RUGBY ONLY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23527, 16 June 1938, Page 9

RUGBY ONLY

FOOTBALL AT COLLEGE PROTEST TO MINISTER HEADMASTER’S ANTAGONISM (Per United Press Association) WELLINGTON, June 15. * I have not the slightest desire to see Association football introduced into this school, and will use all the influence I have to prevent its introduction,” said Mr W. A. Armour, ‘ headmaster of Wellington College, in a recent letter to the Management Committee of the Wellington Football Association, which had written to Mr Armour offering to discuss with him the question of obtaining for the college a suitable ground for Association football and the possibility of the introduction of the game into the college. “ In reply to your letter of May 3," wrote Mr Armour to the secretary of the association, “I wish to re- : iterate that I see no good purpose in having an interview with your : chairman and you. I have not the slightest desire to see Association football introduced into this school, and will use all the influence I have to prevent its introduction. Besides the lack of grounds mentioned in my last letter, there are very many other reasons why it is inadvisable to play Association football here. These I enumerated to your association on a previous occasion. I have considered it right to provide another winter game which is not a football game, and that is why hockey is played here during the winter as well as Rugby football. I shall be glad if you will in future refrain from addressing me on this subject.”

This letter was produced by Mr J. Meltzer, chairman of the Management Committee of the Wellington Football Association, when he and others waited upon the Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr W. E. Parry), as chairman of the National Council of Physical Welfare and Recreation, to protest against hostility to Association football in the secondary schools. Other members of the deputation were: Mr J. A. Milburn, chairman of the Council of the New Zealand Football Association; Mr F. Campbell, vice-president of the New Zealand Football Association; Mr W. J, I. Varney, a member of the Council of the New Zealand Association; Mr W, J. Arcus, secretary of the Wellington Association.

“ Not British Fair Play *

Association football was a good, true British game, said Mr Milbum, who led the deputation, but there appeared to be antagonism to it in some of the primary and secondary schools. The game was played in all countries of the world, and he saw no reason for the antagonism to it here. It was not desired by the . association that its game should oust any other sport, but in certain secondary schools there were boys who were not allowed to play Association football, though they had played it at primary school. That was not British fair play, Mr Campbell said they realised ■that Rugby* football was the national game, and they had no wish to alter that state of affairs, but Association football was not getting the consideration that other sports received, particularly at Wellington College. As far as football was concerned, the boys had either to play Rugby or stand on the bank, and standing on the bank would not improve their physique or advance their development.

The Minister: What is the real objection?

Mr Campbell: The headmaster says it is lack of grounds, but within the last two years he has introduced hockey. We have offered assistance to them. I think it was suggested that they should have the use of the Basin Reserve and other places, but Mr Armour is definitely against the idea.

Mr Meltzer said the deputation would not have had to come to the Minister if it could have fought the issue itself. Although it was only a matter of sport, there was an important principle involved—the liberty of the subject and the free expression of thought on the part of the youth of the country, though Mr Meltzer said he was speaking of Wellington only. An attempt was being made to stifle the self-expres-sion of the youth in Wellington. The Minister: It is not going to take place. “A Public Scandal ” Mr Meltzer; It has reached the stage of a public scandal. The provocation is such that I find it difficult to keep temperate The strength of our case, however, will not necessitate the use of invective on our part. I shall adhere to the facts. The view taken by the deputation, Mr Meltzer continued, was summed up in a statement from the Wellington Primary Schools Headmasters’ Association, which said: “It will be understood that there are limitations to the variety of teams for which adequate coaching and supervision can be provided. Yet there are many to whom, for various reasons, hockey and Association football make a greater appeal than Rugby, and an effort is made *o cater for these lads as far as possible. Association football in schools has in the past had to overcome an unjustifiable prejudice. but this is now happily very rare. It is recognised that there is room for different types of sport and, as far as circumstances allow, every facility is given to boys to play the game of their choice.’’

Mr Meltzer said that the Wellington Football Association was not'the rival of other codes, but wanted every boy to play the sport he preferred. To say that that would result in mediocrity was ridiculous. Both kinds of football were played in all the big schools and universities in England with the exception of Harrow.

In the course of his reply, the Minister said he wanted the people of this country to play, irrespective of the form of play. They must be free to choose what form their play would take, and so enter into it enthusiastically, and his objective was to afford them all the assistance he could. The matter raised by the deputation, he thought, was one for the Education Department. He knew that Mr P. Fraser, Minister in charge of tha. department, was 100 Ear cent, behind his proposals, and e suggested that the deputation should place the position before Mr Fraser, who might desire to call a conference of head teachers when he knew the position. The representations made, Mr Parry said, would be placed before the National Council.

service. " Tonier Sport?’ The Minister said that a kind of aristocratic idea had grown up that certain forms of sport were Mr Campbell: Tonier? The Minister: Yes, and the sport is not played for itself and the good it will do for the participant. The representatives of the two associations subsequently saw the Minister of Education (Mi P. Fraser), and, though he said he could not interfere with the internal workings of colleges, he agreed to facilitate a round-table conference, at which he would preside, between the members of the association and the headmasters of colleges in Wellington. The Football Association notified Mr Armour and Mr F. M. Renner, principal of Rongotai College, of the deputation and Mr Fraser’s offer, and invited them to attend such a conference. Mr Renner has signified his willingness to attend, but so far Mr Armour has not replied.