NO PERMISSION TO PLAY

Southland Times, Issue 23818, 16 May 1939, Page 11

NO PERMISSION TO PLAY

Application Made By

R. H. Ward

TRANSFER REFUSED BY RUGBY UNION

The application of R. H. Ward for a transfer from the Hastings Football Club to the Pirates Club was again discussed .by the Management Committee of the Southland Rugby Union last night. The matter was reopened on a point of procedure, but by seven votes to five the committee refused to grant Ward permission to play in the Invercargill competition. Mr T. R. Pryde, chairman of the Transfer Committee, informed the committee that Ward’s application had not been conclusively dealt with by the union. When the committee rescinded the resolution granting Ward a transfer to Pirates, said Mr Pryde, it was necessary that his application again be considered. The committee had not done so and the position was that Ward had been neither refused a transfer nor granted one. He contended that the union still had to deal with the application.

Mr A. H. Courtis then moved that Ward be granted a transfer from the Hastings Club to the Pirates Club and that he be given permission to play in the Invercargjll competition, “according to our rules,” added Mr Courtis. The motion was seconded by Mr W. A. H. Oliver. / Several members said that the rescinding of the resolution granting Ward permission to play in Invercargill was tantamount to refusing permission. Mr Oliver pointed out that according to the rules of the union, Ward had complied with the residential qualifications and was entitled to favourable consideration. A vote on the motion was defeated by seven votes to five. The voting was as follows:— For the motion: Messrs Courtis, Oliver, Pryde, A. J. Geddes and R. McEwan. Against the motion: Messrs W. Baird, C. A. Kerse, W. O. Ward, P. P. Meffin, H. J. Brown, H. S. Strang and L. R. Lopdell. Two letters about Ward’s position were read at the meeting. Mr J. F. Fitzpatrick, secretary of the Riverton Club, wrote stating that the following resolution was passed at a meeting of the club:—“The Riverton Football Club has no objection whatever to R. H. Ward playing in the Invercargill competition.” Mr A. A. Fisher, treasurer of the

Western District Sub-Union, said that the letter had been referred to him as a member of the Emergency Committee and he agreed that the district had no claims on the services of R. H. Ward as a player.

“Will your union please request the New Zealand Union to give a definition of ‘residential qualification’? We consider that a ruling from the New Zealand Union would help us in future cases,” wrote the secretary of the Eastern Sub-Union.

“There must be something wrong with our rule if we are so divided on it,” said Mr Kerse. “Can we not get the matter fixed up and save us a lot of argument ?”

Mr Geddes said the matter was purely a domestic one concerning the Southland Union and the New Zealand Union would refer it back to the Southland Union. “I don’t think it would do much good to send it on,” said the chairman (Mr N. R. Brown). It was agreed to send on the letter to the New Zealand Union. It also was agreed to send a covering letter to the New Zealand Union. SUB-UNION SELECTORS Messrs N. M. McLeod (Eastern) and G. P. Martin (Central) were appointed selectors of the Southland Sub-Unions’ team to play Otago Sub-Unions at Invercargill on July 22. It was decided to adopt the recommendation of the New Zealand Rugby Union in the appointment of referees “that the home union appoint the referees for inter-provincial games other than Ranfurly Shield matches.” FIXTURES FOR SATURDAY The following fixtures were approved:— Seniors.—Star v. Marist, at Rugby Park at 2 p.m.; Pirates v. Old Boys, at Rugby Park at 2.45 p.m.; Invercargill v. Bluff, at Bluff at 2.30 p.m. Second grade.—Star v. Old Boys, at Biggar street No. 4 at 3 p.m.; Marist v. Pirates, at South domain No. 1 at 2.30 pjrn.; Collegiate v. Bluff, at Biggar street No. 5 at 3 p.m.; Invercargill a bye.

Third grade.—lnvercargill v. Pirates, at Rugby Park at 1.25 p.m.; Old Boys v. High School, at High School at 1.45 p.m.; Collegiate v. Borstal, at Borstal at 2 p.m.; Waikiwi a bye.

Fourth grade.—Kennington v. Bluff, at Biggar street No. 2 at 2.45 p.m.; Technical v. Star, at Biggar street No. 3 at 2 p.m.; Invercargill v. Pirates, at Bain Park at 2 p.m.; Old Boys v. School, at High School at 2 p.m.; Collegiate v. Marist, at South Domain No. 2 at 2 p.m.

Fifth grade.—Technical v. Collegiate, at Biggar street No. 5 at 1.30 p.m.; School A v. School B, to be played later; Marist v. Invercargill, at Biggar street No. 4 at 1.30 p.m.; Old Boys v. Pirates, at School ground at 2 p.m. ‘

NORTHERN DISTRICT SUBUNION

GRANTING OF REGRADE OPPOSED

At the monthly meeting of the Northern District Rugby Football Sub-union the following delegates were present:— Messrs D. Andrew and B. Simms (Lumsden), L. F. Fraser and A. Stewart (Balfour), G. Soper (Country Pirates;, W. Hollands (Riversdale) and A. P. Scobie (secretary). An application for regrade from senior to junior grade was received from A. McDonald, of Waikaia. The regrade was opposed by the delegates from other clubs, it being stated that most of the junior players this season were young players and that it was against the interests of junior football to grant regrades. The discussion then lapsed. It was decided to send a representative team to Invercargill on Country Day and Mr G. Soper was appointed manager.

Mr D. Andrews was nominated as a referee for Country Day fixtures. Mr Soper was nominated as a subunion selector. The referee of the Lumsden-Balfour senior game on April 6 wrote stating that he had had occasion to order off a Lumsden player for using objectionable language. He considered that the player had been sufficiently punished. The referee’s action was upheld and it was agreed that in future more severe measures would be taken against players infringing this rule. The second grade fixtures were approved as follows:— .

May 20.—Balfour v. Country Pirates, at Athol; Riversdale v. Waikaia, at Waikaia.

May 27.—Balfour v. Riversdale, at Riversdale; Country Pirates v. Waikaia, at Waikaia. The following transfers were confirmed:—D. Higgins, Queenstown to Balfour; A. Easton, Albion (Gore) to Balfour; L. Orr and E. Orr, Riversdale to Balfour; F. Greer (Cave, Canterbury), to Country Pirates; L. Greer, Nightcaps to Country Pirates; G. Rutter, Balfour to Country Pirates; D. Hollands, Southern (Dunedin) to Riversdale; J. McAskill, Dipton to Riversdale; A. Fletcher, Bluff to Riversdale.

BOXING

PARRIS KNOCKS OUT FISHER (United Press Association) DUNEDIN, May 15. A professional boxing contest held tonight between W. Parris (WellingI ton), lOst 4alb, and Norman Fisher | (Christchurch), lOst resulted in a win on a knockout in the ninth round for Parris. The bout, which was one I of the best seen in Dunedin for some years, attracted a crowded house, about equally divided in sympathies. The exchanges were fairly even for four rounds, but after that Parris’s body blows took toll and Fisher was tiring when the end came. A preliminary bout between M. Parr (Dunedin) and W. Brown (Invercargill) resulted in a victory on points for Parr. PARR DEFEATS BROWN In a preliminary bout at a boxing tournament at Dunedin last night M. Parr, of Kaitangata (8.11) beat W. Brown, of Invercargill (8.10) on points after a lively bout