FOOTBALL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18898, 26 June 1923, Page 10

FOOTBALL

; OTAGO RUGBY UNION. The weekly meeting of the committee of the Otago 'Rugby Union was held last night. The president (Mr W, J. Wilson) occupied the chair. Mr T. J. L. Rantin took his seat on the committee as the representative of the Secondary Schools’ Junior Rugby Association. : Air L. F. Evans, jun,, acting secretary of the Ravensbourne Club, wrote stating that his club had held an inquiry into the allegation of rough play in the match between tin Alhambra Second and Rayensbourne, as ordered by the union committee (one player on each side was ordered off), and that in the opinion of their coach and also of other persons competent to judge the game was a hard and a fast one, but certainly not rough. His " club regretted that there was a slight exhibition of temper by two players (one on each Bide) and deprecated such incidents. Otherwise, in the club’s opinion, the game was a clean one.—The letter was received.—The Secretary said that no reply had yet been received from the Alhambra Club. L. i'. Evans also wrote that after inquiring into the matter of the Fifth Grade player, Dyson, they found that Dyson w’as a fortnight over age when the match was played against the Union Fifth. Dyson was »ot a member of the Ravensbourne club. He had been played as an emergency, and it was understood that ho was under the age.—The match was declared null and !*oid. A deputation from the Ladies’ Hockey 'Association waited on the committee lo ask for the use of the Carisbrook Ground some lime in September. It was stated that the local association was applying to have the New Zealand hockey tournament played in Dunedin this year. The tournament would last about a week, and the local association had to he able to make some statement.in regard to obtaining a ground.—lt Was decided to ask the association to apply for the Caledonian Ground- on either September 8 or September 29. It. was pointed out that cricket wickets would be laid out on Carisbrook about the end of September. The- Southland Union wrote suggesting that Wednesday. September 26, would be a suitable date for the return match with Otago;—lt was decided to suggest August 15 or- some date late in July. The date suggested by Southland was too late in the season. The Secretary of the New Zealand Union wrote stating that the recommendation of the Otago Union that the suspension of J. Noble, of the Vincent SubUnion. should be reduced until the end of the first round of fixtures had been accepted. JUNIOR SELECTION COMMITTEE. Messrs B. Spiers, R. Watson, D. Boreham. and L. G. Townsend were appointed the selectors for the junior representative team. Mr W. Brown, a member of the executive, was appointed chairman of the committee. There were 10 nominations for the Selection Committee. : CHARGES FOR MATCHES. The' Secretary of the New Zealand Union, wrote regarding the conditions in re the matches with New South Wales. Admission to the ground would be 2s per adult spectator, and 2s (or upwards) additional for a seat in the grand stand. (Test match 3s or upwards additional for the stand.) The question of the issue of a programme to be left in the hands of the local union. Charge for programme not to exceed 6d. Mr Harris said that he thought the charge of 2s admission to the ground was exorbitant. The last New South Wales team had come to New Zealand in the same year as the South Africans’ visit. It, however, had only played the minor unions, with the exception of a test in Christchurch and a match at Wellington. On that tour of New South Wales the New Zealand Union had made a profit of £709. He did not, however, think that the public would object to 2s to see matches against South Africans ■DK.p-n English team. Before the South Africans came to New Zealand the cost of the tour was estimated at £15,000, and a profit of £7OOO was shown on that tour. The present tour of the New South Wales Union would not cost more than £4OOO. It seemed to him that the proposed charge of 2s admission to the ground was unfair to their public.—(“Hear, hear.”) The New Zealand Union was putting the gate before the game.—(“Hear, hear.”) The New Zealand Union was not in need of the money—it had got plenty of money. He would move—“ That this committee is of opinion that the charge of 2s for admission to the grounds for th© New South Wales matches 3s unnecessarily high, and that the New Zealand Union be asked to reduce the charge to Is, plus tax. A copy of this resolution to be forwarded to the Southland. Canterbury, Wellington, and Auckland Unions, and they be asked to support this Union’s request.” 1 he motion received general support, and Was carried unanimously. , FRESH FIXTURES. The' Finance Committee recommended that tli© following fixtures for Dunedin be adopted Wednesday, August 15.—Tuapeka and Tapanui (combined) v. Maniototo and Vincent (Combined). Nine players to be selected from each sub-union. Saturday, August 18.—A combined team from the four sub-unions to play an Ota"o team. ; ” September 22.—War memorial and charity match, (half proceeds each)—Otago touring team against the next Otago team. September 29 (match for benefit of local clubs),p-Otagq v. North Otago. The) committee’s recommendations wore adopted. It was decided to send an Otago team to South Otago if it was desired. The wouth:: Otago team to suggest a date. ■NORTH OTAGO PLATERS. The Otago selectors agreed to travel to Oamaru on Saturday week to watch the North Otago players. It was suggested that the North Otago Sub-union should play a trial, match. OTAGO FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION. Ihe weekly meeting of the executive of thq Otago Football Association was held in Mr Douglas Spedding’s office last night. Ihe president (Mr E. J. Anderson) occupied the chair. THE SEACLIFF DELEGATE. Mr Brown’s case was again the cause of lively discussion. The secretary of the New Zealand Football Association wrote: “Regarding the question of Mr Brown’s position on the executive, the council, I think, was reluctant to arrive at the decision it did, forming the opinion that if Mr Brown was not keen enough to attend on behalf of the Referees’ Association he was ■ not a good enough man to represent the Seacliff Club. Perhaps, however, he lias had his lesson, but I would suggest to you that you should amend your rule to rend something like this; ‘Shall not be eligible lor a seat on the executive for the remainder of the current season.’ On behalf of the council 1 thank you for receiving the decision in a sporting spirit.” The Chairman (Mr E. J. Anderson' said that he had a statement to make with regard to a letter written by Mr Brown in the press. He would like to point out to Mr Brown, or to any other member of the executive, that, if he hud any comment lo make on his (the chairman's) remarks, ho would like him to let him have it “straight in the face.” The proper place for such, comment was the room in which the executive met; otherwise it should be made directly to him. Mr Brown: If people” iu this room Mr Anderson: I do not wish to hear you, Mr Brown. Mr Brown: Then you should not have made the remark. Mr Anderson: I’ll ask you lo withdraw that. Mr Brown: I withdraw it. Mr Deuchrass: May I make a comment? Mr Anderson: No; this discussion is closed. Mr Deuchrass: I fake it that anyone is entitled to write to the press if ho is not satisfied. Mr Anderson: Yes, that is one of the rights of citizenship. But I hold that as executive members they should make any comment on executive business in this room. Mr Deuchrass said that a wrong statement had been reported. It iiad been said that Mr Brown had approached the Seacliff Club and asked that he be appointed their delegate. Actually the Seacliff Club had approached him. Mr Anderson: If a member of the executive is not satisfied with a reported statement ho shoidd make his complaint in this room. If there is any more of this kind of comment you will have to get another chairman. ‘ GENERAL. It was decided that the draw for next Saturday be. the same as it was for last Saturday. The Secretary of the Taieri Club, writing with reference to the association's letter respecting gate money, said that as only one senior match had been played there this season his committee was doubtful if the association’s Match Committee was giving it an opportunity to collect any gate money, not only for the Otago Football Association, but also for assisting in defraying its own expenses. All other country dubs had had at least three matches at “home,” and his club thought that their’

