FOOTBALL AT SCHOOL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22142, 22 June 1935, Page 14

FOOTBALL AT SCHOOL

DISPUTE IN ROTORUA RUGBY UNION'S DECISION [from our own correspondent] ROTORUA. Friday The Now Zealand Rugby Union lias decided that it has no jurisdiction in the dispute between the Rotorua subunion and the authorities of the Rotorua High School. The dispute arose from the decision of the headmaster of the school that all inter-school games shall bo played on the school grounds instead of at Arawa Park. Advice sent on behalf of the New Zealand Union to the High School Board and the Rotorua sub-union states:—" This matter has been considered by my committee and the opinion of that body is that we have no jurisdiction in the matter. If secondary schools desire to play their interschool games on their own grounds, no one has power to prevent them from doing so." Commenting upon the decision, Mr. T. Anderson, president of the subunion, said it placed tifAt body in a very invidious position. He did not think the New Zealand Union could have considered the correspondence sent to it by the sub-union when it reached the conclusion set out in its letter. The constitution of the subunion stated clearly that the sub-un-ion had jurisdiction over all games in its district. If schools or any other body could defy the authority of the union it became ineffective.

" Our only alternative now appears to be to cancel the affiliation of the High School with this union and allow them to play among themselves," said Mr. Anderson. " We wished to avoid unpleasantness, but in view of the position, I am quite prepared to recommend that this be done. I propose to call a special meeting of my executive to consider the position immediately."