OTAGO RUGBY FOOTBALL UNION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2623, 22 June 1904, Page 57

OTAGO RUGBY FOOTBALL UNION.

The ordinary weekly meeting of the committee of the Otago Rugby Football Union was held on Zvlonclay, end was attended by Mr Ct. M'Laren (president, in the chaii), Messrs J. S. Hislop, W. A. "Wilkinson. P. J Pri«t, H. Harris, R H. Campbell. G. .Smith, I). M. Munro, P. S. K. Macassey, W. J. Wi!=on. J. Hui-olmon, A. C. Hanlon, V. G. Cavanagh, G. Phillips, and Dr Hunter. GENERAL. A transfer from the Clyde Club to the Cromwell Club was granted to C. H. MacGeorge, subject to the approval of the former club. On the motion of Mr Campbell, s subcommittee, consisting of Mes?:s Harris, Wilkinson, and Priest, -iva? appoiniod to report on tho question of fending a toam o.i a tour of the (?oldfield= this season. The match which was to have been played between the Southern Second and Peniaisula teams on Slaturday was awarded to the former by default. The Secretary of the Wairarapa Rugby Union wrote asking if tho match between Otago and Wairarapa could be played on either a Saturday or a Thursday, and suggesting Thmsday, September 8, as a suitable, day.— lt was decided tliat the dale a'roady "fixed for t'ue :.i~tch covld not bo altered. A telegram wa* received from the fecr-e-l?iy of tlve N.Z. Union stating thai tho account aga'uist J. Duncan was ]9s Bd, and that the other player; had pa ; d ihc- amounts du-e by them.— lt was stated that Mr Duncan had forwarded 3s 2d, which he alleg-ed was all that was due. Mr Campbell said tliat at a meetingi a

few weeks ago he had mad© some remarks about foul play, and wrs satisfied that his statements were quite justified. He was a spectator at the Sourhcrn-Kaikorai senior match on Saturday, end he must say that he did not s&o one single instance of foul play, and he gave the players credit for trying to meet referees in the matter of suppressing foul play. An appeal by the Alexandra Club against a decision of tho rlfereo in a match Alexandra v. Clyde, played on Saturday last, was referred to the .iefer-ee for a report, and it was decided that the appealing club be asked to forward the necessary deposit. With reference to ar. appeal lodged by the Alhambra Club againpb the decision of the referee in disallowing a try alleged to have been scored by the Alhambra Second in their match against the Zingari-Itichmond Second, the referee (Mr Pollard) wrote stating that in a scrambling rush into the Zingari-Richmond in-goal an Alhambra player fell on the ball in a sitting position, but before and after the ball was touched down his l&gs were protruding ov-er what the captain of the protesting team admitted to be the dead ball line. Mr Pollard stated that the cause of the trouble was that he was misled as to the reeognis<xl dead ball line. — It was decided to awa-id the try to j the Alhambra team. AX IXQUIRY. An inquiry was held into an allegation made thai during tho progress ot the Third Grade match between Pirates and Ravens- ■ bourne, played at Ravensbourne on May 8, i a player named Gram, of the home- team, , sitruck ~L. M'Donakl, of the Pirates team, a blow on the jaw, fracturing that member. . Grant stated that he never struck M'Donald, ; and the only way he could account for the I accident was that his knee must have struck M'Donald as they fell. A player named Robinson, of the Pirates Club, stated that ' he saw Grant strike the- blow. A great i deal of correspondence bearing on the i matter was read, and, after discussion, it j was decided to adjourn the inquiry for a ] [ week, with a view lo getting statements 1 from. Dr Closs (who attended to M'Donald), Coventry, of the Pirates, and W. Montgomery, of Ravensbourne. THE* KXGLJSH TEAM'S VISIT. On tlie motion of Mr Hutchi&on, it was decided that a deputation, consisting- of Messrs Hanlon, Macassey, Hislop, Dr 1 Hunter, and the mover, wait upon the 1 Mayor asking him to proclaim a half-holiday . on August 10 (the date of the match between 1 the English team and a Southland-Olago . team), and also interview the bank managers with a view to securing a bank holiday on , that occasion. | It was also decided, on the motion of Mr j Hutchison — " That the secretary write to the j City Council notifying that the! match be- j tween the British team and Southland and Otago, at which an exceptionally large j attendance is expected, will be played on j August 10, and asking if there is any pros- ', pect of the electric cars running to the Caledonian Ground on that date." A SOUTH ISLAND UNIOX. Mr Hutchison moved — " That the secretary write to the Canterbury Union asking ! whether it does not consider that the time j has arrived when, for the more adequate 1 protection of the interests of football in the j South Island, a South Island Union should ; be formecl." In speaking to the motion. Mi- Hutchison &aid it had been erroneously ' assumed in some quarters that this meant , the dissolution of the New Zealand Union, ; but hia object was to ensure that the ' existing conditions should be improved as , much s>s possible. On a former occasion he , had pointed out that in the allocation of important matches over which the New Zealand Union had control since Ihe Otago j Union had joined the New Zealand Union ' there had been five matches — all played in ' the North Island, and all at Wellington ' except one, which was played at Auckland, j All things being equal, the South Island ', was entitled to have tho match between tho ' British team and New Zealand played in the j South Island. There should be an equitable ; distribution of matches between the North ' and South Islancu.r j

