MANAWATU RUSBY UNION.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9182, 5 April 1910, Page 6

MANAWATU RUSBY UNION.

ANNUAL MEETING,

The an mini meeting of the Manawatu Rugby Union was held last night, when there* was a good -attendance of delegates, Mr F. Pirani presiding. ANNUAL REPORT. The annual report was read bv the secretary (Mr T. Stubbs). . After" congratulating delegare? on to satisfactory results achieved during the past season, the report stated that The excellent weather and the good tooAa l generally displayed, especially m cluD fixtures," caused the interest; of players as well as Ihe public to bo well maintained throughout. So long as the ga,'™ played in the spirit that prevailed las,, year there would be no lack of support from the public. The number of rep. matches played was rathei , j average, but the football displayed was good, and the games most, interesting A clean sportsmanlike spirit was manifested. Of the six played four were won and two lost. The team onlv_ travelled once. Other Unions were cutting down travellino; and though visits were due _to this Union by Wellington, Wanganui. and Hawke's Bay. none of these visits wore paid. A satisfactory arrangement was made with the A. and P. Association during the year, whereby the use ot the Showgrounds were had on more congenial terms. The Borough Council also having laid down fresh grounds in the Sports Ground, these were secured at a small rental, so that the Union was well off in the matter of grounds. A gymnasium was fitted up at considerable expense and the Committee trust that some more satisfactory arrangement would bo made for the coming season, for it was a heavy drain on the Lmon last year. The Cup matches were productive of a high standard _ of football, and public interest was stimulated m them by the surprises of the contests, which were in doubt till the end ot the season. Feilding, after a most exciting final, again won the Senior Championship ; Kia Toa the junior, and Fciklmg the third and fourth-class. The Abraham Cup was won by Old Boys. The usual seven-aside tournament, was held on Juno 3. and both senior knd junior contests went to Palmcrston. Theschool competition was once more won bv Campbell street. The finances of the Association were very satisfactory; both general . and insurance funds have a splendid -—credit. As in former years, the_ Referees Association lent, invaluable assistance in controlling matches, and the thanks of all interested were duo to that body. The case of a referee who was disqualified for accusing another referee of accepting a bribe was referred to. Another sub-Union (Oroua) joined durm 0 the vear. There was considerable dispute'with Foxton in reference to boundaries and after much discussion the matter was adjusted. Reference was also made to Sergeant Stagpoole's services to football. balance SHEET . The hon. treasurer, Mr 11. Mullcr, read the balance-sheet, which showed a cash credit balance of £79 5s lid, the season having begun with a credit balance of £3 Os Id. The chief items of receipts were: — Gates £269 5s 3d. made up of Shield matches £67 9s 9d (Palmcrston £53 os 6d, Feilding £14 Is 3d), Abraham Cup £42 12s, representative matches £.14<i 18s, severi-aside tournament £16 5s 6d; season tickets, £112 Is; affiliation fees, £21 16s 6d; N.Z. Union school grant, £8- N.Z. Union British match percentage. £29 12s 6d; donation, Mr A. D. Thomson, £1 Is; gymnasium fees, £2 12s 6d. The chief items of expenditure were: —Rent Showgrounds. £51 16s 9d; refund Accident Insurance loan, £30; advertising £26 18s; gymnasium expenses, £23 18s' lid; entertaining expenses, £16 Is lOd; secretary's salary, £15; ilorowhenua tour. £5 6s 6d; grant Referees' Association, £5; school grant. £10 ls9d. Assets, including credit balance and materials, were set,down at £93 5s lid. The balance-sheets were certified by Messrs Fred Fairbrother and S. J. Watson, as auditors. t . The balance-sheet of the players insurance fund showed that the year began with a balance of £12 12s lid. There were 172 players, subscriptions totalling £17 4s. subscriptions from clubs £1818s, and after a loan of £30 had been refunded to the Rugby Union, £58 19s lid was still in hand. 'The President, in moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, said the last year had started under somewhat unhappy circumstances. The cloud of the Hewitt case was hanging over the Committee, and if in that matter they had erred they had erred in the right direction. They had shown that the Committee at, least were no respectors of persons, and had thereby gained the confidence of players. During the year there had been little to complain of in tho conduct of the game, and there was little for carping critics to get hold of. It was very satisfactory to notice the splendid credits on both accounts, and this was partly bccause there had been less travelling. This matter of too much travelling had been discussed by other Unions, and there had been a decided, slackening-off in travelling of rep. teams, which-was a great drain on the pockets of players also. Mr Pirani put in a good word for inter,-club games, and thought that these should be encouraged by subsidies from the Union, as Clubs which undertook them showed a plucky spirit. The speaker referred to the great loss sustained by Sergeant. Stagpoole's departure. That gentleman would be a great loss to the Management Committee. He was a splendid worker, and even when opposed to anyone was always a good opponent. Speaking of the alterations in the rules proposed by the conference of Rugby Unions, Mr Pirani considered they were in the direction of making the game more entertaining from a spectator's standpoint, and for the general benefit of the game. Mr Hoben, in seconding the motion, referred to the great work done by the President during the year. lie had ridden through from Feilding to attend meetings on nights when, many others would not venture out at all. A great defll of the success of the season was due to Mr Pirani's enthusiasm. There was no further discussion, and the report and balance-sheet wore then adopted unanimously. THE ABRAHAM CUP. Mr Armstrong brought up the matter of frivolous entries in the Abraham Cup. A number of teams, lie said, had entered for tho mere sake of entering and had then backed out. lie thought if teams on entering were compelled to deposit £1 they would be more careful. The money could bo refunded after the contest. He moved in that direction. Mr Pawson seconded, and the motion was vcarricd. THE FOXTON SUB-UNION. A letter was received from the Rongotea, Club, asking if it would be allowed v.. to play in tho Manawatu Union. If that conceded the Club considered it wwuld have the services of the Carrol Is. JfVnot., then the Club would not play at Vl, as tho Foxton Sub-Union had a worthless competition. Mr Pawson stated ho had been interviewed by a Sandon deputation to see what chance they had of joining tho Manawatu Union. Mr Torstonson wanted to know if the boundaries were defined. The President replied that tho boundaries had been fixed nnd Manawatu had accepted hut nu reply had been received from Foxton en the matter. He. personally, did not know of anything in the rules that prevented players in one Union from playing in another. Mr Ongley certainly thought, that Rongotea. should be admitted. [-] t > believed j that the Foxton Sub-Union W ;is against the interests of good football j„ f] lo c |j s . trict. It had bungled all its affairs, and ' most of its matches had been decided ui tho lav>' courts with the Magistrate as referee (laughter) Mr Onglo>- ij, oug i lt Rongoiea should be admitted,, and considered that the- question of travelling was a small and unimportant one. U„b 3 Z• Taranaki travelled, and they had better football there than here.

