AUCKLAND WANTS N.Z. REFEREES' EXECUTIVE

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6873, 1 April 1929, Page 7

AUCKLAND WANTS N.Z. REFEREES' EXECUTIVE

Headquarters From Wellington PROPOSAL DEFEATED BY REFEREES’ MEETING During the course of the annual meeting of the New Zealand Referees’ association hold in Palmerston North on Saturday, the following remit from the Auckland Union aroused discussion:— “That headquarters of the New Zealand Referees’ association be removed from Wollington.’’ The Auckland delegate did not advocate that the association’s headqurters should be permanently located in the Queen eitv but that it should rotato at yearly, or three yearly periods. The remit was lost by a big majority by a show of hands but it was interesting to note that four of the biggest Rugby districts in the Dominion were in agreement with tho remit. The four votes recorded in favour of tho remit came from Auckland, Otago, Canterbury and Wairarapa. In proposing this remit, Mr. Kronrcld stressed the fact that the Auckland association had the deepest respect for tho great services rendered to football by their present president Mr. D. McKenzie (Wellington). Ho sincerely hoped that Mr. McKenzie would not consider that any personal motive lay behind tho remit, for nothing was further from the thoughts of the movers. On Broad Grounds. “In moving this motion,’’ said Mr* Kronfcld, “I do so on broad grounds. I want first to Temovq any suspicion from the mind's of members, that Auckland ha 3 any personal grievance, nor does it anticipate any personal gain from tho success of this proposition. We feel also that fresh ideas and more general knowledge, not to mention a greater interest, will accrue from a movable body; ’ ’

Mr. KronfeM stated that to-day, outside Wellington, little or no interest was taken in tho work. The same ideas, the same methods, wero patent year in and year out. If a fresh venue wero agreed upon, more zeal and greater interest would be formed in the doings of tho executive. Their allegiance to tho New Zealand Union might bo advanced as a reason for the executive being stationed in Wollington but Auckland was of the opinion that more efficient work would bo done if they acted as an independent body, getting their interpretations clearly from, the. referees.’ standpoint, and while meeting tho union in every way, to act according to their lights, after due and careful consideration, of tho laws; ,;■ ' "V Mr. Hollander supported the remit on behalf of Canterbury and stated that his association felt that in the interests of the game, the office of president should be changed, perhaps overy threo years. Mr. White, on behalf of Manawatu. opposed tho remit on the grounds that the Referees’ association headquarters should bo in tho samo centre as those of the New Zealand Rugby Union) . In opposing the remit, Mr. Seivers (Rotorua) expressed the opinion that the Auckland delegate’s contention that no member of the association should alto be a member of the N.Z. E.U. was wrong? In his opinion, the fact of members of the association also belonging to the union made for increased co-operation between the two bodies. Mr. Webster (Marlborough) supported Mr. White’s contention and opposed the motion, as also did Mr. Marshall, die Waikato delegate. On a show of hands, tho motion was lost on a large majority.