SOCCER REFEREES

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11307, 5 September 1922, Page 6

SOCCER REFEREES

W.FA DECLINE INVITATION. MISUNDERSTOOD CORRESPONDENCE. A meeting of the Wellington Referees’ Association was held last evening, Mr B. L. Salmon presiding, when it waa expected that members of The Wellington Football Association would attend to discuss their attitude - towards referees in view of the recent action of the W.FA. in over-ruling the decision of the referee in the Waterside-Thistle incident, when they suspended McArthur: The letter of the Referees’ Association to the W.FA- was published towards the end of last week. At the meeting of the W.FA. the previous Wednesday, it had been agreed that members should attend the referees* meeting. Last night, however, the 'hon. secretary, Mr D. G. Btirratt, read the following letter received from Mr A. Williams, hon. secretary to the W.F.A.: —"Tnview of the publication of the resolution ot your association, which my committee understood was to have been considered at a meeting on Monday night, I am instructed to inform you that although it had been decided to accept your invitation to discuss matters with you, we cannot now attend the above-mentioned meeting. If your association tools aggrieved over any matter, my committee will be pleased to receive delegates of yours at oar weekly meetings held on Wednesday evenings. lam further directed to point out that yonr resolution appears to.be practically word for word £art of an appeal which, it is significant, as not yet been decided upon, and the publication of same at this stage, in the opinion of my committee, violates all the ethics of good taste, and to evidently studied discourtesy to my association." Mr F. Campbell said they simply wished to understand wnat the attitude of the VLFA. would he in future towards the referees in the eTent of a similar case arising. Were they going to accept the statements of spectators against referees, am) were they going to completely ignore neutral linesmen? Mr Salmon abeerrul that it was s question of what was best for the game. It was urged that the W.F.A. had misunderstood the letter,-and that the invitation to attend the meeting was for-the purpose of discussing the attitude of the W.F.A. in future, and not tp discuss the resolution passed by the Referees* Association. It was decided to appoint Measra Stirratt, Bryce, litbgow, and Salmon a subcommittee to draw up a reply to the W.FA,