SPORTING NEWS

Southland Times, Issue 19575, 12 June 1925, Page 6

SPORTING NEWS

FOOTBALL REFEREES’ ASSOCIATION WEEKLY MEETING HELD. The weekly meeting of the Rugby Referees’ Association, held last evening in the Committee-room at Rugby Park, was attended by some 24 members. Mr W. Duncan occupied the chair. Apologies for absence were received from Messrs D. K. Torrance and W. Baird. A fair amount of correspondence was received, including a letter from the Rugby Union on the question of bad language at matches. The Chairman said that there had been many complaints on this question, and referees should order off any players they found using such language. Mr G. Withers explained that a mistake had occurred in the Association’s report, by which the offending teams were made out to be the Star and Technical. In fairness to the latter team, he would like to say that the bad language had not occurred in this match at all. He had been approached by several Technical School masters, and they had taken a serious view of the matter. The Technical team could be exonerated entirely. Mr A. H. Stott said that he had controlled the game in question, and there had been no suggestion of bad language. The Technical team was very well behaved. Mr T. McCarroll gave notice of motion that the minute in the Association’s records naming the Technical and Star teams as the offenders be deleted. Mr W. Dey mo.ved that a letter be sent to the Press for publication, stating that the Technical team was exonerated. It was also decided to write the two teams and the Rugby Union to that effect. A letter was received from A. F. Kennard stating that no referees would be required in the Central District for next Saturday. L. Sei vers, Secretary of the New Zealand Rugby Referees’ Association, wrote that the present rule on the ‘‘no charge against freekicks” system should be continued until an official notification was received from the English Rugby Union. T. I'. Finnerty, Bluff, was proposed as a new member of the Association by Mr T. McCarroll and was elected unanimously. Mr McCarroll also brought up the question of players using false names. That must not be allowed, and referees should not condone players doing so. Mr McDonald said he thought the thing was outside the Association's jurisdiction. Mr A. H. Stott held the same opinion, and moved that they write the Rugby Union asking for some instruction. Mr McCarroll seconded this motion, and it was put and carried. Some time was then spent in an interesting discussion on various knotty points in refereeing, and Mr W. Dey read a much appreciated paper on scrum work. FIXTURES ARRANGED. The following fixtures were accepted for next Saturday:— SENIOR GRADE. Pirates v. Star, Rugby Park No. 1., 2.30 p.m. Referee Mr A. H. Stott; Line-umpires, Messrs W. Russell and J. Winsloe. Marist v. Invercargill, Rugby Park No. 2, 2.30 p.m.; Referee Mr G. Dennis, Lineumpires, Messrs W. Baird and D. C. Brown. SECOND GRADE. Bluff v. Southern, Bluff, 3.0 p.m.; Referee Mr T. Baird. Pirates v. Invercargill, Biggar Street No. 1, 2.30 p.m. Referee Mr J. Durham. Marist v. Makarewa, Makarewa, 2.30 p.m. Referee Mr Kennedy. Star v. High School, High School No. 1, 2.30 p.m. Referee Mr E. Budd. THIRD GRADE. High School v. Invercargill, High School No. 2, 2.15 p.m. Referee Mr H. R. Willcox. Star v. Technical, Tweed St. No. 1, 2.15 p.m., Referee Mr W. Stott. Pirates v. Southern, Southern Reserve, 2.30 p.m. Referee Mr F. Melvin. Bluff v. Makarewa, Queen’s Park h 2.30 p.m. Referee Mr A. Bull. FOURTH GRADE. Technical v. Invercargill, Biggar Street No. 2, 1.45 p.m. Referee Mr D. Simpson. WEDNESDAY; JUNE 17. Marist v. Southern, Biggar Street, 2.30 p.m. Referee, Mr E. Smith; Pirates v. Invercargill, Rugby Park No. 2, 2.30 p.m., Referee Mr E. Kelly. SATURDAY, JUNE 13. School Match:—Marist v. Technical, Rugby Park., 1.30 p.m. Referee Mr P. Garrett. CENTRAL DISTRICT 1 , JUNE 13. Waianawa v. Drummond, Drummond, 2.45 p.m., Referee Mr F. Daubney. Heddon Bush v. Otahuti, Heddon Bush, 2.45 p.m., Referee, Mr W. Sutton. SATURDAY’S RUGBY. THE CLASH OF THE SEASON. All roads will lead to Rugby Park tomorrow when the Rugby event of the year will eventuate —for what might truly be termed the clash of clashes. Pirates who are now only one point behind Star in championship points will endeavour to wrest the lead from the redoubtable wearers of the Blue and White livery. On last Saturday’s form the match should be a brilliant one, worth going a long way to witness. It has been suggested, in view of the great interest being taken in this match that retailers should close their premises between the hours of 2.30 p.m. and 4.14 p.m. to enable their staffs to view this contest. Several firms have already agreed to do so, and it is to be hoped that others will follow suit. On No 2 area Marist will try conclusions with Invercargill. The latter club showed great improvement last week, and should give a good exposition of the game. As a curtain-raiser, commencing at 1.30 p.m., Marist school boys will play Technical. EASTERN DISTRICT SUB-UNION. WEEKLY MEETING. (Our Special Reporter.) The weekly meeting of the Eastern District Ruerbv Union last evening was attended by Messrs F. Wallis, Chairman, F. Murray, H C. Mac Gibbon, G. W. Whittingham, J. W. Aitken, H. G. Wallis, T. L. Piller, R. Robertson, M. Fitzgerald, and R. S. Green. Apologies for absence were received from Messrs J. McK. Miller, S. J. O’Sullivan and C. D. McConnell. CORRESPONDENCE. The referee in the Albion v. Mataura seconds match on Wednesday (Mr G. Blackwood), reported that one of the Mataura players, Ashly, had used offensive language towards him after the match.—The Chairman said that the matter was a very serious one but personally he did not feel inclined to deal with it until the player concerned appeared before the Union.—lt was decided to suspend Ashley until his case was dealt with. The Wyndham Club telegraphed that its third grade team would be defaulting to Albion.—Received. The Secretary of the United Club advised that his Club had no objection to the Baxter brothers playing outside the district. —Received. The Secretary, Southern District SubUnion, wrote in reply to the Eastern District’s letter regarding G. Fleming, and stated that Fleming had no permission from his Sub-Union to play for Seaward Downs. He had been informed accordingly and had stated that he would play for W’aimahaka only.—The writer drew attention to the Eastern District boundaries, which excluded Fleming, who was therefore eligible to play in the Southern District only.—Received. The Southland Union wrote stating that as B. Palmer had been suspended for a definite period he was entitled to play as soon as that period had elapsed.—Received. The Southland Union advised that J. W. Stickle’s application for re-instatement had been forwarded to the New Zealand Union for favourable consideration.—Received,

