REFEREE ATTACKED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23405, 22 July 1939, Page 14

REFEREE ATTACKED

RUGBY MATCH INCIDENTS WARNING BY SUB-UNION OFFENDERS NOT IDENTIFIED 4 ——— [by TELEGRAPH —OWN correspondent] WHAKATANE, Friday Intimating that if the players who had jostled and pushed the referee, Mr, A. Boswell, immediately after the Paroa-Taneatua match on July 8 and again on the following Tuesday evening, had been known they would have been stood down for'life, the Whakatano Kugby sub-Union strongly censured the Paroa Club and officials for the actions of a number of its members. The sub-union issued a stern warning that any repetition would be drastically dealt with. Mr. Boswell had reported that as soon as the final whistle went Paroa" players came up to him and told him he "could not referee a dog fight," and made other remarks.

As he was walking away one player pushed him with a closed fist. He could not pick the player. Another player told him he "must have had all his money on Tancatua." Mr. YV. Sisatn (Tancatua) said there were, several spectators in the altercation. They had been barracking the referee. The conduct complained of on the Tuesday evening consisted of abuse addressed at Mr. Boswell by players who surrounded him. He was also pushed as he turned to walk away. C. Murray, a Paroa junior player, had allegedly questioned Mr. B. Norman's rulings and had been told to be quiet. He. persisted and threatened to "black the referee's eyes." He was then sent off. Murray was stood down for the rest of the season.