THE GREAT SCHISM.

NZ Truth, Issue 910, 5 May 1923, Page 9

THE GREAT SCHISM.

Sectarianism in Sport. The stiff-necked and bigoted majority on th*b Canterbury Public Schools Association have finally decided to refuse the application of the Marist Brothers to admit two teama from their school to compete in the schoolboys' Rugby football competitions. Every means was sought by the management committee of tho Rugby Union and well-wishers of the sport to bridge the gulf a section of the State school teachers had created by declaring — after twenty odd years — that their constitution would not allow them to accept nominations from | private or religious schools. When the refusal of the Public Schools Association was reported to I the last meeting of the Canterbury Rugby Union the acting-chairman (Mr. A. Dey) remarked that much as they all regretted the decision, the committee had to consider now what was best to be done to give football to the boys who had been excluded. Mr* George Payne (a Marist delegate) commented on the humiliating treatment meted out to the union, and spoke with warmth. 'It is time," he went on, "the union woke up to the fact that it has some control. If it has no control then it should not invite the association to participate in the conduct of its business." Chairman Dey: There seems to be a misapprehension concerning the union's position. We have absolutely no control over schoolboys. The publlo think we have given over control to the teachers. We have never given this because we never had it to give. Our position is that we are the chief executive body dealing with Rugby football, and as such we have In tho past assisted the association by financial backing, but we have never run Ita competitions. , . . Every request has been granted ungrudgingly, because we looked upon the schools as the nurseries of Rugby football. After some heated personalities and strong cross-chat it was decided that the sub-committee set up to draw up a scheme for mid-week and Saturday I competitions for schoolboys treat the matter as one of urgency. It is likely that a start will be made after the schools' winter holidays.