NEW ZEALAND RUGBY UNION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2511, 30 April 1902, Page 52

NEW ZEALAND RUGBY UNION.

WELLINGTON. April 25. The annual meeting of tho New Zealand Rugby Union was held to-night. Twentyfcix delegates were present, representing all the affiliated unions except Wanganui and Taranaki. An acrimonious discussion took place on the proposition that the Manawatu Rugby Union be readmitted to menibeiship of the union without formally applying to the union in writing for admisson. The Chairman ruled, under by-law 26, that the union could be admitted, and the motion for readmission was then agreed to b} r 25 votes to 1. The report and balance sheet (already circulated) were adopted. A lot of discussion took place about the way in which the Ntw Zealand team of 1901 was quartered in Wellington. Strong statements and taidy withdrawals were the principal characteristics of the debate. Mr Norris eaid he thought it wrong to have allotted a match with the New South Wale 4 team to Wanganui in preference to Wairar.vpa, Kawke's Bay, or Taianaki. It was explained that the match wa., originally fixed to be played against a combined team from Wanganui and Taranaki. The latter union ro fused to play a combined game, so the match was given to Wanganui, because for two years it had been the strongest union. The re-eleotion of hit Excellency the Governor as patron was carried by acclamation ; alfo the election of Mr J. T. M. Hayhurot (ot Canterbury) as president. Vicepresidential nominations as received from the local unions were formally agreed to. When the matter of appointing- a secretary came up for discussion Mr A. M. De Costa intimated that he, being about to take a trip to England, would Jot be able to M:and for re-election to thp office he had filled for so many year-'. He thanked the delegates for the way in which they had supported him up to the present time. Mr A. C. Norris was then elected to the position of secretary. Mr I. Hyams was re-elected treasurer without opposition. On the question of the disposing of Lord Ranfurly's cup, a number oi suggestions were put forward. Mr Goldie proposed that I/ord Raufurly be asfeed to consent to the cup being- made a challenge one for competition between representative teams of New South Wales, New Zealand, and Queensland. Mr M'Kenzie moved that an uiterunion annual tournament br hfld in Wellington to decide the location of tli« cup. The opinion was expressed in iep;ji-d to the last suggestion that it would be a mistake to make definite location, and tlic notion wa-s altered to that i ftVrt by consent. Mr Dixon suggested that the cup be allotted to some union that was considered to be the strongest, and then let the oUiert play that one for possession of the cup. Mr Dixon withdrew his motion in favour of Mv Goldie' s, which he considered to he the only feasible echeme brought forward. Mr N. Galbraith moved as an amendment that the New Zealand Union's Management Committee be asked at the end of the fceabon to allot the cup to the union supposed to be the champion one. and thereafter any team could challenge the holders to a game on their own ground, the visitors to pay their own expenses. Mr Murray expressed tho opinion that the cup was given for competition in New Zealand. He thought that tho only way to satisfactorily dispose of the cup was to classify the unions in the same way as wan dou« by the English cricket unions. Such classification should he for purposes of the cup competition only. He would move to that effect as a further amendment. Mr Goldie'e motion was finally lost by 14 \ otes to 7 It was decided to refer the question to a sub-committee consisting of Messrs Fache, Thomson, and Norris, to report to a subsequent meeting of the council of delegates. Mr Coffey moved that his, motion on belialf of the Canterbury Rugby Union in favour of approaching the English Rugby Union with a request to facilitate by an alteration of its condition as to professionalism the sending of a New Zealand football team to England be postponed until Friday of next week. Mr Isaacs moved as an amendment that the question foe referred to _ the affiliated unions for expressions of opinion on the proposition. The amendment was lost, and the motion for postponement was earned. The amendment was carried by 13 votes to 9 on a show of hands, but the voting of the larger unions killed it on a second vote. The notice of motion by Mr Kitching (Nelson) that a rule of the union be made epecifying that unions of populous places playing games with smaller unions be required to donate one-third of its net proceeds to the smaller body was postponed until next week's meeting. Mr Goldie gave notice of motion for tipxl meeting that affiliation of sub-unions to the main provincial body be insisted upon in each province. Mr A. E. Asquith brought up the matter of ihe retirement of Mr A. M. De Costa, whom ho referred to as one of the hest and mopt faithful officers the New Zealand Union had ever had. For over seven yeare he had filled the post of secretary, and for ■JL_/Ym aidtahlo. jaetwd, wilhfluic **w_**»»id.

lie thought that the union should give some memento to the retiring secretary, and therefore he moved — "That this meeting place on the minutes its appreciation of the services of Mr De Coata as its secretary for a term of seven years, and trust that his trip to the Old Country may be an enjoyable one, and that the union vote him the sum of £25." This was carried. Consideration of the proposals of the Wellington Rugby Union as to cla&sifieation and the trip of a New Zealand team to England was postponed until next Friday.