EASTERN TEAMS

Southland Times, Issue 22293, 7 April 1934, Page 6

EASTERN TEAMS

RUGBY COMPETITION

PROPOSAL TO PLAY IN TOWN STIMULUS TO GAME The possibility of two Eastern Southland teams, Albion and Mataura, playing in the senior Rugby competition in Invercargill, is creating a great deal of interest. The general opinion of Invercargill players seems to be that the entry of these two outside teams would be popular and would be a distinct stimulus to the game. The Eastern Southland Sub-Union is faced with the alternative of seeking permission for these two senior teams to play in Invercargill or of attempting to create a senior competition of a lower standard in its district; and ol these alternatives the former is held by local players and administrators to be the wiser to adopt. “The transport problem,” said one well-known Invercargill administrator to a reporter, “may be a bit awkward, but I feel sure that the Southland Rugby Union will not turn a deaf ear to the request made by Eastern in its hour of need. A two-team competition is unthinkable and to make a semisenior competition is a poor way out of the impasse. It is the duty of the Southland Union to foster the game throughout the whole district it controls and in the unusual circumstances that have compelled Eastern to appeal for assistance the parent body will be serving the best interests of the game if it accepts the entries of Albion, Mataura and Pioneer, if the last-named also desires it. The addition of these teams should add greatly to the interest of the Galbraith Shield—and quite possibly to the revenue, which would help the transport charges.” The Southland Rugby Union is to receive a deputation from Eastern at a special meeting of the executive to be held on Monday, April 9. SETTLEMENT REACHED At a conference of delegates from the Southland Rugby Union, the Eastern Southland Sub-Union and the Southern District Sub-Union held at Edendale last evening an amicable settlement was reached in the issue between Eastern and Southern regarding the Seaward Downs Club. Southern’s wish was to see an alteration in the boundaries to include Seaward Downs in the Southern District. Eastern opposed such an alteration, but agreed to give permission to the Seaward Downs Club to play in the Southern competition for one year. The conference, which was held in committee, was attended by Messrs T. Meredith (chairman), W. Baird, A. J. Geddes (Southland Union), J. W. Aitken and H. Wallis (Eastern District), J. T. Lewis, R. A. Cox and C. Carlaw (Southern District), McColl (Seaward Downs Club) and Irwin and R. Blair (Edendale Club). The finding of the conference was that the original agreement between the Eastern Southland Sub-Union and the Seaward Downs Club allowing the Seaward Downs Club to play in the Southern Sub-Union competitions, be observed, the Eastern Sub-Union to give twelve months’ notice of recall, a temporay boundary to extend through the centre of Weir’s Road. The players living in districts defined by the boundary must play for that district. Free country was declared for players in the Morton Mains and Dacre district, and the matter of boundaries will be reviewed by the Eastern Sub-Union in two years’ time.