RUGBY MATCHES IN WAR TIME

Southland Times, Issue 24115, 2 May 1940, Page 6

RUGBY MATCHES IN WAR TIME

No Ranfurly Shield Games RECOMMENDATION BY N.Z. COUNCIL ORGANIZED TOURS TO BE ELIMINATED (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, May 1. The council of the New Zealand Rugby Union at a meeting tonight unanimously decided to recommend to the annual meeting of delegates tomorrow that no international, Ranfurly Shield or Prince of Wales Cup matches shall be played during the war. It was also decided to recommend that no organized tours be undertaken, the representative matches be confined to week-ends and holiday games and that the annual inter-island match be postponed during the war. The chairman (Mr S. S. Dean) reported that he had interviewed the Minister of Supply (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan) and the Commissioner of Transport (Mr G. L. Laurenson), who had assured him that petrol would be available to convey Rugby players to matches so long as the distribution was under control and was not abused. The Rugby unions, said Mr Dean, could get all the petrol they wanted provided they appointed a reputable person in the district to safeguard the department and the union. Where transport services were available footballers would have to travel by these services. It was agreed to extend the rate of interest on loans to unions at 2£ per cent, for the duration of the war. Mr E. McKenzie, sole selector for the New Zealand Union, reported that no good purpose was served by continuing to hold the minor unions’ inter-island match and it was decided to drop the fixture.