is going to derive full

benefits from these visits. In the .Insurance Fund compensation paid amounted to £.lO, an increase of ,114 over the previous season. With regard to the payment of the premium by player,-; it must be clearly understood that in terms of the notice sent out annually to clubs: Before a player is insured his premium must be in the Lands of the secretary of the Union. The sole modification of this by your Management Committee may lie on the first playing Saturday of the season

when if; may depute members of the Union to collect premiums offering before the commencement of the first game. Clubs are asked to note particularly Rule 3 of Accident Fund Rules, where it states that the premiums are payable to the secretary of the fund. Competition winners. Senior: Championship, Ilui Mai F.C.; Nash Cup, Hui Mai F.C.; MeLennan Cup, Ilui Mai F.C.; Dewar's Imperial Trophy, Maoris. Junior: Championship, Rahui F.C.; Runners-up, Foxton Fire Brigade FC; L.V. Cup, Rahui F.C. Representative Football. —The Senior Representatives engaged in mutches as follows: —v. Manawatu, lost 14 —l9; v. Bush (Bebbington Shield), lost 0—12; v. Manawatu. lost 11—24; v. Wellington, lost 14 —36 The Junior Representatives played the following games:—.v. Manawatu, won I(3 5; v. Wellington 111., won 20 —9. School and Third-Grade Football: — As shown in the balance-sheet, £27 10s was expended on school football, consisting of a football to each primary school and a monetary grant. A ThirdGrade competition was inaugurated, but the question of transport prevented its continuance. Referees. —Very loyal and efficient service was given by the members of the Referees' Association. The cost of this department was considerably less than the previous season—£l4, as against £37 for 1934 —a reduction of £23. In the coining season the Association will have the benefit of lectures by well-known authorities on the game. Mr. D. McKcvzie will come to Levin early i n the year and will be followed by Mr. King. We trust that players will take advantage of these visits. Classifications:—Southern: F. Jenkins, J. Jenkins, Russell (Waimeha), Street, Higgott (Rahui), 11. Hudson (Athletic); Northern: None to hand at time of going to pressThanks.—Your committee tenders its sincere thanks to club secretaries who lave a heavy burden in this widely scattered district. We are deeply indebted to Mr. Harpur, of Shannon, for his excellent work in first-aid on the rfield during the season. We are conscious, too, of the generous assistance

/given by the [Press in the interests of the game. We are indebted to Mr. 'Walter Hull, Hon. Auditor, for his services willingly and generously offered. To all enthusiasts who have helped throughout the season we express our /thanks and especially to the donors of (grounds: Mrs. Christina I'rouse /(Levin). Mr. Robinson (Manakau), and i Mr. Uogden (Otaki). A letter was read from the Levin Borough Council stating thai the matter of the domain as a playing area had been re; erred to the Reserves Committee for consideration. — ft was decided to ascertain the correct position, it being' considered that it was time that a: deiinile reply was forthcoming. The X.Z.R.I', wrote stating that it had been carefully considering a M'heme for fostering football in country unions and sub-unions, and stated j il was anxious for further information.! The scheme, it was pointed out, was designed to take the place of the present system of subsidising tours which had not hitherto been on a systematic basis. The proposal was that the N.Z. R.r. should allocate a certain sum .which sum would be allotted among the five groups of Unions in proportion to I their respective needs. The touring unions would receive a subsidy for the tours set out, but if a union wished to extend its tour for any year it would Ibe at liberty to do so, though it must bo understood that a further subsidy could not be given to cover the extension. The union pointed out that -the scheme was not intended to supplant or [interfere with interprovincial fixtures and tours. The Horowhenua Union, it was stated, had ben placed in No. •'! group and the suggested scheme of matches was :—lii.'ib" : Bush to tour llawke's Bay, Horowhenua, and Wairarapa; Wanganui to tour South llawke's Bay, Horowhenua, and Wairarapa. VX\7 : llawke's Bay to tour Bush and Wanganui; Horowhenua to tour Bush and V.'angunui. H'.'lS : Horowhenua to tour Wanganui. llawke's Bay, and Wairarapa. \U'M) : Wanganui to tour Hush and Wanganui; llawke's Bay and Wairarapa to tour Bush and Horowhenua. The Union desired to know if the Horowhenua Union approved of the scheme tentatively, the cost of assembling a team, the cost of each trip, what guarantees of gate-takings the Union would give, and what subsidy the Union would expect to enable it to undertake the tour. The X.Z.R.U. would not be. able to pay the whole of any losses, and unions would be expected to help.

It was agreed that all possible informal ion should be given, -Mr. Bishop agreeing that such would help to foster the game. It was considered that the cost of assembling a team would be in the vicinity of £o, and as for subsidy this could be on a ">() per cent, basis. it was proposed that Mr. McKonzie, followed by Mr. King, be asked to attend and give a lecture on the rules of football.

It was agreed that a meeting of referees, to select a delegate; to the Union, be held at l.'.W sharp on March .",Ist. prior to the annual.meeting, when all referees and intending referees would bo invited to attend. A vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the meeting.