HOROWHENUA RUGBY UNION

Otaki Mail, 2 June 1930, Page 1

HOROWHENUA RUGBY UNION

I I MEETING. OF. DISTRICT COUNCIL. jjj I The weekly meeting of the HoroJ»i whenua Rugby District Council took "jj place on Tuesday evening, when there i . were present: Messrs J. ilcGill (Presi\U dent) 11. J. Jones, G. Mitchell, L. Mc- | Garthy, M. McLean. W. Childs, S, • Elliott, S. Hooper, J. W. Himiner, H. ' Richards, R. Watts, J. Casey and M. ! Winiata. j A FINE POINT. ' | I. The secretary of the Foxton Cluij • j wrote us follows in regard to the dis- ! qualification of.D. Tatana; "I am di- ! feeted to ask your Council if this play- . ij or is" eligible to play next Saturday, j jfj the 24th inst. If so,- then this club • will enter -a protest on the grounds J that he has not- fulfilled, the period of j suspension imposed upon him, namely, « three playing Saturdays, which'we cou- ! sider is three playing Club matches." ! Tatana had stood down tor two j Club Saturdays and one rep. match ■ > Saturday. | The secretary read the minute pn ! i tho subject which showed that TaI tana ."suspended-'for three playing ; Saturdays, May 3rd, 10th and 17th." < Mr. Casey said lie read: these dates out ! to, the meeting that'decided on the i suspension in the hope that the Council . I would relent in regard to the 17th as it was the date of the rep. match, but they did not and agreed to these three dates.

I The President: The time''to object [ was at that meeting. The minute is plain enough. BOYS' TRAVELLING EXPENSES. , : Mr Procter asked whether the Couuiftcil would grant anything .towards the expenses of the High School team Who were going to Palmerston to plav in the curtain-raiser before the British match. They had to travel by bus and were not all Levin boys, but were representing the district. "l Mr .Jones said his experience was that the boys were always able to pay for themselves. -Other members considered the Union could not afford to make a grant and that the matter was one for the N.Z. Union. ■ The President .said it' should have been brought up earlier. No action was taken, PROCEDURE AT ENQUIRIES. Mr Jones moved his -notice of motion, That when players are ordered off the field, the referee's report be taken as a statement of fact without question, and that the President be the only person to interrogate the player or players charged. Mr Jones said he would have rircferred to move 'this motion when Mr Robinson its chief'opponent was pros-, cut. The referee was the only judge of what took place on the field. If that was so, why ask him any questions further than his report. If they asked the player concerned any questions, he was bound to give a denial. If there was any need for these enquiries, let a small committee of investigation be set up. Mr Hooper seconded the motion. Mr McLean: What is the good of bringing the player up at all? Mr Jones:! hold that nobody should be brought here. It is a waste at time.

The "President: The referee orders a player off the field. When the referee comes here lie may speak in favour of:-that player, and his statement would have'a bearing on the case. Although he has put a man off lie might lik"- to err on the side of leniency. Mr Jones: He can put it in his letter. I do object to the referee coming here and having.to stand in the dock as it were. The President: It means if this motion is carried that there is no need for the referee to appear. Mr Hooper ..'trough- supported the motion. It was absolutely ridiculous for the Council to expect the referee to put in a report and then come to "the meeting and contradict himseb. The refctce was brought before the Council and almost put in the wrong by tho questions that were hurled at him from all quarters. Mr Procter said the present procedure had always been followed. Mr McCarthy: AH other councils do j the same. i Mr Jones: .That is no reason why we should not set a lead to other Counei's- ' . , x , .. , Mr Richards agreed with the motion up to a point. The Council had to. get tiie full facts before- it. It had to have, l lie referee and player before it to get down to bedrock before it could deal with the case. . Mr Childs objected to the right cf questioning being reserved to Hie President. It meant that the rest or the Council was being slighted. Every member had the right to ask question*. -., ' Mr Hooper: They can ask any question but they must go through the j chairman. The seere'arv read the rule of thi' Combined Union on the subject under which.the Council was working. It v,~* as follows: . . "Rule 2-i. —In every case m wci.-i a player has been ordered off th? 1-cM i-v a referee during the progress of a game the matter shall be * dealt with as follows: - - (a) The referee shall forward to the secretary so as to reach him not later than 48 hours after the happening of the event, a written state-ment-setting out fully the circumstances under which he plaver off the field and a copy or sncii report shall be read at the next meeting of the Management Committee following the receipt there- j •of. , /,, . r -fb) Such player may personally-i. ■neb bit mentioned meeting, aJHISi diatelV after the-reading of the report or bv letter- delivered to toe secretary "prior to the commencement of such meeting, request that he be furnished with a copy of such, report and that inquiry into his ea*s be postponed. The player sha.i thereupon 'be furnished with a copy of the report and the enquiry po*t-poned-to a date fixed by the Man- j agcraent Committee. "(e) Pending adjudication or tors \ " ■matter bv' the Management Committee. such" player sua!! be suspended. 1 ' ■ (d) -Subject to the foregoing th-i ' Management Committee may adjudi-cate'on-ihe- matter in the .absence sti . the player.". ..■•-..../ Members pointed cut that, ---nadi-r tbw rule, fhe' Council had ■■ been_ following' wrong' procedure J', v requiring the attendant* of referees and players. -. Mr Mitchell ■ asked if tl"-r* was boja nMsolutiorf on the-minute* which said that playters-'yharged ttfth -uffeM.es,, must appear bffore. the Conned. Mr Procter: Yes, 'and the player is until lie -'-docs ■ appear. ■_ . '■-:■: : -Tbc-'- secretary -said.'-the role-he had .read ont implied that the player must be in attendance. ' ' The President''thought i >: followed, in- the ■■past"-should eontisue. ■ Mr'Jon??'-* motion was lost by five votes, to four. Mr Jones thW'tnoved'thai-Bute 24,:

as read by the .secretary, be adhered to in future. This was seconded by .Mr Hooper and carried by the same majority. CASE RE-OPENED. The case of G. Ropatu, dealt with earlier in the evening, was then reopened, and he was suspended for oiiii playing Saturday under Rule 21.