RUGBY FOOTBALL

Southland Times, Issue 21092, 26 May 1930, Page 5

RUGBY FOOTBALL

WESTERN DISTRICT REFEREES.

(From Our Correspondent)

A meeting of the Referees’ Association, held at Otautau on Wednesday evening, was attended by the following: Messrs G. B. Burns and D. C, McCrostie (Otautau), R. Wyeth (Orawia), J. Wilson andC. Mills (Ohai) and T. and J. Prendeville (Nightcaps). Mr HJ A. Booth (president) occupied the chair The president was appointed to represent the association on the executive of the Rugby Sub-union. The following referees were appointed:— May 31: Ohai v. Nightcaps, Mr H. A. Booth; Riverton v. Orawia, Mr Foster; Orepuki v. Otautau, Mr C. Mills. June 7: Thornbury v. Riverton, Mr Weir; Otautau v. Nightcaps, Mr C. Mills; Orawia v. Orepuki, Mr R. Hayles. June 14: Ohai v. Riverton, Mr J. Prcndeville; Nightcaps v. Orawia, Mr C. Mills; Otautau v. Thornbury, Mr Eccleton. Meeting of Sub-union. A meeting of the committee of the Western District Sub-union was held the same evening, and was attended by the following delegates: Messrs Laurie and Matheson (Western Star), Lyng and Rose (Riverton), Foster and Weir (Thornbury), J. C. Miller (Orepuki), Jamieson and Grant (Nightcaps) and R. B. Collett and A. 11. Lindsay (Otautau). Apologies were received from Messrs Liddell, Edie and Cameron. On taking the chair, Mr Lindsay said he had not been present when he had been elected president, but he thanked them for the honour conferred. He would do his best in the interests of football in the district, and with the assistance l of delegates trusted that a successful year would be experienced. In accordance with notice of motion Mr R. B. Collett moved “That the minute regarding neutral referees be rescinded, and in future home and home referees be reverted to.”—Seconded by Mr P. Grant. Mr John K. Gardiner, secretary, Western Star Club, advised that the following recommendation was passed at last meeting: “That the club does not approve of a change to home and home referees, and that each club where there are two teams playing, pay £7 10/-, and where there is one team £5 a year, to support the neutral referee system to apply to both grades, senior and junior.” In support of this motion Mr Laurie said it was only a fair thing for the clubs to pay their share, and it was owing to the good sportsmanship of the referees last year that the expenses of the sub-union in this connection had been so light. Mr Miller said it would be hard to get neutral referees throughout the season, but when it came to the end of the competition, and several teams were in the running for the banner, the various clubs would be empowered to demand that a neutral referee be appointed should they so desire. Mr Lyng said on two occasions they had decided to adhere to neutral referees, and he did not think it a wise move to make a change now. With the idea of reducing the expense Mr Jamieson suggested that the district should be divided up into three sections. If they were not getting satisfaction with the referees it was going to spoil football in the district, and for the sake of the game clubs should have no difficulty in raising the affiliation fees and thus assist to keep up the standard. Mr P. Grant said that although he had supported the appointment of home referees last meeting, he knew that the Referees’ Association was up against it, and they would have to do their best to meet them in the matter. Mr Booth, president of the Referees’ As-, sociption, who was present by invitation, detailed the difficulty of securing referees this season, and trusted the delegates would see their way clear to revert to home referees. Mr D. C. McCrostie (secretary) supported these remarks. On being put to the meeting the motion was lost. A request that the Referees’ Association have direct representation on the executive was accorded to. Three players were reported by referees for breaches, and the secretary was instructed to ask them to be present at the next meeting. The secretary, Western Star club lodged a protest against Nightcaps juniors in the match with Western Star juniors on the ground that Mr E. Pope, Nightcaps, was a senior player. The secretary reported he had been interviewed by the secretary of the Nightcaps club previous to the match regarding" a regrade for this player, and a letter had also been received. While it was pointed out that neither the president nor secretary had power to grant a regrade, it was also mentioned that the main difficulty lay in the fact that the Sub-union meetings were not held often enough, and it was decided to meet on the second and fourth Wednesdays in the month. The secretary's action was upheld, and the protest dismissed, the protest money to, be refundeel. Mr A. F. Kennard, secretary of the Central District Sub-union, wrote that his committee was prepared to support the proposal of the Western Sub-union regarding priority for the Sports Protection Cup, ami drew attention to the fact that certain players residing in Central district, viz., Messrs W. McKenzie; Southern and C. Buxton, were playing for Thornbury without the sanction of his sub-union. As Drummond had been forced to withdraw its senior team through lack of players, he asked that action be taken in the matter. It was mentioned that clearances were before the meeting for the players mentioned, and Mr Weir stated that the Thornbury club did not wish to play any player to which it was not entitled, but these men were only one and a-half miles away from Thornbury. The secretary was directed to write pointing out the position, and ask permission for these men to play in Western District. The Southland Rugby Union wrote regarding the following matters: (1) Asking that affiliation fees be paid.—Held over. (2) Asking whether it was proposed to send a team to Invercargill for Country Day.—To be advised that Western is entering a team. (3) Forwarding rulings given by the N.Z. Rugby Football Union in regard to matters dealing with the game. —Received. (4) Advising that arrangements were now being made for the booking of seats for the test match in Dunedin.—lndividuals to make their own arrangements. (5) In relation to Sports Trust Cup matches, referring the Sub-union to the rules of the competition governing same, stating that challenges were received immediately after the annual meeting of the Southland Union and played in order of receipt—Received. Clearances were granted as follows: S. Cleaver, from Riverton to Orepuki; C. M. Buxton, H. Southern and W. McKenzie, from Waianiwa to Thornbury; E. Collie, from Pirates to Western Star; T. McSorelly from Marist to Western Star; H. Clark, from Riverton to Otautau; John Ronald, from Waianiwa to Thornbury ; R. Lee, from Waikaia to Orepuki; regrades: W. Laidlaw and B. King. Line umpires were nominated as follows: Nightcaps, Messrs Grant and W. McKenzie; Riverton, Messrs J. Moir and Lyng; Thornbury, Messrs W. Foster and F. Weir; Otautau, Messrs G. B. Burns and R. Henderson; Western Star, Messrs J. Laurie and R. Burns. The Riverton club was granted permission to play a seven-a-side tournament at the end of the second round, provided the fixtures were not interfered with. Messrs R. Burns (Western Star), Carmody (Nightcaps) and . Wilson (Ohai) were appointed selectors for the junior representatives. The selecting of the team for Country Day was left in the hands of the selectors. Mr J. C. Miller was appointed manager, and Mr D. Cameron custodian of jerseys, etc. Junior Fixtures. Following is the draw for the second round, the last-named place to be the locality of play: ■ May 31: Otautau v. Ohai.! C-awia v. Nightcaps. June 7: ,Ohai v. Orawia. Nightcaps v. Otautau.