O.R.F.U. COMMITTEE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2840, 19 August 1908, Page 65

O.R.F.U. COMMITTEE.

The ordinary weekly meeting of the CK.r.TJ. Committee was hel<* on Monday.

THE BAILWAY TBOTJBLE.

A member of the quartet of Y.M.OuY. footballers suspended el the last meeting of the committee because they did not appear to answer to a. charge of ch-inking feeer in a train while travelling from a football match at Mo3giei, appeared before the committee and asked that he bo hcaixl. He stated that he was not aware that he was to be summoned before the committed at its previous meeting ; hence his nonappearance. The only liquor he had F&en partaken of on the train was herbal bcor or hop beer, of which they had purchased three bottles. So far as he was aware, there was no malted beer on the train. Another of the suspended four was also present. He stated that he had purchased three quart bottles of hop beer from a store in Mosgiel, and he, Price, Hazelwood,

Fox, and another traveller on the train drank it while standing on the carriage platform. As for as he knew, there was mo beer consumed on the train. He carried the bottles quite- openly from the store — tyro in one hand and one in the other. It was resolved that the matter be held over in order to allow Mr M'Laren to make certain inquiries in Mosgiel. - The captain of the Fifth Grade Dunedin team, which Travelled by train from Mosgiel en the evening of July 4, asked that the insinuation that the members were consuming beer on the train be given a public denial. — Consideration of the letter ■was deferred for one week. OTHEB INQUIRIES.

An inquiry was held into the circumstances of an incident reported by Mr R. C. Cairney, referee in the Third Grade match Pirates v. Southern, who stated that 'he had ordered a Southern player off the field for making insulting remarks and questioning his rulings. — The player in question was present, and acknowledged tho offence He said he was in a temper at the time, and thought the referee's decisions were wrong. He was prepared to abide by the committee's ruling. — Tho referee said a number of Southern players were making object icmable remarks during

the progress of the game. — The captain of

the Southern team said he heard no objectionable language during the match on the part of other players. — On Mr Harris's motion, it was resolved that the player who was ordered off be suspended for the first two playing Saturdays of next season. — Mr Maodonald remarked that it w-as a pleasure to have a man coming forward and acknowledging 1 an offence in this way: it was much more straightforward than the course often adopted by footballers. A similar inquiry was held concerning a letter received from Mr J. Connolly, tho referee in the Third Grade match Dunedin v. Kaikorai, who reported "that he had ordered a Dunedin pla-ver off the field for disputing his ruling. — The player acknowledged the offen.ee. which, foe 6a id, was really accidental. He thought &• decision given was wrong, and, as captain, argued

<hhe matter with the refers. He was sorry

that there had been an infringement of the ?ules. — It was resolved that Stewart be

3a*T ll m U *i9o9 r *** PlayiDg Satur "

GEXERAL. It was revived that the appeal of the ISase-by Prospectors Football Club aga.inst a decision of the Maniototo Committee, which allowed a draw in the match Nasebv v. St. Bathans, be dismissed.— lt was pointed out that, according to al the evidence available, the player in question had been niT?^^ s^ 6 ? from Matakanui Club to the St. Bathans Club v of the High School Football Giub asked permission to send a team to Invercargill to play the Southland High School on Friday next— A master wrote asking that a team be allowed to play Warfcaki High School at Oamaru on Saturday, and that the union pay a part* of the boys railway fares to that town.—Permission granted; £2 10s voted towards the cost of the team, travelling to Oamaru. It was revolved that, for charity purposes, a Senio 1 - and Junior eeven-a-side tournament be held, to be played on the 12th and i9th September. It was decided that the question of appointing a manager for the Otago representative team be held over for one week, and that the (earn include 20 members — in other words, 15 picked players and five emergencies. Jt was further decided that the question of appointing a trainer tor the team be held over for one week.