THE FATHER OF OUR RUGBY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVI, Issue XLVI, 25 January 1911, Page 6

THE FATHER OF OUR RUGBY.

HIS DEMISE ANNOUNCED

Mr J. H.. Chapman, headmaster _of 'the Arthur-street School, of Dunedin, whose death has. recently been recorded, was probably the founder of the Rugby football gam© in New; Zealand, though the claim) is, disputed, says the "Dominion.-" Eearly in the 'seventies- he organised the.Union Club, Dunedin, still in existence. -.' For many years '.he was the controlling hand of the Otago Rugbv Union ,at that time acknowledged ;to be "the home and stronghold. of Rugby.' What followed after 1892 is rather obscure ,and has, so far, never been publicly stated, v Some Rugby men still hold the opinion that the leading spirits' in the Otago. Union designed the fouiidationof -", New Zealand Union on. their own initiative, but events afterwards were taken out of their hands. In those days Mr Chapman attended meetings of clubs, a.nd, in vigorous speeches, foreshadowed a general decadence of the amateur game if a New Zealand Union .with which was held out the tempting bait of trips to Australia and elsewhere), was set- up. After the setting up of the New Zealand Union -.the Tate Mi Chapman retired from all active participation in the game. He was elected year after year as president or vice-presi-dent of the Union Club, and offers of office on the executive of;.the Otago •Union were frequently held put to him. out he "regarded the affair from first to last (to use his own words) "a matter of conscience," and never even acknowledged -receipt of letters notifying him tlia 4 he had been elected to any office. He thenceforth devoted himself entirely to his work as first assistant, and subcquently headmater of one of the largest of the Dunedin schools, and alway.Mioreafter turned a deaf ear to thoss who asked him to "write up" his reminiscences of Rugby. In 1903 he had he misfortune to rupture a blood vessel in the head, and, after recovering, grew more reticent than ever. In general demeanour, he was "a 'mail of .powerful personality and address.