James Samson applied for a transfer from the Toko Football Club to Mataura, clearance being enclosed. The Secretary reported that as the application had been received on Thursday and no meeting was held that evening, the Permit Committee had given Samson permission to play.—Action confirmed. L. Humphries applied for a transfer from Linwood, Christchurch, to Wyndham. This also had been granted by the Permit Committee.—Action confirmed. J. L. Crombie applied for a transfer from Riversdale to Pioneer. As there w 7 as no senior club at Riversdale this season •he would like to play for Pioneer. He was within the boundary of the Eastern district and played for a local team for a number of years.—Granted, subject to a clearance being produced and to his being resident within the district. It was further decided that no application for a transfer would be considered until personal application was made. Mr A. N. Macdonald, of the Wyndham District High School, wrote stating that at their school there were a number of boys in the secondary department who were below the Bst 71bs w’eight limit. He understood that in Invercargill secondary school boys were allowed to play in the Primary Schools’ competition provided that they were under weight, and he wished to ascertain if this applied to the Eastern District also. If this was not the case a number of boys would be debarred from taking any further part in the game. The average weight of boys from the Secondary and Primary departments was 6st. 91bs. Only one boy was over Bst and some were under 6st. The Secretary reported that he had referred the question to Mr Miller, who controls the Primary School football on behalf of the Sub-Unipn, and he stated that the Eastern District competition was for Primary school boys only, no provision being made for Secondary boys. Mr Macdonald had been advised accordingly.—Referred to Primary Schoolmasters’ Association. A letter was received from the Edendale Primary School protesting against the action of the Wyndham School team in playing members of the Secondary school in the match for the Rhodes Shield, which was presented for Primary school football. —It was decided to hold the matter over until the opinion of the Schoolmasters’ Association had been obtained, and also to advise the Wyndham Club not to play Secondary school players until the question had been decided. The Albion Club applied for a transfer for A. Sheffelbein from the Drummond Club —Granted. It was decided to apply for a match with the Southern Distaict team.