BUSH RUGBY AFFAIRS

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 212, 8 September 1938, Page 2

BUSH RUGBY AFFAIRS

Protest Against Hamua Club PRESENTATION OF TROPHIES A meeting of the Bush Rugby Union was held in Pahiatua on Tuesday night, the president, Mr. R. J. Smith, presiding. Those present were Messrs. D. R. Salter, C. Wilton, O. Stone, R. B. Humphrey, M. Reichenbach, S. Ollivcr, W. Lawry and L. Chatwin (secretary). Mr. D. Wilton waited on the meeting to suggest that trees be planted from the gate at Rugby Park, Pahiatua, to tho golf course, as this area was at present very windswept. He said 50 trees would do the job, the total cost being £lO. # A hearty vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Wilton for the interest he had taken. The secretary reported that the Horowhenua union had written to ask for a game for the Gillie cup on September 17. Tho secretary said he had asked the junior selector, Mr. C. Burgess, and if he could get a team the challenge would bo accepted. Mr. W. Henderson was appointed manager. Tho following cups and championships were awarded: Senior, Cowan cup, Hamua; junior, Cowan cup, Manma; junior championship, Hukanui. Hukanui have now won the junior championship three times in succession.

The following letter written by the captain of the Mangatainoka team (E. Lett) was received: “Tho Mangatainoka Football Club wishes to enter a protest against tho Hamua Football Club for playing D. Failover in tfle championship final. Failover played for a Wellington club this season and had not been transferred to the Hamua Club by the Bush Union beforo last Saturday. 7 7 Mr. Smith said the rules definitely stated in Clause 11 that: “No transfer shall be granted after the date fixed for the first match in the second round of any competition unless there are special circumstances which reasonably warrant the management committee’s sanction. No player may play for a club other than the club he played for in the previous season, unless he shall have made written application to the union, such application to be in the union s jrctary’a hands not later than seven days prior to the opening competition fixture in any season. Buck application must bo accompanied by a clearance from tho club for whom ho played the season previously and no such transfer will be granted unless this clearance is beforo tne management committee. This aoioction shall not prejudice tho right of any registered player for selection in a representative match.* 7 Mr. Wilton pointed out that according to this ruff. FhffoVer was not eligible to play without a clearance from his previous club and failover had played for Eketahuna last season and had not secured a clearance. It was pointed out that it was not necessary to be transferred from one union to another as long as a clearance was obtained, and Failover had this. Mr. Wilton asked if the secretary had seen the clearance. The secretary said he had been shown a wire giving Failover his clearance. Mr. {Smith said that if Hamua appealed to tho New Zealand Rugby Union tho protest would not be allowed. Mr. Reichenbach asked why the Bush Union bad their own rules if they were no good. Mr. {Stone then drew the meeting’s attention to clause 8, which read as follows:—“In tho case of a player arriving from anotner district and who has played during the current season, ho must, if requested by tho secretary of the union, produco his clearance from such union, provided that the request is made on the application of a competing team. {Such clearance shall note the grade in which the player took part at tlio time of his removal from the district. “ Mr. {Smith said clause 8 made it all right for Failover to play for Hamua. it was further pointed out that when a club is disbanded, as Eketahuna was, a player was then able to play for any otuer club. Mr. Reichenbach said tho rules stated tnat the transfer had to be in the hands of the secretary seven days before the match and Failover’s clearance had only been handed in on the day of the match, by wire. He also asked why, if the man in question had been three weeks in tho district, he had not got a transfer earlier. Mr. {Smith said Failover had offered to play the week before for Konini but aad been refused, as they did not want a player. Mr. {Slater asked which rule they were going by—-rule 8 or 11. Ono barred him and the other might let him play. Mr. Humphrey said clauses 7 and 8 applied to tho case. Mr. {Salter asked the secretary if he was satisfied with the clearance. The secretary outlined a similar clearance the Bush Rugby Union had given a player going to Hawke’s Bay. Mr. {Salter said it looked to him that clause 11 was a transfer ruio governing the transfer of players between clubs within the union and clause 8 controlled the clearance from one union to another, therefore clause 8 applied to tho case. Mr. VVijson then moved that the protest bo upheld. This was seconded by Mr. M. Reichenbach. As it was impossible to decide on the voices, a vote was taken, thoso voting for the motion being Messrs. Wilton, Olliver and Reichenbach, and thoso against Messrs. Smith, Stone and Humphrey. On the casting vote of tho chairman the motion was lost and the protest was not allowed. The secretary asked Mr. Humphrey to

remind the Hamua secretary to have new players put on tho register with the union. It was decided that the unal of the senior championship bo played at Pahiatua on Saturday at 1.30 p.m., tho referee to be Mr. W. Lawry. If the gamo is a draw an additional 10 minutes each way will be played.