PANIC AND BUNGLING.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 11 July 1938, Page 5

PANIC AND BUNGLING.

ASSEMBLY OF ALL BUCKS. ACCOMMODATING THE TEAM. (By Telegraph—Press Association}. AUCKLAND, July 9th. “It is just another instance pf panic and bungling at headquarters —panic regarding Dick and bungling in connection with, the accommodation for the All Blacks,” said a well-known Auckland Rugby authority when discussing the assembling and departure of the Xew Zealand team for Australia.

The speaker said that the management committee of the Xew Zealand Rugby Union knew months ago that the team was going to Australia on a certain date, but it would be assembling in Wellington the day prior to departure and that it would be necessary to arrange for accommodation for the night before tile team embarked. Consequently no excuse- could be found i'u" such provision not having been made some time ago. The players all had friends and relations to bid them farewell and any small eoremonies could scarcely be held in the streets. “It is a well-known fact that in Wellington there are two Rugby houses for South Island teams ami another for those from the north, but apparently on this occasion Rugby has had to play second fiddle to racing and you can scarcely blame the publicans. There are four race meetings a year, in January, March, July and October, in Wellington, without taking into consideration trotting meetings at Hntt Park, and every hotel has its regular patrons to cater for on these ocasions. This patronage would be immediately lost if paying guests were asked midway through a week’s racing to vacate their rooms for a single night. However, that does not excuse the Rugby authorities for leaving members of the All Black team out in the cold.

“Regarding Johnny .Dick. I think ho has been scandalously I routed. It would have been a different matter if he had met with a serious accident and broken some limb or other, but at the verv worst he is suffering from a slight ailment for which one medical man is prepared to give him a clear certificate practically right away. The Xew Zeakind union, with its usual lack of vision, however, immediately became panicky, got in touch with the sole selector and apparently told him that Dick would have to be replaced immediately with somebody on the spot, hence the inclusion of Wright, of Wellington. Surely the All Blacks had sufficient backs to carry them over a match, or so until the arrival of Dick by a later boat.

“I can find no excuse for these latest actions by the parent body and all I can say is that it is a good job for those in control that the annual meeting of the delegates to the Xew Zealand union is over and is not eventuating in the immediate future.”

The chairman of the Noav Zealand Rugby Union executive, Mr. 8. 8. Dean, declined to mahc any comment when the above message was referred to him in Wellington. “I wish these people would sign their names to their complaints,” ho said. “I will certainly not make any comment upon such rubbish.”