Mr Torstonson moved, and Mr Pickett seconded, a motion that Eongotea be admitted. Mr jPi'rani said ho would be sorry to kill tho Foxton Sub-Union, but ho felt it was necessary in the interests of good football. Sandon and Eongotea. could travel much more easily to Palmorston and Feilding than. to- Foxton and Mr Pirani con-sidered it was not fair to kill football in Sandon and Rongotea by compelling those clubs to join a U " l °V vhc !' < r thev could not get a game. Ho thought it might be possible for Foxton to travel to Palmorston for its games. . . Mr Armstrong moved, and Mr MoWiPiams seconded, an amendment, that the -natter bo referred to the Management Committee with power to act. The amendment was put and carried. REFEREES' DELEGATE. Mr Torstonson brought up the question of n Referees' Association delegate on the L The' President said that he had been asked bv Mr Cleland, on behalf of the New Zealand Referees' Association, to have the matter of. a delegate on tho Management Committee of each union discussed, and ho considered the idea an excellent one. Tho Union had always had ono or two referees on the Committee, but- they were not official representatives. and the Association wanted an official delegate who could deal with mattors directlv affecting them. _ Mr Cleland was present, and reiterated tho remarks made by Mr Pirani. . Mr Footc also spoke in favour of the innovation. but did not know how the rules could bo got over. Notice of motion of alteration of rules had to be given. Mr Torstonson moved, and it was carried : That the Management Committee favourably consider the matter. THE WEIGHT LIMIT. Mr F. Footo referred to tho question a ■ burning one in some quarters—of limiting the weight of players in tho third and fourth classes. He thought an avcr : age of 10.7 for tho thirds and 9.7 for the fourths would suit. Mr Pirani did not consider that an average weight would cover tho case, as, for instance, there was a- player in the High School team who weighed list 41b. There was a boy in Feilding fourths who only weighed sst. and he would make up for a 13st boy in tho team. Mr McWilliams considered some sort of classification was necessary. Mr Torstonson thought the matter should be dealt with by tho incoming Committee, and Mr Manning agreed. The matter was referred to the Management. Committee. GENERAL. A letter was received from the Rev. C. C. Harper resigning his position as a referee to the Union, on account of pressure of business and the fact that he was not as young as he used to bo, but stating he would always follow the fortunes of the game in the Manawatu Union very closely. Mr Armstrong brought up the matter of the reduction of the insurance rate. Tho fund was now in a good position and he thought it should bo rcduccd from £1 Is to 10s 6d. He moved that the Management Committee should favour' ably consider the matter, and this was carried. _ Mr Onglcy referred to the President s remarks on* the subsidising of inter-club games. He complained of the Union's treatment of Feilding in a. club match with Hui Mai, whereby the Club was not allowed anything from gate money Mr Torstonson endorsed the remarks of the previous speaker, and tho feeling of the meeting seemed to be generally in the direction of fostering inter-club times. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. . The following officers were elected: — Patron. Mr A. N. Gibbons; president, Mr E. D. Hoben ; vice-presidents, Messrs J. Manning, J. Pawson. and 11. F. Gibbons; treasurer, Mr H. Muller; secretary, Mr W. McKcnzie; committee. Messrs F. Foote, F. Pirani. K. Armstrong. J. Freeman. J. T. Pickett, A. McWilliams, W. H. Ilankins; delegates to N.Z. Union, Messrs H. Muller. and F. Pirani; accident insurance committee, Messrs Pirani. Muller and Stubbs; auditors, Messrs F. Fairbrother and S.. J. Watson. After the election of officers Mr Hoben took the chair. Votes, of thanks to the officers of the Union were carried, and tho meeting adjourned