DELEGATES’ ANNUAL MEETING

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8733, 15 May 1914, Page 3

DELEGATES’ ANNUAL MEETING

PROGRAMME FOB THE COMING SEASON. The annual meeting of delegates to the Xe-w Zealand Rugby Union was held yesterday, Mr G. H. Mason (prosident) presiding. Tlio following delegates were in attendance:—Auckland, Messrs G. H. Dixon and M. J. Sheehan; Poverty Bay, Messrs E. Wylie, Burg©, M. Naismith; South Auckland, Messrs H. R. Bush and J. H. A. Laughton; Bay of Plenty, Messrs D. Weir and Parata; Bush Districts, Mr W. White Soott; Ttaranaki, Messrs -J. _ McLeod and M. J. Crombie; Wanganui, Messrs Pownall and A. Laurenson; ManawatU, Messrs Jacobs and Ongley; Horowhenua, Mr W. Monagban; Wairarapa., Messrs 0. Redd and A. E. Book; Wellington, Messrs E. 0. Hales, Little, G. Home, J. H. Lynskey, J. T. King; Nelson, Messrs N. Galbraith, Vercoe, and Akors; Marlborough, Messrs Griffiths and O'Sulliran; Boiler, Messrs D. J. Williams and H. F. Oatter; West Coast, Mr W. Perry; Canterbury, Messrs G. H. Mason, C. Buchanan, A. L. Jones, S. F. Wilson, and F. G. WaJlbunton; South Canterbury, Messrs H. Amos, W. Drake, H. H. Eraser; Otago, Messrs Harris, Wilson, Isaacs,' Torrance, and P. S. K. fMacassey; Southland, Messrs A. Derbie, G. W. Woods, and C. O. Wilson; Hawke's Bay, Father Mahoney, and Messrs R. F. Bailey and A. E. Nielsen. THE REPORT. In, moving the adoption of the re. port and balance-sheet (a precis of which has already been published in the "N.Z. Times"), the chairman 6aid the year had been an ordinary one in certain directions and an extraordinary year in other directions. They had had the pleasure of initiating once more the annual matches between Australia and New Zealand. He thought they could congratulate themselves that the trouble that existed had been settled, and they were on. the way to a very pleasant interchange of visits. A good understanding had been arrived at, and 'he was sure the advent of tie Australian team last year had been productive of a great amount of good. The Australian teaim gavfc promise, of there being many good teams .in Australia in the near future. So far as the Oaliforian tour was concerned, he was sure that it had done a great deal of good for Rugby on that side. The team had succeeded in knocking a good number of obsolete ideas out of the heads\of the Oalifornians. There was another point. Quite apart altogether from Rugby, the tour was a fine advertisement for New Zealand. There was a good deal outside actual Rugby to be gained by the visits of our teams to foreign parts. It was astounding to- find the ignorance that existed in regard to New Zealand. The New Zealanders were styled all sorts of things, from South Sea Islanders to Australians—anything but New Zealanders. Many people were ignorant of where New. Zealand lay. But the fact that a team could go there and play. such football as the New Zealanders did, without being attended by an. army of masseurs and trainers, set them thinking. The balance-sheet, he thought, spoke for itself and required no explanation. It had been shown by some of the criticism levelled against it, thai some people could be extremely eloquent on subjects they- knew -nothing about. The management committee were not called upon to produce a balance-sheet j relating to a tour the finances of which they had nothing to do with whatever. The treasurer had been called to task for not producing a bal-ance-sheet of the Californiah tour. Mr D. Weir: "We have not heard it in this island." The chairman said that whoever asked for the balance-sheet of the Calif ornian tour was in ignorance of the conditions' under which the tour was undertaken. Mr N. Galbraith seconded the motion. In doing so, he said the union was in a secure position, but pointed out that they had gone to leeward by £BS during the last year. Tha_ had to bo drawn out of capital, and if the union was to be run on business lines, that sort of .thing must not continue. SELECTING TEAMS. ■ Messrs D. Weir and Little took exception to the manner in which representative teams were chosen. The question of selection, said Mr Little, was treated in a haphazard manner by the management committee. Players were not getting justice. He suggested that a selector should be appointed for the North Island and a selector for the South Island, and that each selector should select the team for the island for which he acted. Both selectors should then meet at the North v. South Island match and pick the New Zealand team. Mr R. M. Isaacs admitted that the method of selection was not as good as it might be, but it was the best that the union was able to'provide under existing conditions. He did not think the work of the selectors should be' the subject of criticism at the annual meeting. Mr C. Neilson, on behalf of Hawke's Bay, said his union had authorised him to invito the New Zealand selectors to witness the Hawke's Bay-Wai-rarapa match, to be played on June 3rd next. The expenses would be borne by some public-spirited men. Hawke's Bay would then be assured thai' the selectors would know what the Hawke's Bay players were like. ■Mr E. Wylie said a great difficulty was that there were too many small unions. They should amalgamate, and so be able to have strong teams for big matches. That, he felt sure, was the best way of getting rid of the inconsistencies that at present characterised the selections.