assistance would be of more use than any it could give. However, his club had decided as follows; —“That, provided til© O.F.A. assist in paying the ground rent (£3) due by the Tnieri Club for this year, the club is prepared to forfeit 50 per cent, of all gate money collected at its ground during the ensuing season.” —Received; it was decided to take no action in the matter. The sub-committee reported as follows in regard to the Chatham Cup:—“ It is doubtful that- a club competition is practicable owing to the difficulties which travelling clubs experience. We suggest as an alternative scheme that the Brown Shield be made a trophy for North Island interprovincial competition, and the Peter Dawson Cup be for South Island competition; the holders of each to play off for the Chatham. Cup, which would therefore be for, the dominion championship; the council to fix the venue of the first match, and thereafter matches to be played on the holder’s ground. After all expenses have been paid, the gate money should be divided as follows:—20 per cent, to council, 45 per cent, to travelling association, and 55 per cent, to home association. Associations should be given the right, if they so desire, to send up a senior club team as its representative. A similar club competition in Rugby (confined only to Otago and Canterbury) has not been a workable proposition."—The report was adopted. A circular letter was received from the Sports Wonderland Carnival Committee with regard to the arrangements for its carnival. Mr Brown, on behalf of the Seacliff Club, requested that teams playing at Seacliff should endeavour to be on the ground by 2.45 p.m. on Saturday. It was pointed out. that often the match was not commenced till later, and, owing to the patients having to observe a certain meal hour, they had to leave before the game was finished.—lt was decided to urge strongly that clubs should endeavour to accede to the request. Permission was granted the Seacliff Club to play a match at Seacliff against the Ponrua Mental Hospital team on July 4 or 5. and it was decided to try to arrange for the Porirua team to play a match at Dunedin on the following Saturday against the club team having a bye on that date.