FOOTBALL SCENE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17475, 20 May 1920, Page 5

FOOTBALL SCENE.

Incident' IN WELLINGTON. DISCOURTESY TO A REFEREE. ,A regrettable scene occurred at Athletic Park, Wellington, 011 Saturday last at the conclusion of the match between Poneko and University, when the referee of the match, Mr. A. E. Neilson, was loudly counted out by a section of the public. At a meeting of the Wellington Rugby Keteiecs Association on .Monday tno chairman. Mr. ft. T. Bailey, described the incident as 0110 of the most disgraceful scenes that had ever been witnessed in connection with the game in Wellington, and ho thought it time the association took a stand to guard against similar occurrences in the future. He moved :— "That, in the opinion of the association, the Wellington Rugby Union must afford more protection lor referees against a repetition of last Saturday's' disgraceful display of unsportsmanlike attitude on the part of a section of tkjse attending football matches.'' * Mr. Bailey sa :d he understood a number of members of the Rugby Union wero present at the match. The least they could have done, he thought, would have been to draw the attention of the polico to the disturbance being created by a section of the public. Mr. Neilson was about the oldest member of the Referees' Association, and he could not understand such a demonstration taking place against a man who had had fifteen or sixteen years' experience of refcreeing. The association should stand firm, anrl ask the Rugby Union to stand firm, in the protection of its referees. Ho regretted that some of tho officials of the union who were club partisans wero joining in with the hoodlums on the ground in making comment concerning the judgment of tho referee. Mr. S. S. Dean said he could find 110 reason whatever for any expression of doubt on Mr. Nelson's judgment. Mr. Neilson was absolutely impartial throughout the match, and he thought the public should support a man who went out on to the ground Saturday after Saturday to referee matches for the good of the gam*. Mr. J. W. Nicholson moved as an amendment" That the secretary write to the Wellington Rugby Union and ask them what action they intend to take to protect the re'erees against a repetition of tho conduct bv a section of the publio at last Saturday's match on the Athletic Park." Mr. G. G. Dennison seconded the amendment, which defeated the original motion, being carried almost unanimously.