REFEREES PROTEST

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23425, 15 August 1939, Page 10

REFEREES PROTEST

REMARKS BY SELECTOR AN APOLOGY DEMANDED RESOLUTION AT WANGANUI [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] WANGANUI, Monday Resentment at the action of Mr. N. A. McKenzie, sole selector of the Hawke's Bay Rugby Union, in criticising the referee ■of the recent interprovincial Rugby match between Hawke's Bay and Wanganui; wag expressed at a meeting of the Wanganui Rugby Referees' Association to-night. A motion was carried asking for an apology from Mr. McKenzie. and it was decided to ask the Wanganui Rugby Union for its support in bringing the matter before the Hawke's Bay and "New Zealand Rugby Unions. The refereo in question, Mr. G. Thrush,' reported to the meeting that before the match started Mr. McKenzie asked him how he intended to rule 011 the scrummage, and Mr. Thrush replied that Mr. McKenzie would see when the teams went on tho field. ■' "After tho match, in the referees' room, and in the presence of another referee, Mr. McKenzie criticised my scrummage rulings," Mr. Thrush added. "I do not resent criticism, and I believe that we should take it as it does us all good, but I do object to the language Mr. McKenzie used." "Mr. McKenzie is not the Tsar of Rugby," said Mr. W. Nolan. After tho discussion the following motion was carried unanimously:—• "That this 'association strongly resents the remarks and language used by Mr. McKenzie to Mr. Thrush, referee in tho recent Wanganui-Hawke's Bay representative Rugby match, and demands an apology from Mr. McKenzie." Telephoned from Wanganui to-night, Mr McKenzie was told tho wording of the moti6n rfnd asked if ho had any comment to make. He said: "My remarks were made to Mr. Thrush. They were not for publication, and referred to a matter between Mr. Thrush and myself. I have discussed it with nobody elso since. I havo nothing more to say than that."