FOOTBALL.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXII, Issue LXII, 17 May 1912, Page 8

FOOTBALL.

RUGBY UNION ANNUAL MEETING

61 TELEftRAPH -PRB39 ASSOCIATION. WELLINGTON, May 16. The annual meeting of the New Zealand Rugby Union was held to-day, Mr George Dixon (president of the union) presiding. The following delegates were present: Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Buller, Bush Districts, Canterbury, Hawke's Bay, Horowhenua, Manawatu, Marlborough, Nelson, Otago, Poverty Bay, South Auckland, South Canterbury, Southland, Taranaki (Messrs M. J. Crombie and D. J. Malone), Wairarapa, Wanganui, Wellington, West Coast. The chairman, in moving the adoption of the report and balance sheet, said that it was a concise statement of the occurrences of a not very eventful season. Looking at the game from a general point of view, the outlook for Rugby Union football was extremely satisfactory. Since the visit of the New Zealand team to England, the game had gone ahead, and was increasing in popularity. He was strongly of opinion that tours of country teams would fulfil the purpose with which they were undertaken. Some- of the players he saw were up to New Zealand form. He did not think the Lime had arrived when it was in the best interests of the country to send a team to the Old Country. The report and balance-sheet were adopted.

The following officers were elected: Patron, His Excellency the Governor; president, Mr G. H. Dixon. Mr F. T. Bellringer (Taranaki) was elected one of the vice-presidents. Management committee: Messrs R. M. Isaacs, M. J. Crombie, N. Galbraith, J. H. A. Laughton, A. Laurenson, F. G. Wallburton, and Dr P. F. McEvedy; hon. treasurer. Mr Edgar Wjlie (Wellington). Appeal council (to be located in Auckland): Messrs J. A. R. Neil. G. H. Dixon, and H. Frost; auditor, Mr O. G. Kemberrepresentative on the English Union, Mi- C. Wray Palliser. It was decided to increase the school mv Srant from £100 to £150. The Management Committee was instructed to write to the English Rugby Union and ask if permission will be given for the reinstatement of any or all players who have, up to the present signed any form of affiliation with the Northern League or played the League game; this to be on condition that players stand down for a year from the date of disqualification. The following remits from Wanganui, suggesting alterations in the laws of thp game were carried:—That the value of a penalty goal be reduced to two points; that after any score by either side, play be re-commenced by a kickoff (pfece kick) from half way. The following Waiis;amii remits were defeated: —That each wine; forward play on the right hand side of his scrum; That all free kicks and kicks at goal be "free," and shall not be charged by the opposing side; That in all free kicks, marks, or kicks at goal, the kicker, or any other player may handle the ball, whether on the ground or otherwise; That the penalties for a knock-on in the field of play be restricted to an intentional knock-»n, and to any knock-on of more than two yards; That if any player outside his own twenty-five make a full kick into touch, a free kick be awarded against him at a point ten yards at right angles to the touch line where the ball went out; That there be some denned maximum duration for spells in a game. It was resolved to recommend to the Management Committee that the rules be printed in Maori.

The Management Committee was authorised to advance a further sum of £1400 to the Southland Rugby Union, provided satisfactory security 'is given, the loan to be at 4 per cent, on call. It was decided to adopt the same course as last year in the matter of sending the North and South Island country teams on tour.

It was resolved that the North and South match be played on July 13. The location of the game was left to the Management Committee, with a recommendation that, if possible, it be played in Wanganui or Hawke's Bay. It was decided to ask the ruling of the English Union as to whether any Union has power to make a by-law authorising persons other than referees to report rough play, etc. It was adopted as a recommendation to the Management Committee that an effort be made to send a New Zealand team to America in the near future.

A recommendation to unions was made to the effect that the rule allowing the game to be played in four speljs of twenty minutes each should be put into force only when, in the opinion of the referee, the weather conditions warrant it.

It was decided, by 57 votes to 15, that the union should continue to be an affiliated body of the English body. The division was: —For Separation: Hawke's Bay. Otago, and Southland. Against: Auckland,, Buller, Bush Dis-. tncts, Bay of Plenty, Canterbury, Horowhenua, Manawatu, Marlborough, Nelson, Poverty Bay. South Auckland, South Canterbury, Taranaki, WairaTqpa, Wanganui, Wellington and West Coast.

Other motions standing in the name of _ Hawks's Bay dealing with professionalism were withdrawn.