FOOTBALL

Otago Witness, Issue 3713, 12 May 1925, Page 8

FOOTBALL

RUGBY BY FULL-BACK. All Black Munro iniured his knee again in the University-Southern match, and will not play for a few Saturdays.. L. G. Townsend, who played at first fivefig hth for Otago last season, is again playing for the Alexandra Club. C. Diack, who played wing three-quarter for Univer*ity, is filling the position of centre threequarter for the same club. Feeling reference to the “passing West’ of many stalwarts of Rugbv during the past twelve months was made by Mr H. Frost (president) at the annual meeting of the IJJew Zealand Rugby Union. Among the number referred to were: Dr A. K. Newman, M.L.C., past-president and a loyal supporter of the game; Dr H. E. Hiddlestone, of Christchurch, an old placer and referee, and a member of last year s Appeal Committee; and Mr George Williams, a member of the 1888 New Zealand team which toured Great Britain. Mr Frost stated tffat the late Mr Williams was an interested spectator both at the depar ture and return of the 1924 All Blacks. Sincere sympathy was extended to relatives and as a mark of Respect to the memory of the deceased gentlemen all delegates Btood in silence. .. In the opinion of Mr H. Frost, president of the New Zealand Rugby Union, a further effort should be made to keep for Rugbv’s sole use the All Black jersey and fern leaf emblem, and he thinks that if all other means fail the assistance of Parhment should be sought to safeguard Rugby s undoubted rights in this connection. “This uniform.’’ he says. “ was first worn by our, All Blacks in 1884, 41 years ago_. This team played in New South Wales, and fi ve Otago players were included. It won every match of the eight played. , . ChaTlio Seeling, the great forward of the 1905 All Blacks, who went over to the League in 1910, and played for the Wigan team in England for years, recently had a benefit match played for him, and two other stalwarts of tno League code, Coldrick, a Welsh international, and Walford, an old member of the club.

During the discussion on questions of finance at the annual meeting of delegates, held last week, Mr Prendeville moved that the Management Committee be direoted to supply dotailed statements of each match played in future, and the motion was carded. Mr It. Harris (Otago) drew attention (o the item of £740 sot down in the expenditure for assembling and outfitting the New Zealand team for England. He pointed out that the English Rugby Union Dad made a profit of £21.090 out of tho AH Black tour, and ho did not see that {i should cost Now Zealand anything. Mr O. 11. Pownall (Wanganui) said New Zealand was not a poverty-stricken union. A pargain had been made with the English Union, and it would bo bad form to go lack on that now. Mr B. 9. Dean pointed Out Uint the English Rtiptby Union had blade tho N.Z.R.U. a coDTosnion of £3OO, »nd had aho voted them £3OO for tho week Whioh was saved in England by the trip through Canada. A bargain had been made, and should ho adhered to. A motion by Mr Harris that a demand should be ftode upon the English Rugby Union for

the £7CO was defeated. Had the informa, tion given by Mr Dean been included in the balance sheet, probably there would have been no argument over the point. At the annual meeting of the Ne\v Zealand Rugby Union the Hawke’s Bay* dele gate moved —“The union holding the Ranfurly Shield shall have the option of accepting . a challenge, in connection with matches to He played by the union’s team whilst on tour. After discussion the matter was held over for a year. At present, challenges have to be in by July 1, and approved by the New Zealand Union. Dr Sinclair, New Zealand’s full-back in 1923, who is now residing in Taranaki, was nominated for a seat on the Management Committee of the Taranaki Rugby Union, but he did not score enough votes. A long discussion took place at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Rugby Union regarding the replacement of injured players during a game. In England no replacements are allowed under any consideration. It is against the laws of the game and against the spirit of the game. The meeting failed to come to a definite conclusion. CHARGE BY SCOTTISH UNION. At a meeting of the International Rugby Board at Edinburgh a few weeks ago a grave charge was made against the Welsh Rugby Union that they had definitely and flagrantly broken the laws of amateurism and had professionalised themselves and their players. This sensational allegation was the result of the special training indulged in at Porthcawl by the Welsh team prior to the international game with the *a!l Blacks at St. Helens on November 29 It will be remembered that the whole Welsh team, with reserves, spent a week in training at Porthcawl. According to the Athletic News, the Scottish Union alleges that on that occasion the Welsh Union professionalised themselves by the following acts: — 1. Paying train fares for those players amounting to nearly £2O. 2. Paying taxi fares for players amounting to £6. 3. Paying £6B for hotel expenses for players at Porthcawl; and 4. Paying £l2O to players in lieu of wages they had lost through being in training at Porthcawl instead of following their ordinary vocations. In an interview Mr Walter Rees, the secretory of the Welsh Union, was guarded in his statements. “Of oourse,” he said, “the players had the special training at Porthcawl, and the Welsh Union paid their hotel expenses. But to suggest that the Welsh Union paid them wnges for work lost is ‘absolute buncombe.’ ” It is curious how the Scottish Union officials obtained the figures, as no balance sheet has yet been certified by the responsible officials of the Welsh Union (Dr Rooyn Jones, Mr James Jarrett. and Mr Walter Rees) with regard to the New Zealand match. There the matter now rests, as apparently the Welsh reprsentatives on the International Board were ablo to oonvinoe their colleagues that there had been no offence.

