NOT EASILY MANAGED

Northern Advocate, 19 June 1926, Page 5

NOT EASILY MANAGED

RUGBY AT DARGAVILLE. Management of Rugby .football in the Dargaville district is evidently no sinecure, judging from the business and discussion before the management committee of the Dargaville Rugby Union at this week’s meeting. A spectator at Rugby Park last Saturday had taken umbrage at being ordered to stay behind the fence around the playing area. That led to a declaration that in future the police would be asked to escort off the ground spectators acting in a similar way.

Complaints were made of use of bad language and in one ease a captain who had been warned in that respect refused to.play in the second half, one other player deserting his team for the same reason. Instances of men being ordered off or warned, for rough play were also dealt with. Threats were made that teams would pull out from the competition unless games were played on grounds of their choice, or if the Union decided to play an extra round. A significant statement contained in the report of a referee was that when two specified teams met again there should be two referees on the side lines to aid their colleague in charge of the game.

The secretary at another stage remarked that, if last Saturday’s fixtures were any criterion, it would he useless carrying on with the junior games, as one match had been a fiasco and another forfeited. Then there was cause for the chairman to criticise adversely a proposal to rescind a resolution, and to declare that the practice was becoming too frequent. Having a shield, said one member, gave the Union more prestige in the district in the eyes of the people, while the playing of 'shield matches was also good from a business point of view.