FIRST SHIELD MATCH

Southland Times, Issue 23540, 21 June 1938, Page 11

FIRST SHIELD MATCH

APPLICATIONS FOR STAND SEATS

INTEREST IN SOUTHLANDOTAGO GAME

The big interest already being shown in the first Ranfurly Shield Rugby match between Otago and Southland at Invercargill on July 30 was again displayed at the meeting of the Southland Rugby Union last evening. Two groups of applications were received for accommodation at the match, one from a Dunedin band and one from members of the staff of the Otago Education Board.

“It is the present intention of the Regimental Band to attend the Ranfurly Shield match at Invercargill on July 30 and I have been asked to inquire if seating arrangements could be made for us on the ground,” wrote Mr J. R. Flinders, secretary of the Band of the First Battalion, Otago Regiment, Dunedin. “We are prepared to march from the Invercargill Post Office to the ground, and to play at the ground if required.” The inquiry was held over for one week to enable details of the arrangement made with Southland bands visiting Dunedin to be obtained. . “We have a party of 27 employees of , the Otago Education Board going to Invercargill for the match and I would like to know if it is possible for us to reserve our seats for the whole party in the stand,” wrote Mr J. Cunningham, Ward street, Dunedin. “If we could do this from Dunedin we would have the party together, and it would simplify the collection of expenses which would be sent on to you.” It was decided to advise the writer of the letter that a block of seats in the main stand would be forwarded to the Otago Rugby Union for distribution and that an application to that union would be necessary. There were present at the meeting: Messrs L. R. Lopdell (president), N. R. Brown, W. A. H. Oliver, H. J. Brown, R. G. Kitto, E. H. Diack, A. J. Geddes, A. H. Courtis, H. S. Strang, R. T. Meredith and T. R. Pryde. TOURING TEAM WANTED “The executive of the Eastern Southland Rugby Football sub-union has considered the possibility of touring teams meeting the sub-union teams, and would like the following suggestion conveyed to the New Zealand Union,” wrote the secretary of the sub-union. “The suggestion is that next season a West Coast or Nelson team should play a Southern, Eastern and Northern combined team at Gore, a Western-Central team at a place suitable to those subunions and a combined sub-unions’ team at Gore on the return journey.

“It is very desirable that such games should be arranged as it is the country centres which are having difficulty in keeping the game alive,” the writer added.

Members agreed that the idea was a good one which should be encouraged. It was decided to write to the West Coast Union and ascertain if it was prepared to make a southern tour, and if so would it make an application to the New Zealand Union next season for a grant to finance the tour In reply to the request of the New Zealand Rugby Union asking for the names of five .referees, in order of merit, who would be eligible and available to referee representative games this season, it was decided to send the following names:—Messrs C. C. Kenward, W. O. Ward, A. B. Binnie, E. Barron and J. R. Bell. The names were submitted to the union by the Southland Rugby Referees Association. “It must be understood, however, that the Appointment Board will send you a list of names for representative fixtures played in Invercargill a few days before each fixture,” said the secretary of the association (Mr H. C. Shand) in his letter to the union.

The nomination of Mr A. J. Earl, as manager of the Southland sub-union team was received from the Northern Sub-Union.

A letter was received from the secretary of the Marist Brothers Old Boys’ Football Club enclosing a copy of a request from the South Tuapeka subunion that a match be arranged between a South Tuapeka team and an Invercargill club at Invercargill on July 30, the day of the Otago-Southland Ranfurly Shield game. “Our members would like to oblige the sub-union and are desirous of obtaining pel-mission to play the match,” said the secretary of the Marist Club.

Permission to play the game at Biggar street ground was given. HIGH SCHOOL MATCHES Permission was given to the Southland Boys’ High School Club to arrange the following school matches:— Southland v. Otago, at Rugby Park, on June 29.

Southland v. Waitaki, at Oamaru, (senior and junior matches) on July 6. Sixth grade match, High School, v. Technical College, as a curtain-raiser to Southland-Otago game on June 29. The following regrades and transfers were granted:—N. H. Haslemore, Lumsden, a transfer to Invercargill and a regrade from first to fourth grade; G. Todd, a transfer from Drummond to Marist; G. Kirkness (Invercargill) a regrade from first to second grade; D.

Cameron (Bluff), a regrade from second to third grade. The secretary of the Southern subunion wrote asking if the second Sports Trust Cup match could be put forward to July 9. He said that July 16, 23 and 30 were dates on which important fixtures were being played. It was decided to ask Western if in the event of it holding the cup after the first match, against Eastern, it would be prepared to meet Southern on July 9. FIXTURES FOR SATURDAY The following fixtures for Saturday’s games were approved:— Seniors.—Marist v. Pirates, at Rugby Park at 1.30 p.m.; Star v. Invercargill, at Rugby Park at 2.15 p.m.; Old Boys v. Bluff, at Rugby Park at 3 p.m. Second Grade.—Collegiate v. Marist, at Tweed street at 2.30 p.m.; Star v. Pirates, at Biggar street No. 4 at 2 p.m.; Old Boys v. Invercargill, at Biggar street No. 5 at 2.45 p.m. Third Grade.—High School v. Invercargill, at School No. 1 at 1.30 p.m.; Old Boys v. Bluff, at Bluff at 2.45 p.m.; Waikiwi v. Collegiate, at Biggar street No. 3 at 2 p.m.; Star v. Pirates, at Biggar street No. 2 at 2.45 p.m.; Borstal a bye. Fourth Grade.—lnvercargill v. Marist, at Bain Park at 2 p.m.; Pirates v. Technical at South Domain at 1.45 p.m.; Star v. High School, at School No. 2 at 1.30 p.m.; Collegiate v. Waikiwi, at Biggar street No. 2 at 1.30 p.m.; Old Boys a bye. Fifth Grade—lnvercargill v. Pirates, at Biggar street No. 5 at 1.30 p.m.; High School v. Marist at School No. 3 at 1.30 p.m.; Technical a bye.