OPEN COLUMN.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume V, Issue 552, 4 October 1897, Page 2

OPEN COLUMN.

THE BUSII RUGBY UNION.

to the editor. Sir, —In your issues of the 27th and 29th September Messrs Monckton and Inglis, the two Woodville delegates, endeavor by abusing the officers of the Union and the Baliiatua delegates to whitewash the Woodville Football Club for its very shady action in connection with the Murphy protest. Mr Monckton considers it very sharp praetieo on the part of Bahiatua in calling tho last meeting of the union after it was agreed to let the matter go to the New Zealand Union. The meeting was called on the requisition of the Bresident of the Union, and the Diamond and Bahiatua Clubs. The reasons for sailing the meeting were clearly sot out in the requisition. No word whatever was received from the Union secretary to say that he could not he present, and the fact that Messrs Monckton and Inglis only found out they could not get to the meeting at 4 o’clock on the day fixed for it makes me believe they wore disinclined to face the music. Mr Monckton says "A club is only to have a number of Union officers to outvote all delegates from other clubs.” Mr Monckton is surely wandering. Each club in the Union lias the right of nominating a vice-president of the Union, but only one. Berliaps the W’oodville delegates forget how anxious they were to have tlieir own vice-Bresident present at the first meeting held in Woodville, but unfortunately he was out of town. Mr Monckton says Mr R. Smith had seen none of tho evidence produced at former meetings when he voted on the question. Mr Smith had before him at the meeting copies of all the evidence adduced in connection with the case; also fresh evidence Mr Monckton had not seen. Mr Inglis places the circumstances of the case very nicely before your readers, but he, too, is misleading Berbaps ho is forgetful and would like to hear the facts; at anyrate, here they are : The match played on the 14th October (in which Murphy played), was won by Bahiatua by 20 to 3, and Bahiatua was leading for the championship. The following Saturday Mangatainoka and Woodville met, the result being a draw'. Mangatainoka was still further behind Bahiatua, and Woodville had scored tlieir only point for the season. But the Mangataiuoka Club has a good general. He got a member of liis club to go to Murphy and endeavor to “ pump ” him as to the time lie had been in the district prior to piaying for i’aliiatua. Murphy saw through the little game and “ pulled the leg ” of the interviewer ; hut Mangatainoka were satisfied. The Union met on the 21st August. Mangatainoka handed this document to Woodville and the latter wrote out a protest and claimed the match played against Bahiatua. The protest was put in after the meeting started, and that was the first Bahiatua heard of it. Sportsmanlike on the part of Woodville, wasn’t it ? But then, of course, they did’nt know of it themselves before. The matter was not titled then as a Bahiatua delegate had a paper to show that Murpliy had been picked in good faith by the selection committee. Two weeks later two letters from Harrison w'ere put in showing Murphy was a bona fide resident; then Mr Monckton produced a letter from the same man denying the two previous ones. The match was awarded to Woodville on that evidence. Subsequently three sworn declarations were taken by independent persons that Murphy arrived in Eketahuna in time to qualify as a player. Another meeting was called, the declarations were put in, Murphy was examined by the delegates present, and then the Woodville and Mangatainoka delegates said thore was no fresh evidence I They would rather believe Harrison’s letter to Monckton, which the former admits was written after great pressure from Mangatainoka players. Harrison had never seen or spoken to Monckton. Bahiatua decided to appeal to the N.Z. Union, but having got more evidence they wished to place it before tlio local Union boforo finally forwarding the appeal. A meeting was formally called by the Secretary, and all the clubs were represented except Woodville. Tho Union finally decided to rescind tho previous resolution, which, wore it allowed to stay on the minuto hook of tho Union, would he a disgrace to Rugby football and to all true sportsmen. Trusting we shall never again bavo a scandal like this to deal with, I am, etc., Edwabd E. Lewis.