RUGBY RUMPUS

Manawatu Times, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3597, 1 April 1924, Page 5

RUGBY RUMPUS

MARIST CLUB’S DEFENCE. IPor Press Association.] CHRISTCHURCH, Last Night. The executive of the Marist Football Club has issued a statement in reference to the actions of the club and the Canterbury Rugby Union, dealing with the Payne trophy and the suspension of the Marist Club. The executive says the Club will not apologise because it has committed no offence. It will not withdraw the letter to the Canterbury Rugby Union, which was a manly and honourable letter, framed to meet the special demands of the moment, and if a member of the Otago Union has been allowed to Insult the honour .of Canterbury’s champion club, and if the Canterbury Union has failed in its duty to defend the honour of its champion club, that the champion club must act in its own defence. "We must submit to the unjust and invalid suspension rather than allow our honour to be besmirched by the vile accusation of “ringing'-in,” We are confident any other club would have acted as the Marist Club has acted. The club has violated no rules of Rugby and the action of the blub in regard to the Payne trophy match was the only course to be followed consistent with the laws and traditions of Rugby and consistent with the dictates of personal honour, of manliness and of justice.”