THE AUSTRALASIAN CONGRESS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2921, 9 March 1910, Page 63

THE AUSTRALASIAN CONGRESS.

OFFICIAL REPORT.

The delegates to the conference between representatives of the New Zealand, Queensland, and New South Wales Rugby Unions report to the New South Wales Union that the following recommendations to the unions named were' agreed to thereat : APPOINTMENT OF REFEREES. " That a list of not less than three local referees be submitted by the home union to the visiting team, who may ask for the names to be supplemented. In the case of test matches in Australia, the election may be made through the home union from referees submitted by Queensland or New South Wales Rugby Unions." INTERCHANGE OF RULINGS. The suggestion made by the New South Wales Union, that the word " forthwith" be inserted after the woids "'shall be" in 1907 conference resolution was agreed to, the recommendation now reading: " That all decisions on points of the game given by any of the three unions, and all decisions received by any union from the International Board or the Rugby Football Union, shall be forthwith communicated to the other unions." REPRESENTATION OF A LAWMAKING BODY.

Correspondence regarding the proposal for the formation of an Imperial council or board and the various unions' replies thereon were placed on the table. A long discussion i took pace in regard to the position occupied by the International Board in regard to tho laws of the game, and in regard to the representation of the home unions on the board. The matter of the representation of Australasia on the body that was responsible for the interpretations of the laws of the game was debated, and it was finally agreed to make the following recommendation to the three unions:—

"That representation should be made to the Rugby Football Union, asking it to secure, if possible, for the combined affiliated unions of New Zealand, Queensland, and New South Wales representation on l the International Board in regard to matters connected with the amendment, alteration, or interpretation of the laws of the game." The matter of the formation of air Australasian Board was. also discussed, and it was decided to take no further action. COURSE OF ACTION IN CASES OF PLAYERS "ORDERED OFF."

After debate the following recommenda tions were agreed upon:—

1. That a common course of action be adopted in regard to players ordered off the field in matches between New Zealand,

New South Wales, Queensland, and Aus tralia.

j 2. In all such cases an inquiry shall be held by the union in whose jurisdiction the match is played, and at the expense of the | union holding the inquiry. I 3. The union holding the inquiry shall, in case the player ordered off is not one of its members, take full evidence of the incident, and forward it, together with its opinion, to the union concerned for adjudication. 4. Pending decision any player shall be disqualified from playing. j Conference resolved that the union be ! recommended to adopt the resolutions adopted at the first sitting of this conference regarding appointment of referees, interchange of rulings, and the course of action in regard to players ordered off in matches between New Zealand, New South Wales, Queensland, and Australia, tog-ether with the following resolution regarding general disqualifications as an agreement between the three unions:— i GENERAL DISQUALIFICATION. Any disqualification or suspension for any period exceeding two months, imposed by any of the three unions, shall be communicated to the others, and endorsed by them. LAWS OF THE GAME. In a preliminary discussion on the above maitter it was agreed to recommend to the ' three unions that the Rugby Football Union be asked to recodify the laws and embody in them the manv rulings given from time to time j Law 1. —The proposal of the New Zeai land Union that " The game shall be I played in four spells of 20 minutes each, ' with an interval after the second spell," i was declared lost, New Zealand dissenting. The New Zealand delegates urged that the climatic conditions in certain parts of the Dominion were such that the side that played with the prevailing wind for a period of 45 minutes had the game won, and that 20-minute spells would militate against the element of luck that existed at ; present. It was eventually decided that j Law 4 be altered to read as under: 4. The captains of the respective sides shall toss for the choice of in-goal or tho j kick-off. Each side shall play an equal ] time from each in-goal. The period of | play shall be divided into two or four equal spells; and a match shall be wno by a majority of points; if no points be scored, or the number be equal, the match shall be drawn. " Held" is when the ball is held by opposing players, and includes the case when the holder of the ball is held by one or more players of the opposite side so that he cannot pass it. The above definition to take the place of the definition of " A tackle and held" in the Rubgy Football Union's present handbook. Also decided that Law 6 (c) be deleted. A "scrummage" was altered to read : " A scrummage which can only take place in the field of play is formed by one or more players from each side closing round the ball when it is on the ground, or by ■ their closing up in to allow the ball to be put on the ground between them. In every ease when the referee orders a scrummage he shall put the ball into the scrummage." The above was carried by New Zealand and Queensland for, and New South Wales against. . A try was altered to read:— A tiy is gained by the player who first has his hand on the ball on the ground in his opponents' in-goal with the intention of scoring." , , A touch-down was altered to read: "A touch-down is when a player touches down as above intentionally in his own in-goal." j << a A fair catch was altered to read: A fair catch is a catch made direct from a. kick, or knock on, or throw forward, by one of the opposite side; the catcher must immediately claim the same by making a mark with his heel at the snot where, he made the catch or by calling out mark Law 5 (b) was altered to read: ( Alter anv score by the side scored against. Law 7 was altered to read: A player is placed off-side if he crosses an imaginary line drawn through the back of the scrummage on his own side while the ball is in the scrummage, or if the ball has been I . must be behind the ball when The' abovA alteration was carried—New Zealand and Queensland for, and New South Wales against. Law 8 (c) was altered to read: When one of his own side is lir front of mm with the ball." «<««. Law 8 (d) was altered to read: - When one of his side is in front of him, having | kicked the ball when behind him." ! An off-side player, etc. (Law 8) was ' altered to read: "An off-side player shall not play the ball, nor actively nor .passively obstruct an opponent, nor approach nor wilfully remain within 10 yards of an opponent waiting for the ball." . , I Law 10 was altered by the omission- ot words: "The opposite side may come up to, and charge • . • the charge may be disallowed," and the substitution of the following in lieu thereof: - "The opposite side may come up to, but, ■ until the ball has been kicked, must not I pass beyond a line drawn through the i mark and parallel to the goal-lines. It any of the opposite side pass hevorrd the line before the kick has been taken, the kicker's side may claim that the kick be re-taken." • Law 11 (k) was altered to read: _ Not in a scrummage wilfully obstruct his opponent by being on his opponents' side of the imaginary lin.& drawn through the back of the scrummage." The above was carried—New Zealand and Queensland for, and New South Wales It was decided to substitute tho followin"- in place of "The place of infringement 1 shall be taken as the mark, and any one of the side granted the free kick may ! place or kick the ball," in Law ll t after I "Any of the side granted the free kick ! may place or kick the ball as if a mark i had been made: I " (I) If the act has been committed in i the field of play at the place of infringe- | ment; j " (II) If in touch at a spot in the field I of play -syds from the -touch line, and ! opposite to the place of infringement; | " (III) If in touch in goal or in in-goal j nt a spot on the goal line syds from the ' nearer corner flag."