The report and balance-sheet were adopted. OFFICERS ELECTED.

Officers for tho year were elected as follows: —Patron, His Excellency the Governor; president, Mr J. Arneil (Auckland); vice-presidents, Messrs A. E. Devine (Auckland), T. Clarkin (South Auckland), W. B. -Miller (Poverty Bay), AY. T. Parata (Bay' of Plenty), AY. J. Palmer (Bush Districts), F. T. Bellringer (Taranaki), G. Spriggens (AYanganui), J. F. Manning (Manawatu), J. Rose (Horowbenua), D. K. Logan (Wairarapa), G. F. C. Campbell (Wellington), R. W. Styles

(Nelson), J. Lord (Marlborough), J--C’olvin (Buller), J. F. Wilson (West! Coast), G. H. Mason (Canterbury), A.Shirtcliffo (South Canterbury), H. Har-J ris (Otago), I. Jenkins (Southland),Frank Logan (Hawke’s Bay) ; -hon. treasurer, Mr E. Wylie; management committee, Messrs W. Perry. N. Galbraith, J. H. A. Laughton,' G. H. Dixon, R. M. Isaacs, G. Laurcnson. I. Hyaras; auditor, Mr 0. G. Kember; representative on the English Union, Mr C. 0. Wray Palliser.

It was decided that the appeal council bo located at Wellington. The following were elected its members; Messrs V. R. Meredith, M. J. Cronu hie, and A. Campbell. INTER-ISLAND MATCH.

It was decided that the North v. South Island match bo played this year in Wellington. The date of playing the match was left to the incoming committee. FOR SCHOOL FOOTBALL.

Mr G. W. Woods (Southland) moved that tho grant for tho encouragement of school football be increased from £2OO (the amount voted last year) to £250.

Mr G. H. Dixon said he wished to sound a note of caution. The union was not living within its means, and its financial position was not as good as it was some time ago. Ho agreed that, they should do all they could for the schools, but it should not be done by encroaching on the capital.

Mr J. F. O’Sullivan said if there was any cheeseparing to bo done it should not bo at the expense of the schools. The parent body was the body that should look after the schools. He favoured the increase of the vote.

Mr E. Wylie said tho time was very inopportune for the increasing of the grant. They should wait and soe what the season’s matches were going to bring before incurring added expenditure. He moved as an amendment that the grant bo £2OO.

The amendment was carried OTHER BUSINESS.

Mr G. W. AVoods (Southland) moved that the delegates entitled to vote shall be members of the union they represent or members of the executive of the New Zealand Union. After some discussion the motion was lost.

An honorarium of £35 was foted to tho treasurer.

Mr C. AVylie moved:—“That the management committee be directed to charge not less than 6 per cent, interest (with 2 per cent, rebate provided all instalments of principal and interest are paid punctually within fourteen days of due date) on all future loans to unions. In the case o! existing loans to unions ’where there are arrears of interest or instalments of principal tho unions concerned bo n -ified that all arrears must bo paid not later than August 31st, 1914, or the penal rate will be required, and that in future tho management committee strictly enforce tho penal rate in every case. That, subject to these conditions, the management committee be empowered to advance on loan to affiliated unions to any part of the funds of this union upon security being given to the satisfaction of the management committee." The mover said that in the eight years from 1906 the general fund had decreased by £1673 12s lOd, an average yearly decrease of £209 4s Sd. °Aftcr a brief discussion the motion was carried.

An application’ from the Puketoo Sub-union "for recognition as an independent self-governing union was refused. A similar application, made on behalf of Waiapu, evoked a considerable amount of discussion, and was eventually lost. An application was received from the Hawke’s Bay Union for a loan of £IOOO at 2j- per cent., offering as security its football ground, recently valued at £lsoo.—The matter was referred to ,th© management committee for favourable consideration. The matter of a country teams’ tour was left in the hands of the management committee.