CONTROL OF REFEREES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22208, 10 March 1934, Page 10

CONTROL OF REFEREES

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, —Your report of the animal meeting of the Alhambra Club, bearing on the proposed control of Rugby referees, makes rather interesting reading, and will come as a rude shock to many referees. It would appear that certain members and also would-be members of the Management Committee of the O.R.F.U. have left themselves open to ridicule re this burning question. Their attitude is hardly in keeping with the ethics of sport. One would have liked a little more information as to what led up to the Alhambra Club introducing the discussion. Rumour has it that the executive of the Referees’ Association recently held a special meeting to discuss the proposal. that' the control of referees for matches be vested entirely in the hands of the Rugby Union. This meeting must have been called at the instigation of the Rugby Union. Why this star chamber attitude of'the Rugby Union? Reading the annual report of the O.R.F.U. published in your issue of Ist instant, no mention of this proposed change in the control of referees was made, but only the usual stereotyped words of thanks to the referees for services rendered. Likewise, the report of this week’s meeting of the Management Committee, held on the sth instant, was void of mention of this matter. Possibly the matter was dealt with “in committee.” One must draw one’s own conclusions to the merits of such an attitude. Ofcourse, the referees and general public —who support the game—are not, in the opinion of the 0.R.F.U., worthy of any consideration in this matter. Of late years the O.R.F.U. Management Committee has consisted of some members who have done yeoman service to the game, but there are a few mmbera of the same body who never played the actual game. Why, then, should these “ rule book ” footballers dictate as to who should control the game? During the football season one only has to visit a certain shelter shed at a suburban car terminus on a Sunday morning to realise where the _ knowledge of the game comes from. It is unfortunate that members of the Rugby Union contribute to these “ street corner ” debates. This, of course, is a side issue to the matter under question, but during the playing season the referees meet fortnightly ior the purpose of friendly discussion of rules and also points of the day. It would ne interesting to know the‘number of times the members of the Management Committee of the Rugby Union visited these meetings and instructed the referees. According to the Hand Book issued by the Rugby Union, the constitution of the Appointment Board consists of two nonactive referees, two members of the Rugby Union, with the president of the Referees’ Association as -chairman. To my mind, this Appointment Board has acted so constituted for the past 15 years or longer. Why, then, does the Rugby Union desire to change a rule that has stood for so long? Has the standard of refereeing in Dunedin deteriorated during this period? No official complaint to this effect has ever been made by the Rugby Union to this extent. As the general public, as well as the referees, are entitled to a little more information as to the reasons for the proposed change, will the president of the Rugby Union publicly state the attitude of his committee in the matter ? An open statement is overdue, since- the question is of vast importance to all who have the interests of the game at heart. The remarks made by Mr J. Sutherland at the Alhambra Club’s annual meeting were very much to the point. Mr Sutherland, who was an old player of more than average ability, has at times held various executive positions dealing with the control of Rugby, As a referee Mr Sutherland controlled some important matches. As president of the Referees’ Association and incidentally a member of the Referees’ Appointment Board, he can rightly speak as one qualified and w r ith knowledge of referees’ affairs. But Mr Sutherland was also at one time a member of the Management Committee of the Otago Rugby Union, so. when a speaker of such wide experience as stated above makes such a strong case against the Rugby Union more than an open statement is due from those desirous of this drastic change. In conclusion, might I pen admiration for the manner in which this matter was treated by the Alhambra Club. No club in Dunedin has done more than this club in encouraging players to join the Referees’ Association. If all clubs were ag loyal to the game as Alhambra the/ game would benefit accordingly.—l am, etc., ' Searchlight.