INVITATION TO FRENCH UNION. WELLINGTON, May 6. The New Zealand Rugby Union tonitf* decided to cable an invitation to the Froneh Union to aond a team here in 1926. Nomination! of All Blacks for Sydney will close on May 16. The team will probably be ohoson on Saturday, and will play

against Wellington on the King’s Birthday, and leave for Sydney next day. MEETING OF EXECUTIVE. Ifie weekly meeting of the executive of the Otago Rugby Football Union was held on the 4th. The president (Dr Evans) occupied the chair. A deputation from the Referees’ Association waited on the meeting with a view to securing direct representation on the union. Mr A. J. Haub said his association thought there should be a connecting link between the two bodies as points often cropped up in which it was thought the association should have representation. It very often happened that the first the association knew of things connected with it was through the reports in the papers. Again, in the case where a man had been ordered off a young referee who had to appear before the union would feel more confident if he felt that he had a backing. In answer to a question Mr Haub said he thought the asoointion would be only too pleased to have a member of the union on ths referees’ executive, though he did not kriow whether the by-laws would permit that. The deputation then withdrew. Mr H. Harris said that the Canterbury Rugby Union appointed the president of the Referees’ Association an associate member of the union executive, with no power to vote. He would move that the president of the Otago Referees’ Association be asked to accept a seat as associate member on the executive. He thought this was in the interests of the game. Mr H. H. S. White seconded the motion, which was carried. The Secretary of the Football Accident Reserve Fund advised that at a meeting of the delegates it was decided to recom mend to the executive that in tho second round of the flag matches the admission be increased to 9d, 3d of this amount to go towards the Accident Fund. Mr J. Wootton 6aid that he did not think the public would object to this. He would move that for the second round the price of admission to the grounds be fixed at 9d. , Mr Harris said they were anxious that something should be done to put the fund on a better footing. Mr G. A. Nelson said he did not think the public would have any hesitation in paying the extra 3d when they saw where the money was going to. They were not asking for anything that was unfair to the public, and if the charge were passed it would still be the lightest for any football union in the dominion. Tho motion was carried.

The Hon. Secretary of the New Zealand Uuniversity Rugby Football Council forwarded the itinerary (as revised) of the Sydney University team. The dates suggested were:—May 20, play Victoria College; 23, first test at Dunedin; 27, Otago University ; 30, second test at Christchurch : June 3. Canterbury College: 6, third test at Auckland; 10, Auckland University College. Mr Harris moved that the revised itinerary be accepted and tho terms be agroed to. —The motion was carried.

Mr H. Harris reported on the proceedings at the annual meeting of tne New Zealand Rugbv Union, held last week. A lot of time, ho aaid, had been wasted over the discussion on tho Ranfurly Shield match, and it wa§ only a trivial thing. Tho motion put by Hawke’s I)av had been withdrawn, and the matter of challenging had been left in the hands o i the Com-

mittee of Management. Objection had also been mado to tne Referees’ Association adopting rules without fii3t submitting them to the council. It seemed absurd, Mr Harris continued, for referees to meet and say that they were doing so and so without informing tho Management Committee. They should first submit the matter to the governing body. It had been decided to send a team to Australia, and immediately on its return a team would com© from Australia. It seemed overdone, but they were committed to it. The team that would go to Australia would be tho best available one. The travelling was going to be fairly heavy this year. The following matches had been arranged for the Otago touring team: —Against Canterbury on Saturday, September 5, at Christchurch; against Hawke’s Bay, on Wednesday, September 9, at Napier; against Wellington, on Saturday. September 12, at Wellington; against Wairarapa, on Wednesday, September 16, at Carterton. Southland suggested playing Otago at Invercargill on .Tiily 29, on a Wednesday, go it would not interfere with the flag matches. Mr Parata was anxious to fake a Maori team Home, but according to reports it was not likely that the English Union would extend an invitation. The speaker concluded bv saying that, the Payne trophy match would be played in Christchurch on August 29. It was the only date that could be arranged, and it would not affect Otago very much. The delegates (Messrs Harris and Nelson) were thanked for their report. The Secretary reported that the takings on Saturday were as follow:—Carisbrook £B9 0s 3d, Caledonian £2B 10s 9d. The total takings were £l3l 10s 9d and the expenses £9 6s 6d.