Law 12. New South Wales Union's proposal that Rule 12 read as under: '' The ball is in touch when it or a player carrying it touch or cross the touch line ; it

shall them belong to the side which did not cause it to go into touch. One of the side . . . methods'," was not agreed to —New South Wales for, New Zealand and Queensland, against. Law 12. An alternative proposal from New South Wales that the words "except when carried in" be. omitted from the rule was also lost.

The proposal of New Zealand that Rule \2 (a) be altered to read: "Throwing i l .; out eo as to alight at right angles to and at least syds from the touch line; or," was adopted.

Law 12 (b) was altered to read as follows: "If the referee blows his whistle because the baH has been thrown out so as not to alight at right angles to or at least syds from the' touch line, the opposite side shall bring it in as in 12 (b); but the whistle is not to be blown, if any." Law 13. It was agreed to omit the words "as to charging, etc." Law 15 vvais altered to read: "After a touch down, or if the ball, after crossing the goal line . . . and equi-distant from the touch line."

Law 19.—1 t was agreed that the latter part of Law 19, headed " Other ■'irregularities not provided for," be deleted, and that m lieu thereof the following, to be called Law 20, be substituted: "If when a law is broken, or any irregularity of play occurs, arry advantage is gained therefrom by the opposing side, the referee shall not blow his whistle, but shall allow the game to proceed; but if no advantage is gained by such «ide, and if no other penalty is provided, the ball shall be taken back to the place whe-re the breach' of the law or irregularity of play occurred, and a srummage formed there."

The conference then decided to recommend to the three unions that the Football Union be asked to make the following alterations in the laws of the game. Also that the conference recommend to the_ three unions that the Rugby Football Union be asked, in the event of the- above not meeting with its approval as alterations to the laws of the game, that permission be given to the unions of New Zealand, Queensland, and Now South Wales, irr view of the local and climatic conditions, to make the foregoing alterations in the laws of the game, such alterations to be operative only in matches played under tho jurisdiction of the three unions named, and not to apply to fixtures with bodies outside of Australia and New Zealand, in which cases the laws as issued by the Rugby Football Union to govern the contests.

Also, that the conference ' recommend that the three unions be recommended to ask the Rugby Football Union that, in the event of the above two recommendations not meeting with the approval of the 'Rugby Football Union, that permission be given to the three union® to make the following alterations in the laws of the game, to be operative only in the jurisdiction of the three unions as above:

Amendment to Law 12 (a) as above; Altered definition of " held," and amission of definition of tackle," and Law 6 (c). It was further agreed that, in making the above requests, it be urged that the alterations suggested do not affect the fundamental principles of the game, a.nd that the proposals are made to meet the local conditions.