CORRESPONDENCE.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 14 July 1936, Page 8

CORRESPONDENCE.

TRANSFER OF RUGBY PLAYER. (To the Editor). Sir—lt was gratifying- to read '‘Old-Timer's” letter in your issue of Friday, 10th inst. We all know that those who serve on executive bodies of sporting organisations receive more kicks than bouquets, but nevertheless genuine well-meant criticism is never amiss.

With regard to the application for the transfer of the Hui Mai junior player to the Athletic Club it seems that the Management Committee has taken an unnecessarily conservative stand in the matter. As “Old-Timer” stated, the Hui Mai junior team has disbanded. I understand that every effort was made to avoid taking this step, but in the face of a shortage of players, difficulty in securing transport for the team to fulfil fixtures away from Manakau and moreover, the fact that players were being drawn upon for the club’s senior team, it was reluctantly decided that the team could not carry on. The player in question was keen and did not wish to spend the rest of the season as a spectator and an effort was made to have him transferred in a constitutional manner so that ho would not be penalised by his team’s inability to carry on. The application was declined as being “contrary to the rules of the Union in regard to transfers.” There certainly is a by-law which definitely precludes the transfer. But there is also a rule which provides that the Management Committee may amend such by-laws as it thinks expedient for the furtherance of the objects of the Union; and it is one of the objects of the Union to “foster, control and advance the, game of Rugby football throughout the district of Horowhenua.” To prevent a keen player from obtaining a game for half a season does not seem to tend to “foster or advance” the game when the player himself has committed no offence. I understand that the rule against the transfer of players after the end of the first round of the competition (which is the regulation applied in this case) is intended to prevent a .team from strengthening itself at the expense of other clubs, with a view to winning the competition. But the Athletic junior team (and this was pointed out to the Management Committee) could not possibly win the competition. Furthermore, the addition of one player to the lowest team on the ladder is hardly likely to upset any of the leading teams. In any ease it is an unlikely chance which I am sure they would, or at any rate should, be prepared to take.

We feel that the Committee has not interpreted its powers and obligations as freely as it might have done, but there is still time for the matter to be considered. —Yours, etc., O. RASKIN, Secretary Athletic Football Club.