The motion was seconded by Dr Hunter, who said he thought there were many reasons why in tho near future it would be nceeesary to have two unions in New Zealand. The first reason was the extent of New Zealand. At the present time travelling about the colony for football purposes seemed lo threaten to take up the whole season. He thought football would be greatly benefited if there were North and South Island Unions, because then they would see one stylo of football played against another. W.ith regard to the New Zealand Union, he noticed that under its auspices Rugby football had steadily been going to its funeral, and also that it had not been faithful in its profession lo theJ English Union. 110 thought it had been pointed out that in several matters the New Zealand Union was extremely lax. and, while professing to obey it had disobeyed. Mr Harris thought the opinion of the delegates should be obtained be-fore the Canterbury Union was approached.

The Chairman said he. was never in favour of a New Zealand Union, but, seeing that that body existed, and that the Otago Union was affiliated to it. the Otago Union should ■endeavour io stand by and help the New Zealand Union to improve football. He d'd not know that a South Island Union would do any gcod, and he supposed it would orly create a hostile feeling, and that would do no good. He sincerely believed that the New Zealand Union Committee wa,? actuated with one desire, and that was for the welfare of football. Tho only bad tiling he could see in the New Zealand Union was that there was too much " tripping " in connection with football.

After a little further discussion, it was resolved — " That in the opinion of thi« committee tho matter is one that should be brought before the annual meeting of delegatPs rather thin that it should be dealt with by the committee."

THE POSITION OF THB COMMITTEE.

The Chaanran said that reports had go no through the pre^ that certain members of tho committee had taken up a. certain attitude, and that was that members voted en bloc Since ho had been connected with the commitleo everything coald bo held up to daylight, and ho had always felt that tli" members v. ith whom lie had worked had h.a.l only one rksiie, and that was to study the welfare of football. He thought it was pxl'.fimely rearetlaWe that an attempt should be made to crcafcj a divi-ion in the cemmifcte-e. When they were c-lectfd as a committee they should be prepared to go . fOlf 01 ward shoulder to shoulder, and work for I ths best intercuts of football. Aa far a^ ho . was concerned, he did not attach any weight to what tine press said. With re^y.rd to> another matter, a statement had been made that certain clubs in town had held a private meeting, and was prepared to defy the ]

union by taking on a piayer in place o one injured. Re was extremely sorry t< think that any member of th© committee would go outside and take up an attitude to that effect, and for his own part he die not believe it. If any member of the com lTiittee could enlighten him on the mattei he would Le extremely pleased. Mr Phillips: Perhaps the chairman wil mention the clubs. The Chairmain: The Alhambra, Kaikorai, and Zingari-Riohmond. Mr Phillips and Mr Smith both denioc: , that any meetings of the Alhambra or Zin- " gari-lvichmond Club? Lad boon held. i Mr Wilkinson said he thought it -was ■ pretty well known to members of the com niittee that a meeting of captains was held. He knew nothing further than that there , was to be a meeting. i The Chairman : We have nothing definite , be-fore us, but if I thought any membei of the committee played th© part of traitoi outside I would resign my position tomorrow. Mr Macassey said he thought the Englisl: Union was decidedly wrong, hut at the sam< time the Otago Union was bound to follow "the ruling. The union must see that the , ruling was enforced, and if the clubs wishes I to see the ruling overridden they shoulc ! approach the English Union on the matter. Mr Wilkinson said he did not think the committee could do anything until the c-lubi had taken action. Mr Cavanagh and Mr Phillips said the i point referred to by the chairman had never [ been brought before tho Southern or Alhambra as clubs. Mr Campbell said he would like to know ' if any member of the committee had been present at a meeting held by the clubs. He understood there had been at least two meetings, and he did not think any member of the committee had any right to sit at committee meetings if he supported clubs in that matter. The discussion was then allowed to drop.