THE RUGBY DISPUTE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17246, 23 August 1919, Page 10

THE RUGBY DISPUTE.

AUCKLAND'S POSITION. ] DEBATE IN WELLINGTON. , RESIGNATION OF CHAIRMAN. ' [BT TELEGRATH.-OW.V COBBESrOXDENT.J _ WELLINGTON, Friday. , The proposition put to the manage- 1< m ent committee, of the New Zea-1 land Rugby Union last night that ( the Auckland Rugby Imcm *«jd , be suspended was lost by only four , votestoth^anda.aconguence^he, ftTB iiL A - »ng^ held for the purpose of considering a re civ from the Auckland union to the in SucUons issued by the management.comrnittee that pending the general meeting i delegates on September 19 no amende rule were to be played in Rugby tootball natch*. The chairman read to the meeting a telegram received that, day from the Auckland union announcing its **£ I mination to adhere to the code of rules Sid down by the New Zealand union. He said he felt very strongly on the matto.Mi in his opinion the Auckland union was only .making a virtue of necessity. No more cup matches were to be played , in Auckland this season and the Auckland , union could only play representative • matches with unions who would not play any other than the old rules. He had no personal feeling in the matter, but he resented the treatment which had been accorded the management, committee oi the New Zealand Union by the management committee of the Auckland union. It seemed as if Auckland was doing exactly as it wished. If this was so, then there was no necessity for the New Zealand union. He thought something sfajjald be done. , I 1 Mr. T. H. Jonee said that if it had, been the intention to suspend the Auck-1 land union then t'-at action should ive. been taken Ion" ago The committee had Bought to avoid having to suspend Auckland until the matter had been considered by the- general meeting of delegates.

Matter for Delegates. Mr. Howe: I think we have been sat on, but I don't think we ought to take any drastic action within three weeks of the meeting of delegates. Mr. Harris: We are here to control football in New Zealand. If we allow a union to ride over us roughshod then we should not be here at all. / Mr. Pike: There is no question that the Auckland union have been out of bounds altogether. They have hoodwinked U6 all along. Mr. Blade moved that the Auckland union be suspended under rule 37. The peneral meeting of delegates could then fix things up. Mr. Crawford: I think Auckland should bp given a chance to play the old rules. I Mr. Marris: What iB the good? I Mr. Howo said the position was excep- ' tional. Had the letter from the English union arrived in time nrobably the amended rules would never luivo been played. He was against' drastic action until the question had been considered by the delegates. Mr. Marriß thought that would be a sign of weakness. I "Mr. Jones said that had it not been for the fact that a special meeting of delegates was called for September 19 tho [management committee would have subI pended Auckland long ago. The Auckland union had now indicated tbst it was .going to fall into line J The chairman replied that Auckland < had said that before. _-• v J Mr. Jones: What will be the position lof this management committeo if the general meeting of delegates decides upon secession from the English union? I Mr. Marris: If such a decision were (reached 1 would not want to remain in office, and I don't think any of the others would either. There i» no chance of secession. J There being no other seconder, Mr. Marris seconded Mr. Blade's motion pro forma. I "Punishment" Not Advisable.

Mr. Crawford thought it would he more politic not to impose more " punishment" on Auckland at the present moment. If anything drastic wae done at the present juncture it would alienate the sympathy of footballers throughout New Zealand. He 1 did not think the committee would have anything to regret if it waited until the meeting of delegates before doing anything Mr. Marris: I think it is making a farce of the whole business if we allow them to go s"cot free. On the motion being put to the meet* incf it was lost by four vote* to three. Tho votintr was as follows: —For: Messrs. Marris, Pike and Slade. Against: Messrs. Howe. Cook, Crawford and Jones. Mr. Marris announced that as a result of the vote that had been recorded, he could not see his way to continue as a member of the committee. He bad no personal feeling against Auckland. Up till recently he bad represented the union there, but the unfair tactics adopted by I the Auckland committee in tryijig to I cover up its playing of the amended rules iin his opinion called for some action. As ' none was being token he considered the i management committe of the New ZeaJ land Rugby Union was bein» held up to I ridicule, and he did pot think that I was right. The telegram from the Auck- ! land union received that day had only come to hand after an urgent message had been sent to Auckland. In resigning from the chairmanship of i!h« committee be desired to make it clear that he would continue to take an interest in football, and would still remain a delegate of Tarnnnki. Members strongly pressed Mr Marris to reconsider his decision, but lie definitely revised to do so. and on the motion of Mr. Crawford, seconded bv Mr. Jones his rcsicnation was accepted with extreme regret.