‘UNJUST EXAMPLE OF PAROCHIALISM’

Manawatu Times, Volume LIII, Issue 6669, 24 July 1928, Page 10

‘UNJUST EXAMPLE OF PAROCHIALISM’

CHATHAM CUP VENUE CHANGED. HASTINGS VOICES PROTEST. Per Press Association. HASTINGS, Last Night. The draw for the Chatham Cup competition showed that the winners of tho Manawatu-Hawkc’s Bay match, played la§t Saturday week, between St. Andrew’s and Hastings United, were to meet Wellington, the former to play at home. Hastings won their game and Petone were the winners in the Wellington province so that the latter yfas due to meet Hastings in Hastings next Saturday. : The New Zealand Association informed the Hawke’s Bay Bootball Association last week that the match was definitely arranged for Hastings, but on Friday they wired that the Hastings team must travel to Wellington to play or forfeit the match. * ■ The matter was discussed at a meeting of the Hawke’s Bay Association on Saturday evening, when it was decided to wire the following protest to the New Zealand Association; — That this meeting of delegates of the Hawke’s Bay Football Association enters. an emphatic protest against the action of the New Zealand Football Council in demanding that, unless the Hastings United team travel to Wellington to meet Petone on the ,28th inst. in the Chatham Cup tie, in spite of having drawh the match to bo played in Hastings, they will forfeit the game, and further that it is considered that this example of parochialism has deprived the Hawke ’g Bay Association of a splendid chance of furthering the game in the province. Wo respectfully ask for an-explana-tion as to why the draw has been ’ altered, in our opinion, most wrongfully, to suit Wellington. It was also decided to write to all the associations enclosing a copy of the protest and asking for support. COUNCIL EXHORTS HASTINGS TO PLAY GAME AT WELLINGTON.

WELLINGTON, Last Night. A special meeting of the New Zea land Football Association Council took place this afternoon to deal with objections from Y.M.C.A. (Auckland), who wished their meeting with North Auckland at Whangarci next Saturday to bo' transferred to Auckland op account of the expense of travelling and tor the reason that a better gate would bo the result. They would not guarantee the expenses of the North Auckland team. The other objection was from Hawke’s Bay (Hastings United) who had been ordered to play their match with Pctonc at Wellington next Saturday, the "Wellington Association having guaranteed £25 toward the expenses of the Hastings’ team. _ Originally the council had decided that the match between the winners of the Hawke’s Bay and Manawatu game and Pctonc should bo played at Manawatu, but correspondence had stated that it would be played at Hawke’s Bay in the event of Hawke’s Bay winning against the Manawatu team, as was the case. The Wellington Association, in order to avoid too much travelling for Petone, the Wellington finalists, offered to guarantee Hastings United £2o to play in Wellington next Saturday. Hastings meanwhile wrote" that they wore prepared to subscribe £lO toward Potone’s expenses to go to Hastings. They would leave Hastings on Friday evening. The New Zealand Council took a passage in the letter describing their travelling arrangements should they come to Wellington as meaning that Hawke’s Bay were willing to come to Wellington and decided that the match should bo played here. This was followed up by the protest from Hawke’s Bay. It was decided to telegraph the Hastings’ Club giving reasons for the decision. The council strongly urged the Hawke’s Bay Association to get the. Hastings’ team to Wellington for next Saturday. Regarding the Auckland y. North Auckland game, it was decided to telegraph Auckland that the original decision to play at Whangarci must stand unless the two clubs come to a mutual decision.